Richard Hanania, author of The Origins Of Woke, challenges the idea that wokeness stems from civil rights law, arguing instead that US civil rights law is flawed. The podcast covers the unintended consequences of civil rights legislation, navigating corporate 'wokeness,' workplace harassment laws, a legal battle over racial discrimination at a Tesla plant, and the influence on conservative policy perspectives.
Wokeness roots in civil rights law, not culture itself.
US civil rights law critique for unintended consequences.
Challenges of affirmative action and disparate impact in hiring.
Deep dives
The Ambitious Thesis of 'The Origins of Woke'
The podcast presents Richard Hannonia's ambitious thesis about 'The Origins of Woke', linking the cultural package of wokeness to civil rights law. It claims that the cultural underpinnings of wokeness stem from laws and regulations established decades ago rather than the culture itself. Hannonia argues that the roots of this culture lie in civil rights law, leading to implications for corporate America and the rise of identity politics.
Criticizing US Civil Rights Law
The episode delves into the critique of US Civil Rights Law as being inherently flawed. Highlighting the significant flaws baked into its history, particularly stemming from the original Civil Rights Act of 1964, intended to combat anti-black racism in the South. Hannonia argues that over time, executive orders, judicial decisions, and bureaucratic actions distorted the initial intent, leading to the creation of quotas and positive discrimination.
Challenges of Affirmative Action and Disparate Impact
The podcast explores the challenges posed by affirmative action and disparate impact within civil rights law. Hannonia's take on affirmative action reveals how government messaging to companies on minority representation can lead to unintended consequences like covert discrimination. Additionally, the discussion on disparate impact highlights the complexities of using hiring criteria that may inadvertently favor specific racial groups.
The Influence of Harassment Law
The episode discusses the intricate implications of harassment law within the civil rights framework. It emphasizes the complexities faced by businesses in monitoring and addressing potential offenses to minorities, leading to a fine line between maintaining a non-hostile environment and potential legal repercussions. The narrative delves into examples of harassment cases and the challenges they present to employers in navigating workplace dynamics.
Final Thoughts on Civil Rights Policy
The podcast concludes with a reflection on the broader implications of civil rights policy and its impact on societal dynamics. It suggests that the book may serve as a strategic tool for conservative policymakers by highlighting the negative consequences of civil rights law and proposing avenues for potential revisions. In essence, the episode presents a critical overview of civil rights law while signaling its relevance in shaping future policy decisions.
The Origins Of Woke, by Richard Hanania, has an ambitious thesis. And it argues for an ambitious thesis. But the thesis it has isn’t the one it argues for.
The claimed thesis is “the cultural package of wokeness is downstream of civil rights law”. It goes pretty hard on this. For example, there’s the title, The Origins Of Woke. Or the Amazon blurb: “The roots of the culture lie not in the culture itself, but laws and regulations enacted decades ago”. Or the banner ad:=
The other thesis, the one it actually argues for, is “US civil rights law is bad”. On its own, this is a fine thesis. A book called Civil Rights Law Is Bad would - okay, I admit that despite being a professional Internet writer I have no idea how the culture works anymore, or whether being outrageous is good or bad for sales these days. We’ll never know, because Richard chose to wrap his argument in a few pages on how maybe this is the origin of woke or something. Still, the book is on why civil rights law is bad.
