Week 1- Barker, Chapter 2 (Central Problems)

It seems that the consensus position of theorists in the field of cultural studies, is that "realist epistemologies" are old fashioned and untenable (Barker 2003, 50). I have a hard time wrapping my mind around exactly how Barker does not fall into relativism. It is true however, that we all make judgments upon what is true and good based upon the true and the good that we assume already. That is, we already have a standard made up in our head. However, does this necessitate that there is no objective "true and good" from which cultures must be judged? Is it not possible in any sense that some aspects of a culture might approach this "true and good" more really than other aspects of a culture? It is good to be humble about what we know, but I wonder if we enjoy our pessimism and self-doubt so much that we forget to cry out a prophetic "NO!" when our culture manifests something that is objectively "false and bad".