
Ideas To fix America's caste system, acknowledge it exists: author
Nov 3, 2025
Isabel Wilkerson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of acclaimed works like Caste, reveals the deep-rooted caste system in America, comparing it to India's. She explains how acknowledging this structure is essential for facing modern racial and class conflicts. Wilkerson discusses the importance of historical awareness, the impact of book bans on democracy, and the concept of radical empathy. She also shares insights on the systemic effects of caste during the pandemic and advocates for a U.S. Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address these issues.
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From Tuskegee Airman To Bridge Builder
- Wilkerson recounts her father being a Tuskegee Airman who later became a civil engineer after facing job barriers.
- She frames her work as building bridges in his honor, linking separated parts of society.
You Can't Fix What You Don't See
- Isabel Wilkerson argues you cannot fix what you cannot see, likening societies to patients with pre-existing conditions.
- Knowing a nation's full history is necessary to diagnose and treat its present divisions.
Persuade By Showing Not Telling
- Wilkerson says show rather than tell: use narrative nonfiction to let audiences arrive at conclusions themselves.
- Present evidence patiently so listeners feel they discovered the truth on their own.






