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Lex Fridman Podcast
#285 – Glenn Loury: Race, Racism, Identity Politics, and Cancel Culture
May 14, 2022
03:38:37
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Quick takeaways
- Understanding the persistence of slavery highlights the capacity of people to overlook unethical practices and the struggle of abolitionists in eradicating it.
- The concept of equality emphasizes equal status as citizens, erasing the legacy of slavery, but doesn't guarantee equal outcomes due to cultural differences.
- Equal opportunity encompasses social and economic factors that shape individuals' development, requiring examination of systemic barriers and developmental influences.
- Group identity can provide a sense of belonging, but it can also reinforce stereotypes and lead to discrimination, highlighting the importance of considering individual experiences.
- Acknowledging our shared humanity, beyond superficial differences, is crucial to appreciating our common identity as homo sapiens.
- Embracing an American identity for black Americans, while celebrating their unique cultural identities, fosters unity and common goals within the country.
Deep dives
The Complexity of Human Nature and Equality
Understanding human nature based on the history of slavery reveals the capacity of people to look the other way in the face of unethical practices and the ability of individuals to preserve their humanity under oppressive conditions. Slavery persisted because many people accepted it as the norm, while others were disturbed but unsure of how to oppose it. The eradication of slavery required a long and massive movement of abolitionists struggling against a deeply ingrained practice. Moreover, the historical context highlights the impressive progress made in the status of African Americans, transitioning from subjugated slaves to being full citizens of the United States within a century and a half.
The Meaning and Implications of Equality
The meaning of equality, as discussed in Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, envisions a world where individuals are judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. The emphasis is on equal status as free and equal citizens within the nation, erasing the legacy of slavery and achieving equality within the political community of the United States. However, it is important to note that equality of treatment does not necessarily imply equal outcomes in terms of wealth, representation, or achievement. Expecting equal outcomes across distinct cultural groups can overlook the impact of cultural differences and norms.
Understanding and Measuring Equal Opportunity
Equal opportunity extends beyond legal aspects and is influenced by social and economic conditions that shape individuals' development. Factors such as prenatal nutrition, early childhood environments, access to education, and cultural influences significantly impact opportunity. Assessing whether differences in outcomes result from unequal opportunity or inherent cultural differences is challenging. Social scientists examine various factors determining outcomes and measure the influence of race, ethnicity, language, and other factors. Understanding and addressing equal opportunity require examining both systemic barriers and the developmental influences that contribute to differences in outcomes.
The Role of Groups in Analyzing Equality
In economic analysis, the study of markets involves aggregating individuals into groups to analyze data and identify trends. Groupings based on national or religious identity, as well as race, have both pros and cons. While groups can provide a sense of identity, belonging, and shared experiences, they can also reinforce stereotypes and lead to discrimination. Examining outcomes based on group identity helps identify disparities and systemic issues in areas such as law enforcement or retail interactions. However, generalizing outcomes based on groups should not overshadow individual experiences or contribute to essentialism, recognizing that individuals within groups exhibit a range of values, beliefs, and behaviors.
The Importance of Recognizing Our Common Humanity
The podcast episode discusses the significance of recognizing our shared humanity, regardless of our differences in race, ethnicity, or nationality. It emphasizes that our superficial differences become insignificant when compared to the profound commonality of being human. The speaker argues against waiting for an extraterrestrial invasion or other extreme events to prompt us to acknowledge our shared humanity. Instead, it is crucial to recognize and appreciate our common identity based on our shared lineage as homo sapiens. The episode explores the dangers of focusing solely on superficial differences and emphasizes the importance of recognizing our commonality.
The Case for Black Patriotism
In this part of the podcast, the speaker discusses the concept of black patriotism and suggests embracing an American identity for African Americans. They argue that while the term 'African American' is often used, it is not the ideal way to describe the population descended from enslaved Africans in North America. The speaker believes that black Americans are an integral part of the United States, with a rich history and significant contributions to the country. They emphasize the importance of working towards common goals within the American framework, while also acknowledging and celebrating the unique cultural identities of different racial and ethnic groups.
The Role of Anger and Protests in Black Patriotism
This portion of the podcast explores the contrasting approaches of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in the fight for civil rights. The speaker acknowledges the role of anger and forceful action in creating change, as exemplified by Malcolm X's advocacy for self-defense and self-reliance. However, they argue that violent rebellion is not the answer in the modern era, where progress has been made since the days of racial lynchings and rampant discrimination. The speaker encourages focusing on broader frameworks for political expression and collaboration within the American system to address ongoing racial issues.
The Complexity of Discussing Sensitive Topics in Society
The podcast delves into the challenges and controversies surrounding the use of certain words and the sensitive topics discussed in academia, such as cognitive inequality. The speaker highlights the difficulty of engaging in open discourse about cognitive abilities and differences between racial or ethnic groups due to the fear of causing offense or being labeled as racist. They emphasize the importance of creating spaces for respectful discussion, acknowledging different perspectives, and embracing the pursuit of truth within universities and society.
The importance of social outcomes and interventions
Social outcomes are influenced by cognitive ability and various other factors. Educational and early childhood interventions can level the playing field between individuals with different cognitive abilities. Interventions can create better life outcomes, even for those with low intelligence.
The argument against researching human differences
Arguments against researching human differences include the need for multidimensional measures of intelligence, the potential for social interventions to level the playing field, and concerns about fostering harmful political beliefs.
The impact of politics on race and view on race in America
The speaker discusses their own political journey and how politics and views on race influence each other. They explain their background in economics and the belief in the benefits of capitalism, while also recognizing the importance of a social safety net and access to healthcare and education.
The fear and acceptance of death
The speaker reflects on attending a funeral and contemplates their own mortality. They discuss the fear of death and the desire to live fully, but acknowledge that death is an inevitable part of life. They express the importance of living purposefully and leaving a lasting legacy.
17.
The Difference Between a Specific Algebraic Formula That You Can Manipulate and Solve
3min
44.
Why the National Science Foundation Shouldn't Fund Research on Human Differences
6min
50.
The Civil Rights Movement Is a Band-Aid on Differences in Intellectual Performance
5min
Glenn Loury is a professor of economics and social sciences at Brown University, and a prominent podcaster and social critic who speaks and writes about race, inequality, and social policy. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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EPISODE LINKS:
Glenn’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlennLoury
Glenn’s Substack: https://glennloury.substack.com
Glenn’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/GlennLouryShow
The Anatomy of Racial Inequality (book): https://amzn.to/3N7jmz0
Race, Incarceration, and American Values (book): https://amzn.to/398ywpk
PODCAST INFO:
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SUPPORT & CONNECT:
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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(07:12) – Martin Luther King Jr.
(16:00) – History of slavery
(30:39) – Equality of outcome
(47:02) – Math and economics
(1:03:17) – Racial groups
(1:16:33) – Black patriotism
(1:26:26) – MLK and Malcolm X
(1:40:07) – Joe Rogan controversy
(1:59:23) – Accusation of racism
(2:07:08) – Elon Musk and Twitter
(2:12:41) – Universities
(2:21:19) – Cognitive inequality
(2:33:45) – Politics
(2:53:10) – Ketanji Brown Jackson
(2:59:14) – Thomas Sowell
(3:04:28) – Barack Obama
(3:23:06) – Mortality
(3:35:20) – Meaning of life
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