Diversity and inclusion Gone Wild

[Caracal]

I agree with all of this. I simply wanted to add that, relevant to the portion I've highlighted, if you go to any country where the majority is not white, you'll find the same kind of bias against "outsiders"; it's not a flaw specific to white people. And there are lots of well-meaning people in those countries fighting against that there as well.

I feel the need to point out that that this this isn't really true as a universal proposition. Sure, humans as social creatures are attended to differences and tend to make social meanings of those differences. Race is a very particular construct about how differences in skin color should be codified and the meanings that they should have. The idea that it is about majorities and minorities is actually embedded in a particularly late 20th century American context. In antebellum South Carolina enslaved black people were the majority.

If I recall correctly, in ancient Rome slaves outnumbered citizens about 2 to 1. If that's correct, then that kind of predates the American south.

The US was actually an outlier in New World slavery. In the Caribbean and Brazil, slaves usually far outnumbered free people.

[mahagonny]

I feel more diverse participating in this discussion. I wonder if I can count this an professional development. I've certainly gotten more out of it than most diversity workshops sponsored by the university.

That's because this is an anonymous board not related to employment, and so no one is afraid to say what they are thinking.

Face to face diversity workshops almost always proceed with the idea that an agenda should evolve from the discussion. Once an agenda has been reached by a diverse group, it may be considered unimpeachable. Dangerous.

[larryc]

I haven't read the book.

Try and be a better version of yourself.

[mahagonny]

I haven't read the book.

Try and be a better version of yourself.

Internet sniping doesn't impress me. Tell us how this book made you better. Write something with enough content in it so we can get to know you.