I sat down with Heather Mac Donald, Manhattan Institute fellow and author of “The Diversity Delusion,” to discuss how the ideology of racial victimhood is undermining American meritocracy and Western civilization itself. Heather makes a blunt case against racial preferences, DEI bureaucracies, and the soft bigotry of lowered expectations, arguing that seemingly well-intentioned affirmative action policies are not just unfair, but entirely counterproductive. We also explore the left’s anti-Western obsession, the oversimplification of American racial discourse, and why she’s still fighting for the values that made the West great.

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Follow Heather on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/HMDatMI

Check out Heather’s work at the Manhattan Institute: https://manhattan.institute/person/heather-mac-donald

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Outline:

[0:00] Gaining ground in the culture war

[3:22] Meritocracy vs “disparate impact”

[15:09] How widespread is woke racism?

[22:00] Is America the least racist country?

[30:31] Can we even out “privilege”?

[39:41] What is “merit” in practice?

[45:25] White vs black isn’t the whole story

[53:11] Gender disparity isn’t discrimination

[1:06:16] Was American slavery unique?

[1:12:57] High standards are empowering

[1:28:21] Are reactionary forces a real danger?

[1:36:56] The West is uniquely self-critical

[1:47:30] Can we preserve cultural diversity?

[1:55:27] Is Trump the right man for the job?

[2:04:18] Immigration in Europe vs America

[2:17:24] What is “American culture”

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Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZpJyvhOGea4

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Part 6: Which jobs help people the most?

The 80000 Hours Career Guide — Find a fulfilling career that does good

Introduction

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