What should you actually read if you want to understand critical theory? In this video, I cut through the surface-level recommendations and lay out the core canon of critical theory. This is not a random list. It is a structured path through the major thinkers who define the tradition, from Kant and Hegel to Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, and the Frankfurt School. If you are serious about understanding critical theory at a deep level, these are the texts that matter. I walk through one essential work from each thinker and explain why it belongs in the canon, how they connect to one another, and how they shape the broader project of critique. This is your starting point if you want to move beyond summaries and actually engage the tradition itself. Kant • Hegel • Marx • Nietzsche • Freud • Adorno • Horkheimer • Marcuse • Fromm • (and others shaping the tradition) Who this is for: • Students studying philosophy or critical theory • Self-learners who want a serious foundation • Anyone tired of vague or watered-down reading lists About the Channel: Popular Philosophy is dedicated to making rigorous philosophical ideas accessible without losing their depth. The goal is not just to explain philosophy, but to help you think. #CriticalTheory #history #autodidact #Philosophy #Kant #Hegel #Marx #Adorno #FrankfurtSchool #Nietzsche #Freud #PhilosophyTube #Theory