Acid Horizon The Cultural Marxism Conspiracy: Why the Right Blames the Frankfurt School for the Decline of the West with A.J.A. Woods
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May 10, 2026 A.J.A. Woods, historian and author who traced the origins of the 'cultural Marxism' conspiracy, joins to unpack how a set of Frankfurt School ideas were recast as a global menace. He traces the meme from LaRouche and William S. Lind through alternative media and internet subcultures. Conversations cover why émigré scholars were targeted, the role of media tactics, and how the theory persists online.
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Cultural Marxism Has A Specific Postwar Genealogy
- Cultural Marxism is not just a rebadged Nazi trope; it has a distinct postwar genealogy tied to Cold War debates and 1960s student politics.
- A.J.A. Woods traces the idea through specific 1960s conflicts over Marcuse, showing how internecine left disputes fueled later right-wing scapegoating.
Marcuse Rumors Spread As Student Movement Proxy Wars
- Progressive Labor attacked Herbert Marcuse as a CIA asset, circulating claims like 'Marcuse Cop Out' to discredit New Left trends.
- Woods recounts how these rumors spread internationally and functioned as proxy fights within 1960s student movements.
Foreign Names Made The Frankfurt School An Easy Scapegoat
- The Frankfurt School became a right-wing target partly because their German names sounded foreign and threatening to American audiences.
- Woods notes conservatives long framed Frankfurt School thinkers as dangerous intellectuals corrupting youth and institutions.
