The Wrong Solution of Sticking to Rigid Identities and Segregation

3min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

In the book, the author avoids telling stories that have been heard before and instead focuses on stories where questions of societal impact are significant. One example is the practice of separating children by racial identity in elite private schools, which undermines community cooperation and neglects the potential harm to white children. This approach, promoting racial consciousness and fighting on behalf of white interests, goes against our shared disapproval of divisive politics. Additionally, it raises concerns about potential negative consequences.

Sam Harris speaks with Yascha Mounk about identity politics. They discuss Yascha’s concept of the “identity synthesis,” skepticism about “cancel culture,” racial segregation in schools, the ideological change on college campuses, Michel Foucault and postmodernism, the rejection of universalism, Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, the “permanence of racism,” the indoctrination of children, intersectionality, white privilege, institutional racism, equity vs equality, racial preferences during the Covid pandemic, the asymmetric advantage of authoritarianism, class and elitism, affirmative action, media coverage of crime and violence, social media and the business model of mainstream journalism, and other topics.

If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.