Mediocre
Book • 2020
In 'Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America,' Ijeoma Oluo explores the historical and cultural roots of white male supremacy in the United States.
She argues that the glorification of white male mediocrity has not only limited the potential of white men but has also systematically disadvantaged women, people of color, and other marginalized groups.
Oluo traces the impact of this phenomenon through American history, from the founding of the nation to contemporary politics and culture, showing how it has distorted our understanding of merit, success, and leadership.
The book calls for a reimagining of American identity and a dismantling of systems that perpetuate inequality.
She argues that the glorification of white male mediocrity has not only limited the potential of white men but has also systematically disadvantaged women, people of color, and other marginalized groups.
Oluo traces the impact of this phenomenon through American history, from the founding of the nation to contemporary politics and culture, showing how it has distorted our understanding of merit, success, and leadership.
The book calls for a reimagining of American identity and a dismantling of systems that perpetuate inequality.
Mentioned by
Mentioned in 0 episodes
Mentioned by Amy Hughes as a book that talks about white mediocrity as something that cannot be named.
Amy Hughes, "An Actor's Tale: Theater, Culture, and Everyday Life in the Nineteenth-Century United States" (U Michigan Press, 2025)
