A Case for Color Blindness | Coleman Hughes | TED

Summary

In this thought-provoking talk, the speaker challenges the modern fixation on racial identity, advocating for a return to the principle of color blindness. He argues that true color blindness is not about ignoring race, but striving to treat people without racial bias in both personal interactions and public policies. The speaker critiques race-based policies, suggesting that class-based approaches are more effective in addressing inequality. He provides examples of both failed race-based policies and successful colorblind practices, urging decision-makers to embrace color blindness as the best principle for a multiracial democracy.

Takeaways

• 👀 The speaker initiates the exercise by asking the audience to close their eyes and visualize their best friend, emphasizing the importance of inner qualities over physical appearance or race.
• 🤔 The audience is challenged to rethink the concept of 'color blindness', which is often misunderstood, and is encouraged to focus on treating people without regard to race.
• 📊 A decline in positive feelings about race relations in America is highlighted through a Gallup chart, indicating a significant crisis in race relations.
• 🔍 The speaker clarifies that 'color blindness' is not about ignoring race but advocating for a principle of equality and fairness in treatment regardless of race.
• 💡 The idea of color blindness is presented as a solution to racial bias, suggesting that it should be applied in both personal and policy contexts.
• 🗣️ Criticisms of color blindness are discussed, with the speaker arguing that these criticisms often stem from a misunderstanding of the concept.
• 👥 The speaker argues that class-based policies are more effective than race-based ones in addressing inequality and are less likely to cause controversy.
• 🏛️ Historical context is provided, showing that the philosophy of color blindness originated from the radical anti-slavery movement, not from conservative ideology.
• 🚫 The speaker critiques race-based policies, using the example of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which led to discrimination against both white men and women/people of color.
• 🛑 An example of a successful colorblind policy is given, where traffic cameras are used to issue tickets, reducing racial bias in law enforcement.
• 🌟 The speaker concludes by encouraging decision-makers worldwide to embrace color blindness, support class-based policies, and create colorblind processes to combat racism and reduce tribal conflict.

Q & A

What is the main point of the exercise the speaker asks the audience to do at the beginning of the talk?

The speaker asks the audience to close their eyes and picture their best friend, focusing on the inner qualities they love about them, to illustrate that these qualities are independent of physical appearance or race.

What does the speaker suggest is the least interesting aspect of a person when considering their best friend?

The speaker suggests that a person's race is the least interesting aspect when considering their best friend, as it does not define their character or the reasons for the friendship.

How does the speaker describe the societal shift in focus towards racial identity over the past decade?

The speaker describes the societal shift as an increasing fixation on racial identity, with people being invited to reflect on their 'inner whiteness' or 'inner Blackness', which has contributed to a crisis in race relations.

What does the speaker mean by 'color blindness' in the context of this talk?

The speaker uses 'color blindness' to refer to the principle of treating people without regard to race, both in personal interactions and public policy, rather than literally not seeing race.

Why does the speaker believe that class-based policies are more effective than race-based policies in addressing inequality?

The speaker believes that class-based policies are more effective because class is a better proxy for true disadvantage than race and because these policies are more popular and less controversial as they do not penalize anyone for immutable biological traits.

What historical figure is mentioned as an early advocate for the philosophy of color blindness?

Wendell Phillips, the president of the American Anti-Slavery Society in the 19th century, is mentioned as an early advocate for color blindness, calling for a 'government colorblind'.

How does the speaker argue that color blindness is not a conservative idea?

The speaker argues that color blindness is not a conservative idea but rather originates from the radical wing of the anti-slavery movement in the 19th century, as exemplified by Wendell Phillips.

What is the Restaurant Revitalization Fund example used to illustrate in the talk?

The Restaurant Revitalization Fund example is used to illustrate the negative consequences of a race-based policy, which initially discriminated against white male restaurant owners and later against women and people of color, resulting in a double dose of discrimination.

How does the speaker suggest using traffic cameras as a solution to reduce racial bias in policing?

The speaker suggests that traffic cameras, which cannot be racially biased, can be used to issue tickets for traffic violations, thereby reducing the influence of racial bias in policing.

What is the speaker's response to the critique that color blindness is ignoring the problem of racial discrimination?

The speaker argues that color blindness is not ignoring the problem but rather addressing it with the best philosophy from the anti-slavery movement, aiming to treat people without regard to race.

What advice does the speaker give to key decision makers at any institution regarding the application of color blindness?

The speaker advises key decision makers to embrace color blindness, support class-based policies, and create colorblind processes in their institutions to lower the temperature of tribal conflict and better govern a multiracial, multiethnic society.