How Does Anti-Racism Hurt Black People? - John McWhorter | Modern Wisdom Podcast 390

Victimhood and Woke Racism

In this section, John McWhorter and Chris Williamson discuss the concept of victimhood and how it can be fetishized. They also talk about the evolution of the term "woke" and its current usage as a pejorative. The conversation then shifts to woke racism, which is characterized by an obsession with overturning power differentials and white supremacy.

Victimhood Complex

• Victimhood complex is a human trait that can be exaggerated to give a sense of absolution and significance.

• Black Americans have encouraged this od on victimhood.

Evolution of "Woke"

• The term "woke" originally meant politically informed in a leftist way.

• It has become pejorative due to the behavior of certain segments of woke people who are noxious in public spaces.

• Woke has supplanted politically correct as a term for being enlightened in a leftist way.

Woke Racism

• Woke racism is characterized by an obsession with overturning power differentials and white supremacy.

• This kind of person knows what racism is, but it has become unintentional because they are more concerned with showing that they know racism exists than actually helping black people.

• Virtue signaling has become a religion instead of just something people do idly, which makes it scary to see.

Genesis of Race Obsession

In this section, John McWhorter talks about two factors that contributed to the current obsession with race in America: the George Floyd murder and social media.

• The George Floyd murder was particularly egregious and happened during a time when America was on lockdown, which made people lonely, bored, and angry.

• Social media allowed people to communicate and whip one another up with a speed and fervor that wasn't possible before.

Racial Inequities and Legacy of Racism

In this section, the speaker discusses racial inequities in society that are often based on racism in the past. The speaker gives examples of how racism in the past has led to legacies that affect black kids' education today.

Legacy of Racism

• Black kids are less likely to embrace school not because they are dumb but because when schools were desegregated, white kids and teachers were hostile towards black kids coming in. This hostility created a meme that thinking of school as "the white man's game."

• Today, a black kid who likes school may feel like they're doing something for other people rather than their own people. This is a legacy of racism in the past.

• This sentiment got passed along as one way of being a cliquish teenager. It's not about racism now, but it's still a legacy of racism in the past.

Woke Racism or Anti-Racism as Religion

In this section, the speaker explains why he calls woke racism or anti-racism a religion. He talks about how there is very little room for discussion or disagreement within this ideology.

Why Woke Racism is a Religion

• The ideology is allowed to proceed without addressing logic.

• There's very little room for discussion or disagreement within this ideology.

• People scream about police brutality against black people but pay lip service to murders committed by people within underserved communities themselves.

• If you bring up these questions, you're treated as a heretic for pushing it.

The Power of Social Media

In this section, the speaker talks about the power of social media and how it can be used to spread messages and create a new worldview.

The Power of Social Media

• Social media, particularly Twitter, is a powerful tool for spreading messages.

• It creates an entire new lexicon and worldview around it that bypasses all culture, facts, and reason.

• A disproportionately small number of people can have a significant influence on so many others.

The Elect

In this section, the speaker introduces his book "The Elect" and explains that it refers to people who have any kind of influence on the way people think, including what children are taught. He argues that these people behave like priests and parishioners.

The Meaning of "The Elect"

• The term "The Elect" refers to people who have any kind of influence on the way people think, including what children are taught.

• These people behave like priests and parishioners, bearing an invaluable wisdom against which nothing logical or moral can be said.

Religion in Society

• The speaker argues that while religion is great, it should not run society.

• He believes that those who wish to live in a secular fashion should not be shouted down by those who want to retreat to their churches.

White Fragility and How To Be Anti-Racist

In this section, the speaker discusses two books: "White Fragility" and "How To Be Anti-Racist". He describes "White Fragility" as one of the worst books he has ever read. He also criticizes the author's idea that whites need to confront their complicity in an inherently racist society. Regarding "How To Be Anti-Racist", he finds it difficult to understand how its prescriptions fit into America as it actually is.

White Fragility

• The speaker describes "White Fragility" as one of the worst books he has ever read.

• He criticizes the author's idea that whites need to sit down in a circle and confront their complicity in an inherently racist society.

• He questions what all of this zen-like self-discipline would do for poor black people who actually need help.

How To Be Anti-Racist

• The speaker has not read "How To Be Anti-Racist".

• He finds it difficult to see how the prescriptions in the book fit into America as it actually is.

Fear of Admitting Victory

In this section, the speaker discusses whether people who advocate for equality would be afraid to admit victory because it would deprive them of purpose.

Fear of Losing Purpose

• People advocating for equality are not thinking that they wouldn't have a job if they had to admit that things were not the way they say it would.

• It's not about having a livelihood, and the fear is more about losing their sense of purpose.

• If America is not the way they depict it, then what are they going to do in their spare time? They have a sense of purpose on this earth, and if the job is already done, what else are you going to do?

How Anti-Racism Harms Black People

In this section, the speaker talks about how anti-racism harms black people in many ways.

Misplaced Efforts

• At least 70% of efforts devoted to defunding and reforming police should go into solving cases of homicide within black communities. Special attention should be given to organizations in those communities working to defuse violence. It ought to be a national marshall plan.

• Focusing instead on the occasional stray white cop harms black people.

Bias Against Black Boys

• Seeing that black boys commit more violence in public schools than any other boys and that they therefore get suspended more which is true and seeing that instead you say that the only reason they're getting suspended more is because of bias despite the fact that data does not support that at all harms black people.

• Schools starting to be more lenient with violent black boys, and therefore the other black kids in the schools get beat up more, and their grades go down. All of which is documented.

Woke Racism

• The way that debate is conducted is racist because you're basically making it so that black kids get beat up more while you call yourself anti-racist by saying that there must be bigotry against black boys, and people clap. That's racist behavior.

Harmful New Religion

In this section, the speaker talks about how the new religion of woke racism is harmful.

Description of Woke Racism

• The chapter on woke racism is the longest one because it describes how this new religion is harmful. It's not just excessive; it's harmful.

• The author didn't write woke racism to make somebody like Sean Hannity clap or to describe the birth of a new religion. It was written to show that letting these people do what they do is racism in itself.

Popularity of Woke Racism

• If you're white, it feels good to have something all figured out; if you're white and not religious, it feels good to have another one; if you're white, it feels really good to show that you're not racist.

• If you are a black person framing yourself as an eternal victim gives you a sense of belonging and significance if lacking for some other reason. A lot of black people feel insecure due to the history of race. Noble victimhood gives them a sense of belonging and significance which would otherwise be lacking.

Victimhood and Anti-Racism

In this section, the speaker discusses how victimhood is exaggerated in the black American race and how it gives a sense of absolution and significance. The speaker also talks about how anti-racism treats black people like simpletons and cretins.

Exaggeration of Victimhood

• Being a victim gives a sense of absolution and significance.

• Black people build an identity around their depiction of themselves as victims.

• Critical mass of people who argue for defunding the police don't live in those neighborhoods.

Anti-Racism Treats Black People Like Simpletons

• Anti-racism treats black people like dum-dums.

• Woke college professors think they know what's good for black people.

• Once you've settled into your comfort zone as a perpetual victim, you will accept any amount of condescension.

Split Views on Racism and Anti-Racism

• The intelligentsia believes racism is largely unchanged since 1960, but the actual view in the community is different.

• Listening to people on the subway in New York provides insight into real-world views on racism.

• There is a certain social conservatism within the black community.

The Bias in the Intelligentsia

In this section, the speaker talks about how certain books are considered "good" by today's intelligentsia and how there is a bias towards these books. He also mentions a black couple on the train who noticed this bias.

Bias in the Intelligentsia

• A sign on the New York subway showed five different authors, most of them of color, advertising five books that were considered "good" by today's intelligentsia.

• The woman sitting next to him on the train noticed that all five books were liberal and expressed her disappointment that there weren't different kinds of books being advertised.

• The speaker suggests that this is an issue with the intelligentsia and not representative of everyone's opinions.

• While acknowledging that white people have had a disproportionate impact on history, he questions whether a grand revolution in our psychosocial consciousness is necessary or if we can focus on helping those who need it.

Decentering Whiteness

In this section, the speaker discusses his thoughts on whiteness and whether it should be decentered. He also talks about how certain values are being stigmatized as "white."

Decentering Whiteness

• The speaker acknowledges that there is such a thing as whiteness but questions whether we need to decenter it to the extent that some people are suggesting.

• He argues against stigmatizing values such as turning up on time or having grit and determination as "white."

• The speaker believes that the solution is not to rearrange the rules of the game so that people who don't play it well can still win, but rather to encourage everyone to play the game well.

Stigmatizing Values

In this section, the speaker talks about how certain values are being stigmatized as "white" and why he thinks this is problematic.

Stigmatizing Values

• The speaker argues against stigmatizing values such as turning up on time or having grit and determination as "white."

• He believes that these values are important for success in life and should be encouraged regardless of race.

• The speaker suggests that instead of stigmatizing these values, we should focus on helping those who may not have had access to them in their upbringing.

The Expansion of Whiteness and White Supremacy

In this section, the speaker discusses how the idea that precision is white is illogical and how it is a creed rather than something thought out. He also talks about how Dave Chappelle was called a white supremacist because of his comments on gender.

Precision as White

• The idea that precision is white is illogical.

• Black people are supposed to just dance and have raggedy conversations where they intuit one another's feelings and reason.

• Jamming wouldn't have created the world we live in today.

• All of this is a creed rather than something anybody has thought out.

Dave Chappelle Called a White Supremacist

• Dave Chappelle was called a white supremacist because of his comments on gender.

• There are white people and then there's everybody else, who are dealing with oppression and denigration at the hands of whites.

• Even if you belong to one of those groups, if you take on antipathy towards one of those groups underneath, you become an honorary white person.

Cultural Appropriation

In this section, the speaker discusses cultural appropriation and how he thinks the concern over it is absurd. He also talks about power dynamics when it comes to cultural appropriation.

Concern Over Cultural Appropriation

• The concern over cultural appropriation is absurd.

• It's only cultural appropriation when someone from on high takes from someone below them and makes money off it without giving credit.

• Imitation is a form of flattery, and people living in proximity will imitate one another to a certain extent.

Power Dynamics

• The power dynamics and punching up versus punching down when it comes to cultural appropriation doesn't make sense.

• If cultural appropriation is wrong, there would be no ragtime, jazz, show tunes, rock and roll, etc.

• People are looking for a reason to be angry as if imitation isn't a form of flattery.

Cultural Appropriation and Pushback

In this section, the speaker discusses cultural appropriation and pushback against it. He talks about how social media has created a space where people are afraid to speak their minds and how we need to create a climate where people with different viewpoints can express themselves without fear of being called racist.

Cultural Appropriation

• The speaker talks about cultural mixture in many places.

• He discusses the argument that if black people use certain words, then it's okay for white people to use them too.

• The speaker mentions that cultural appropriation is locked in pretty tight, but he's not sure how tight.

• He believes that social media played a role in creating an overblown opinion on cultural appropriation.

Pushback Against Cultural Appropriation

• The speaker talks about the pushback against cultural appropriation that we're seeing now.

• He believes that the majority of thinking people in America see that cultural appropriation is wrong.

• The issue is creating a backbone in people so they can be willing to be called racist in public without thinking their lives are over.

• Social media creates a space where we have to get used to being mobbed sometimes and roasted by others.

Dealing with Pushback

• The speaker suggests letting people say what they want and taking a deep breath when someone calls you a white supremacist or something similar.

• We need to make a climate where people with different viewpoints can express themselves without fear of being called racist or other derogatory terms.

• The speaker believes that America is still unaccustomed to dealing with people who have a strong presence and how to deal with them.

• We need to tell people with different viewpoints to sit down and listen, but we can't let them win.

The Role of Cancel Culture and Observing Group Behavior

In this section, the speaker discusses the role that cancel culture plays in society and how individuals can observe their own compulsion to participate in it. They also discuss the importance of observing group behavior and determining whether it is a signal of something important or just mass hysteria.

Observing Cancel Culture

• The speaker suggests that everyone needs to "grow a pair" and resist the urge to participate in cancel culture.

• Individuals should observe their own compulsion to be part of a cancel mob on social media.

• The speaker suggests that people should determine whether group behavior is a signal of something important or just mass hysteria.

Black Lives Matter vs BLM

In this section, the speaker discusses the transition from "Black Lives Matter" to "BLM" as well as the significance behind each term.

Lexical Change from Black Lives Matter to BLM

• The speaker notes that "BLM" has become a way for people to show they are on the same side without having to say anything else.

• While "Black Lives Matter" has drilled itself into general consciousness, "BLM" has become more about showing one's position rather than its original meaning.

• The speaker wishes there was an equally powerful acronym for fixing black-on-black homicide but acknowledges that calling it such may be controversial.

Defending Against Being Called Racist

In this section, the speaker discusses how people use "BLM" to defend themselves against being called racist and the problems with this ideology.

Defending Against Being Called Racist

• The speaker notes that some people use "BLM" as a way to show they are not racist and to avoid being called names on social media.

• However, the speaker argues that defending oneself against being called racist does not necessarily mean one is espousing a positive ideology.

• The speaker brings up the issue of riots and looting in relation to "BLM" and how some people may find it cute when black people riot through an inner city.

Different Perspectives on BLM Riots

In this section, the speaker discusses different perspectives on the riots associated with "BLM."

Different Perspectives on BLM Riots

• The speaker notes that there are different perspectives on what constitutes a "riot," with some people denying that last year's incidents were riots at all.

• The speaker reflects on how content creators can see completely different worlds despite moving in similar spaces.

• People now refer to the organization as "BLM" while referring to the movement itself as "Black Lives Matter."

Keeping Up with John McWhorter

In this section, John McWhorter talks about his podcast and where people can find it. He also mentions that he writes essays for the New York Times twice a week.

John McWhorter's Podcast and Essays

• John McWhorter hosts a podcast called "Lexicon Valley" which is about language.

• The podcast covers various linguistic topics in an entertaining way.

• The podcast used to be hosted on Slate but is now available at booksmartstudios.org.

• John McWhorter also writes two essays per week for the New York Times.

• These essays cover a range of topics and offer his unique perspective.