I know I’m commenting years later but when I first read Crenshaw’s piece on “intersectionality”, the elementary math logic problems in it were quite sad. She seems to have gotten away with it though the judge involved rightfully didn’t buy it.
I see the same logic problems in measurement crop up again over and over again in completely unrelated contexts, from quality management to genetics to IQ.
It would have been edifying to have you call for a simple review of “intersectionality” long ago, and point out that you can’t add percentage probability the way her writing of intersectionality promotes. Children are taught (I believe) that when you take an English test and a Math test, if you think you have a 70% chance of passing each, the chance that you pass both is not 140%.
A gigantic machine was built around a faulty premise. Nightmarish.
I'm still enough of a mush to think intersectionality isn't ALL bad, and that there are some kernels of arguable ideas in there, but they need to be challenged and refined and developed and honed on a level academic playing field. Instead, the ideas get extravagantly praised and put up on a pedestal without any real scrutiny. To borrow George W. Bush's line about "the soft bigotry of low expectations," the mindless espousing of sloppy critical legal theory is perverse proof that racism endures.
I’m surprised you didn’t get blowback for correcting the data.
I’ve reviewed DEI/anti-racism training materials for my job. The most outrageous aspect to me is the biological determinism: if you are white you are inherently racist, regardless of your actions, because your whiteness confers systemic privilege over people of color.
It’s a ridiculous claim but conveniently guts any “remedial” actions by whites of any significance whatsoever. Affirmative action, “equity” discipline in schools, etc. — that’s all nice, but if you’re white, you’re still a racist. There’s no expunging of the sin. The only thing you can do is step down and get out of the way of POC.
I am very very good at writing diplomatic emails! It definitely was a minefield and speaking up could have cost me my job.
The bulk of DEI ideology operates on about a second grade level. It simply has to be gussied up with all sorts of pretentious academic jargon to make it less obvious how preposterously simplistic and childish it is.
Hi John, it was an awfully long 11 years but I was always learning things and honing my craft. This endeavor now is about redirecting all that experience back to the public interest, as originally intended!
I know I’m commenting years later but when I first read Crenshaw’s piece on “intersectionality”, the elementary math logic problems in it were quite sad. She seems to have gotten away with it though the judge involved rightfully didn’t buy it.
I see the same logic problems in measurement crop up again over and over again in completely unrelated contexts, from quality management to genetics to IQ.
It would have been edifying to have you call for a simple review of “intersectionality” long ago, and point out that you can’t add percentage probability the way her writing of intersectionality promotes. Children are taught (I believe) that when you take an English test and a Math test, if you think you have a 70% chance of passing each, the chance that you pass both is not 140%.
A gigantic machine was built around a faulty premise. Nightmarish.
I'm still enough of a mush to think intersectionality isn't ALL bad, and that there are some kernels of arguable ideas in there, but they need to be challenged and refined and developed and honed on a level academic playing field. Instead, the ideas get extravagantly praised and put up on a pedestal without any real scrutiny. To borrow George W. Bush's line about "the soft bigotry of low expectations," the mindless espousing of sloppy critical legal theory is perverse proof that racism endures.
I’m surprised you didn’t get blowback for correcting the data.
I’ve reviewed DEI/anti-racism training materials for my job. The most outrageous aspect to me is the biological determinism: if you are white you are inherently racist, regardless of your actions, because your whiteness confers systemic privilege over people of color.
It’s a ridiculous claim but conveniently guts any “remedial” actions by whites of any significance whatsoever. Affirmative action, “equity” discipline in schools, etc. — that’s all nice, but if you’re white, you’re still a racist. There’s no expunging of the sin. The only thing you can do is step down and get out of the way of POC.
I am very very good at writing diplomatic emails! It definitely was a minefield and speaking up could have cost me my job.
The bulk of DEI ideology operates on about a second grade level. It simply has to be gussied up with all sorts of pretentious academic jargon to make it less obvious how preposterously simplistic and childish it is.
Exile, you seem not to get much job satisfaction from writing PR for colleges. Would it be impossible for you to find a more satisfying occupation?
Hi John, it was an awfully long 11 years but I was always learning things and honing my craft. This endeavor now is about redirecting all that experience back to the public interest, as originally intended!