Why respond to a fictitious student named Simone? Why not interview sociologists, historians, and economists who disagree with you? Why not talk to Eduardo Bonilla-Silva or Matthew Desmond or Heather McGhee or Douglas Massey or Matthew Clair or Thomas Shapiro or Mario Small or Thomas Sugrue or Angela Davis or Monica Bell or Kimberlé Crenshaw or Cheryl Harris or Dorothy Roberts or Sherrilyn Ifill or Sheryll Cashin or Kristin Henning or Paul Butler or William Darity? I think that focusing on students & activists with rather than engaging with academics is avoiding the most serious articulations of the opposing view.
Adam thank you for articulating so well the concept of grievance industry as an end in itself while providing the Simones with temporary power and temporary security.
I have the following advice for Simone:
Any social “power” contains within two subcategories; the real and the imagined. As I am not psychic- I do not know the relative percentages in your scenario. A further complication is silence, not because it is fragile, but because none of us are psychic mind readers.
In terms of equity, I want Simone to have the tool that I have. Numerous years ago, I was mentally trapped in a corner by circumstance. My previous models for story navigation were based on text clearly labeled as science (AAAS standard) or clearly labeled as fiction (Harry Potter novels by J. K. Rowling). Suddenly out of nowhere, I encountered a fiction story presented authoritatively as “science”. My world immediately changed in a traumatic way. It was because of this mental pain and trauma that my brain entered “fight” mode. Consequently, within 4 days - I invented a model for story navigation that became my escape door. Inventing your own escape door is real power. And I did this alone, not because I am antisocial but because others refused to cooperate. The invention of this model was my greatest lifetime achievement at the time. I have since surpassed that achievement with others.
To be fair and honest, I sincerely doubt that I actually invented something never before seen in the world. In fact, I imagine that reputable PhD research scientists have their own version of such a “story navigation model”, except far superior to mine. What is so empowering about my story is that I created a homemade version in isolation from scientists and by only using the information inside my brain. If I can do it, so can others.
Respectfully, Adam and Glenn…. While you both raise important points, there is no way on *Earth* that this is the rebuttal Simone would make. I wasn’t Simone, but I was her best white friend and woke as could be until last year, ha. The points that Adam made never remotely crossed my mind, and I probably would have been offended by someone raising them, suggesting activists were playing a game, or that these wins came anywhere close to counterbalancing centuries of oppression, or that they weren’t over-emphasizing exceptional cases. So your response, while also thought-provoking, is not a particularly relevant one when dialoguing with the “woke.”
Since last year, I’ve realized how much tunnel vision I had on these issues, and haven’t done a 180 but maybe a 170 from my prior position. But if I were channeling Simone’s strongest case against Profs Loury and McWhorter, it might be something like this:
“Prof McWhorter, in promoting his book, regularly acknowledges that racism and anti-black bias still exist in this country and need to be fought. You are both aware of the studies showing that black job applicants are usually at a disadvantage, for example. Some of the most pernicious stereotypes about black people is that they are violent, lazy, and/or stupid. Any black person in this country could relate to feeling like they have to prove those kinds of assumptions wrong on a daily basis. You both know these assumptions are not true about the vast majority of black Americans, and not UNtrue about every members of every other racial group. And yet you use your platform as highly visible black intelligentsia not to challenge these stereotypes, but to reinforce them by speaking disparagingly about an imagined monolithic “black culture” allergic to work and prone to violence! You know that your blackness gives cover to white people who want to believe ugly things about black Americans to say ‘I’m not racist, a black guy said it too.’ Anti-racist activists are fighting for a level playing field for black Americans, a fight you benefit from, and your work is tilting it against us once more. Why are you making our work harder?”
Apologies if that sounds too accusatory- I am trying to channel what I think would be her toughest critique! (Note to other commenters, please don’t pile on me as this is not what I myself would say today, not in so many words at least :) )
Here is an interesting take on Glenn's 6 minute video on why "blacks" should give up the race card:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPEWKEohsJc
Would be curious to hear more perspectives on it.
Why respond to a fictitious student named Simone? Why not interview sociologists, historians, and economists who disagree with you? Why not talk to Eduardo Bonilla-Silva or Matthew Desmond or Heather McGhee or Douglas Massey or Matthew Clair or Thomas Shapiro or Mario Small or Thomas Sugrue or Angela Davis or Monica Bell or Kimberlé Crenshaw or Cheryl Harris or Dorothy Roberts or Sherrilyn Ifill or Sheryll Cashin or Kristin Henning or Paul Butler or William Darity? I think that focusing on students & activists with rather than engaging with academics is avoiding the most serious articulations of the opposing view.
Response to Simone:
Adam thank you for articulating so well the concept of grievance industry as an end in itself while providing the Simones with temporary power and temporary security.
I have the following advice for Simone:
Any social “power” contains within two subcategories; the real and the imagined. As I am not psychic- I do not know the relative percentages in your scenario. A further complication is silence, not because it is fragile, but because none of us are psychic mind readers.
In terms of equity, I want Simone to have the tool that I have. Numerous years ago, I was mentally trapped in a corner by circumstance. My previous models for story navigation were based on text clearly labeled as science (AAAS standard) or clearly labeled as fiction (Harry Potter novels by J. K. Rowling). Suddenly out of nowhere, I encountered a fiction story presented authoritatively as “science”. My world immediately changed in a traumatic way. It was because of this mental pain and trauma that my brain entered “fight” mode. Consequently, within 4 days - I invented a model for story navigation that became my escape door. Inventing your own escape door is real power. And I did this alone, not because I am antisocial but because others refused to cooperate. The invention of this model was my greatest lifetime achievement at the time. I have since surpassed that achievement with others.
To be fair and honest, I sincerely doubt that I actually invented something never before seen in the world. In fact, I imagine that reputable PhD research scientists have their own version of such a “story navigation model”, except far superior to mine. What is so empowering about my story is that I created a homemade version in isolation from scientists and by only using the information inside my brain. If I can do it, so can others.
Respectfully, Adam and Glenn…. While you both raise important points, there is no way on *Earth* that this is the rebuttal Simone would make. I wasn’t Simone, but I was her best white friend and woke as could be until last year, ha. The points that Adam made never remotely crossed my mind, and I probably would have been offended by someone raising them, suggesting activists were playing a game, or that these wins came anywhere close to counterbalancing centuries of oppression, or that they weren’t over-emphasizing exceptional cases. So your response, while also thought-provoking, is not a particularly relevant one when dialoguing with the “woke.”
Since last year, I’ve realized how much tunnel vision I had on these issues, and haven’t done a 180 but maybe a 170 from my prior position. But if I were channeling Simone’s strongest case against Profs Loury and McWhorter, it might be something like this:
“Prof McWhorter, in promoting his book, regularly acknowledges that racism and anti-black bias still exist in this country and need to be fought. You are both aware of the studies showing that black job applicants are usually at a disadvantage, for example. Some of the most pernicious stereotypes about black people is that they are violent, lazy, and/or stupid. Any black person in this country could relate to feeling like they have to prove those kinds of assumptions wrong on a daily basis. You both know these assumptions are not true about the vast majority of black Americans, and not UNtrue about every members of every other racial group. And yet you use your platform as highly visible black intelligentsia not to challenge these stereotypes, but to reinforce them by speaking disparagingly about an imagined monolithic “black culture” allergic to work and prone to violence! You know that your blackness gives cover to white people who want to believe ugly things about black Americans to say ‘I’m not racist, a black guy said it too.’ Anti-racist activists are fighting for a level playing field for black Americans, a fight you benefit from, and your work is tilting it against us once more. Why are you making our work harder?”
Apologies if that sounds too accusatory- I am trying to channel what I think would be her toughest critique! (Note to other commenters, please don’t pile on me as this is not what I myself would say today, not in so many words at least :) )
Adam's comment and Glenn's response go to the very heart of the matter. That's intellect well used.
Glenn’s response to Simone is superb!
This is one of the best short videos I have seen.
It gets right at the question: "Why give up the black card?".
This is just brilliant, thank you.
It was an honor to get a personal response from you in the comments, Prof. Loury, and doubly so to have the exchange memorialized in its own video.