Bret Weinstein Hints at "Next Level" Grievance Studies Hoax, Fueling Academic Speculation

Prominent commentator Bret Weinstein has sparked widespread discussion with a recent social media post hinting at an impending "new grievance studies hoax" that he suggests will be "next level." Weinstein, a vocal critic of certain academic trends, shared his anticipation, stating, "> The new grievance studies hoax looks to be next level. Can’t wait for the big reveal! 🦨" This tweet has ignited speculation regarding a potential follow-up to the controversial 2018 "Grievance Studies Affair."

The original "Grievance Studies Affair" involved James A. Lindsay, Helen Pluckrose, and Peter Boghossian, who submitted 20 intentionally absurd papers to peer-reviewed journals in fields they termed "grievance studies," including gender studies, queer theory, and critical race theory. Their aim was to expose what they perceived as a lack of academic rigor and an ideological bias within these disciplines. Seven of these hoax papers were accepted for publication, with four ultimately seeing print before the project was publicly revealed.

These fabricated articles, which included topics such as "rape culture" in dog parks and a feminist reinterpretation of sections of Hitler's Mein Kampf, generated significant debate. While supporters argued the hoax exposed flaws in academic peer review and the influence of identity politics, critics raised ethical concerns about the methodology and questioned the scientific validity of the experiment. The affair highlighted ongoing tensions surrounding academic standards and intellectual freedom.

Bret Weinstein, a former professor of evolutionary biology at Evergreen State College, has consistently aligned himself with critics of "woke ideology" and "grievance studies" in higher education. His public commentary often advocates for objective scholarship and academic freedom, positioning him as a key figure in these contentious academic and cultural debates. The "🦨" emoji in his tweet is widely interpreted as a symbolic reference to "skunking" or exposing perceived academic fraud.

As of now, concrete details about this "new" hoax remain unconfirmed, and no specific project or authors have been publicly identified. Weinstein's tweet primarily serves as a forward-looking statement, suggesting a forthcoming disclosure that could once again challenge academic norms and reignite discussions about the rigor and ideological leanings within certain humanities and social science disciplines. The academic community and public observers are now awaiting further developments regarding this anticipated "big reveal."