It's good to see that people with credentials that get them listened to have begun to notice what was obvious to me, 20 years ago, when I was first subjected to a compulsory DEI screed. Rachel Kleinfeld isn't the only one; I recently read a quite decent book by Canadian sociologist Sarita Srivasta on the same topic.
"Convince a man against his will; he's of the same opinion still". That goes doubly if you insult him (or her) in a context where it seems socially dangerous to respond - they might e.g. get in trouble with HR and perhaps lose their job. So now they disagree with you *and* feel bullied and therefore angry.
It's a minor miracle that repeated clumsy attempts to convince me of my incurable racism (as evidenced by the colour of my skin) haven't converted me to an actual racist (as the term was used in my youth, not "person from a culture with systemic racism"). But I'm on the autistic spectrum, so I lack various "normal" social instincts - 40 years in the USA and I still don't assign identities based on race to myself or others. I can't even always correctly label people I meet, unless they label themselves.
And yes, I realize that my continuing belief in race-blindness is an offence against anti-racism. It's also one that 40 years of non-arguments haven't shifted, even while they did appall me with the depths of the race-targeted bad behaviour routinely experienced by visible racial minorities, particularly black men.
It's good to see that people with credentials that get them listened to have begun to notice what was obvious to me, 20 years ago, when I was first subjected to a compulsory DEI screed. Rachel Kleinfeld isn't the only one; I recently read a quite decent book by Canadian sociologist Sarita Srivasta on the same topic.
"Convince a man against his will; he's of the same opinion still". That goes doubly if you insult him (or her) in a context where it seems socially dangerous to respond - they might e.g. get in trouble with HR and perhaps lose their job. So now they disagree with you *and* feel bullied and therefore angry.
It's a minor miracle that repeated clumsy attempts to convince me of my incurable racism (as evidenced by the colour of my skin) haven't converted me to an actual racist (as the term was used in my youth, not "person from a culture with systemic racism"). But I'm on the autistic spectrum, so I lack various "normal" social instincts - 40 years in the USA and I still don't assign identities based on race to myself or others. I can't even always correctly label people I meet, unless they label themselves.
And yes, I realize that my continuing belief in race-blindness is an offence against anti-racism. It's also one that 40 years of non-arguments haven't shifted, even while they did appall me with the depths of the race-targeted bad behaviour routinely experienced by visible racial minorities, particularly black men.