The Strange Language of DEI | Eric Kaufmann | Battle of Ideas 2024

Summary

The speaker critiques the ideology behind Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), arguing that it promotes discrimination against certain groups, such as white men and Asians, in favor of equal outcomes for historically marginalized communities. The speaker also explores the concept of 'woke' ideology, emphasizing a fixation on race, gender, and sexuality, and criticizes the overreach of good intentions from left-wing humanitarian ideals into harmful actions that suppress free speech and truth. The speaker suggests that the threat lies in therapeutic left liberalism, which has led to unintended consequences for societal well-being.

Takeaways

• 😀 DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) operates through euphemisms, where 'D' (Diversity) means discrimination against certain groups and 'I' (Inclusion) equates to intolerance for harmful speech.
• 😀 The core of DEI ideology is based on equal outcomes for historically marginalized groups, which sometimes leads to discriminatory practices against whites, men, and Asians.
• 😀 'Inclusion' in DEI often involves protection from emotional harm, leading to a prioritization of shielding people from speech that may emotionally traumatize them.
• 😀 The DEI framework is rooted in two moral foundations: equality (equal outcomes) and care/harm (protection from emotional harm).
• 😀 The ideology's focus on race, gender, and sexuality stems from the civil rights movement's influence and the subsequent sanctification of these identity groups in woke culture.
• 😀 Woke ideology is framed as a fixation on certain marginalized groups, specifically those associated with race, gender, and sexuality, due to their historical significance.
• 😀 The rise of woke culture has been tied to the intellectual movement of cultural Marxism, particularly in how it relates to critical race theory and gender ideology.
• 😀 However, there is another key factor: the influence of soft left-liberalism, which prioritizes humanitarian values and emotional safety over other values like freedom of speech and the pursuit of truth.
• 😀 The argument within woke culture is that speech that can be harmful to historically marginalized groups should be restricted to prevent emotional trauma, rather than due to a desire to uphold systemic inequalities.
• 😀 The key issue with woke ideology is that it has gone beyond its original humanitarian aims, evolving into a force that harms society by restricting freedoms and promoting overprotection at the cost of critical values like truth and social cohesion.
• 😀 The danger of extreme 'nice' ideologies, such as the therapeutic left-liberalism present in woke culture, is that they overshoot their positive intentions and start doing more harm than good, sacrificing important societal values for emotional safety.

Q & A

What does DEI stand for and what is its ideological basis?

DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Its ideological basis is to ensure equal outcomes for historically marginalized groups, which, according to the speaker, often leads to discrimination against groups like white males and Asians. Inclusion, in this context, is about protecting individuals from emotional harm, which can result in a suppression of free speech.

How does the speaker define 'discrimination' within DEI?

The speaker defines discrimination within DEI as the need to prioritize equal outcomes for historically marginalized groups, which may require disadvantaging white males and Asians to achieve these outcomes.

What role does 'inclusion' play in the DEI framework?

Inclusion in the DEI framework is primarily about protecting individuals from emotional harm. This results in intolerance for speech that could emotionally traumatize marginalized groups, ultimately leading to restrictions on free speech.

How does the speaker connect DEI to Jonathan Haidt's moral foundations?

The speaker connects DEI to Jonathan Haidt's moral foundations of equality and care/harm. DEI focuses on equality (equal outcomes) and protection from emotional harm, which are central to Haidt’s moral framework, but the speaker argues that these values, when taken to extremes, lead to harmful societal consequences.

What is the 'woke' ideology according to the speaker?

The speaker defines 'woke' as the making sacred of historically marginalized identity groups, such as race, gender, and sexuality. The fixation on these groups arises from their prominence in the civil rights movement and the subsequent extension of this sacredness to other groups.

What does the speaker mean by 'emotional safety' in the context of DEI?

Emotional safety, as discussed by the speaker, refers to the idea that marginalized groups should be protected from speech that could emotionally harm them. This concern leads to the creation of speech codes and the suppression of certain forms of expression to safeguard these individuals.

What does the speaker argue is the main problem with the current DEI approach?

The speaker argues that the main problem with the current DEI approach is its overreach. While the intentions behind DEI policies—such as promoting kindness and protection—are initially positive, when taken to extremes, they result in discrimination, suppression of free speech, and harm to other important societal values like freedom and truth.

How does the speaker differentiate between cultural Marxism and humanitarian left-liberalism in explaining the rise of DEI?

The speaker differentiates between cultural Marxism and humanitarian left-liberalism by noting that while cultural Marxism focuses on the redistribution of power through identity-based discrimination (e.g., critical race theory), humanitarian left-liberalism focuses on protecting vulnerable groups from emotional harm. The speaker believes that humanitarian left-liberalism is more significant in explaining the rise of DEI ideologies.

What are the potential consequences of DEI when taken to extremes, according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, the extreme implementation of DEI leads to the suppression of free speech, the undermining of merit and excellence, and the sacrifice of important values like truth, beauty, and social cohesion. It creates a climate where kindness and protection overshoot, ultimately causing harm to society.

What does the speaker suggest should be done about the current state of DEI?

The speaker suggests that society needs to moderate DEI policies and ideals. While the foundational ideas of kindness and emotional protection were initially beneficial, they have overshot their purpose and now cause harm. The speaker advocates for a return to values that promote human flourishing without overreaching the bounds of protection and equality.