The Wonderful Ideals But Flawed Applications of DEI: Intolerant Tolerance, Undiverse Diversity, Unliberal Liberalism, and More

Ep. 145 (Part 1 of 3) | Award-winning author, Zen priest and teacher, Kung Fu master, and professional advisor and trainer, Keith Martin-Smith, took a good look at the diversity, equity, and inclusion movement when he began to notice the damage it was causing people he knew under the guise of progress, or equity. Putting his keen mind to the task, Keith identified seven key areas where the DEI movement goes markedly astray from the values it aspires to. Coming from an integral understanding, Keith does more than simply point out where the movement has backfired. We learn that postmodern thinking is how we became aware of the “subtle soup of racism [and bias] in the cultural field itself”—beyond the concrete, obvious social injustices that activists fought in the 20th century. This more subtle field of bias is responsible for the inequalities we see in society today, which is what the DEI movement would like to tear down. But the ways in which DEI acts to make this happen, ironically, are characterized by exactly the things that DEI is against: intolerance, inequity, undiversity, tribalism, and anti-liberalism.

In his wise, articulate, and gracious way, Keith makes sense of why the diversity, equity, and inclusion movement has become a political flashpoint, raising the hackles of not only rightwing conservatives but also liberal progressives. Sympathetic to the values of DEI, Keith is all about helping to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive movement. When asked how the values of DEI could be fulfilled to make it the harmonious, effective, correcting movement it aspires to be, Keith responded, “with conversations like this, for one thing,” adding, “we need to realize that everyone has a portion of truth—we just need to connect everyone’s portion of truth with their heart.” Recorded June 6, 2024.

“Everybody cares…they just care about different things. Consensus and change come from being willing to listen to what people care about and finding space to honor that.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1

• Introducing award-winning author, professional advisor & trainer, martial arts master, Zen priest & teacher Keith Martin-Smith (01:12) 
• How Keith came to articulate what has gone wrong with the diversity, equity & inclusion movement (01:49)
• The divisiveness of DEI and the need to bring in an integral understanding (06:22)
• The difference between concrete, overt injustices and systemic injustice (08:27)
• The subtle soup of racism in the cultural field that we have become aware of in the postmodern period (11:19)
• All the punches at DEI are being thrown from an early rational or prerational worldview (15:26)
• What are the seven deadly sins of DEI? (18:15)
• DEI’s simplistic view of privilege, considering race, sex & gender, but not class, education & family of origin (19:00)
• What are healthy responses to having been given privilege (as opposed to shame and guilt)? (23:37)
• DEI proponents lecturing us about privilege don’t talk about their own privilege (26:50)
• The effect of neglecting class in DEI’s reductionist view of privilege (29:56)
• The problematic (undiverse) way the DEI movement treats diversity (34:31)
• Concrete racism versus subtle racism/microaggressions (37:49)
• Because Asians are doing so well, they are excluded from the diversity discussion (39:56)
• Intolerant tolerance and the why the 2017 women’s march movement fell apart (41:49)
• Robin diAngelo, white fragility, systemic internalized racism (43:49)
• Dismissing views you don’t agree with (46:57)
• Holding privilege with humility and the importance of genuinely listening (49:05)
• The purity test requiring people to toe the DEI party line (50:11)

Resources & References – Part 1

• Keith Martin-Smith’s website: https://www.keithmartinsmith.com
• Keith Martin-Smith, A Heart Blown Open: The Life and Practice of Zen Master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi*
• Keith Martin-Smith, When the Buddha Needs Therapy*
• Keith Martin-Smith, The Seven Deadly Sins of DEI (Integral Life video presentation)
• Keith Martin-Smith, Reintegrating DEI: Beyond the Culture Wars (Integral Life video presentation)
• Reggie Ray, spiritual teacher, founder of the Dharma Ocean foundation
• Jordan Peterson, psychologist, author, popular media commentator
• Terri O’Fallon’s model of developmental stages
• Susanne Cook-Greuter, Ego Development: Nine Levels of Increasing Embrace
• 2017 Women’s Mar
• Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times reporter, creator of The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story*
• Ibram X. Kendi, author, professor, anti-racist activist, How To Be an Antiracist*
• Robin diAngelo, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism*

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Keith Martin-Smith is the award-winning author of five books, most recently When the Buddha Needs Therapy, about which Ken Wilber said, “This is a terrific book, fully embracing a truly Integral perspective and highly recommended.” He is also an ordained Zen priest, a Northern Kung Fu lineage holder and recognized sifu, and a professional advisor and trainer. More at KeithMartinSmith.com.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell