Jacobin Radio Behind the News: The DEI Obsession w/ Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò
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Feb 18, 2025 Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, an associate professor of philosophy at Georgetown, and Sophia Rosenfeld, a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania, delve into the DEI phenomenon. They critique how corporate diversity initiatives often fail to address deep-rooted inequalities. The conversation touches on the tensions between tech workers and leadership, the superficiality of 'wokeness' among elites, and the historical evolution of choice in society. Listeners gain insight into the complexities of social justice and the changing dynamics of freedom in modern contexts.
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DEI: A Proxy War
- The fight over DEI is a battle between corporate liberals and corporate reactionaries, with the working class as collateral damage.
- Resentment towards DEI within tech companies is being leveraged to reshape the economy.
Tech Worker Cultural Influence
- Tech workers, unlike factory workers, had some cultural influence, leading to pro-LGBTQ policies at companies like Facebook.
- Musk's Tesla faced investigations for harassment and racism, highlighting a clash of cultural norms.
Cultural vs. Economic Power
- The Professional Managerial Class (PMC) has cultural power to enforce superficial diversity, but lacks true power over economic realities.
- Conflating cultural influence with economic power is a misreading of elite dynamics.
