Thomas Sowell on WHY Diversity Doesn't Work
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ต.ค. 2024
- PLEASE, WATCH THE VIDEO UNTIL THE END. Let's have a healthy conversation in the comments section.
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Thomas Sowell on WHY Diversity Doesn't Work
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What Thomas Sowell is pointing out is people make the assumption that more diversity equates to a better place but reality is there were traumatic wars that lasted centuries because of diversity. We should challenge the notion of "diversity for the sake of diversity" and encourage a battle of ideas to promote diversity of thought.
It would help to more clearly define what "diversity" means, when having these discussions too.
Because the word has a broad range of meaning.
I literally just just thought this but couldn’t have worded it better. Well said.
He wasn’t comparing traumas to devalue one. He was comparing to suggest propagated ideas of diversity leads to atrocities.
I think his main point is that there’s nothing that would happen if you put a diverse group of people together, that couldn’t happen with a non diverse group of people. Diversity provides no fundamental value other than cater to people’s feelings.
Give me a minute please, trying to take all this in. Pretty deep.
Yes, desiverity of thought is best best but Thomas Sowell who I always don't agree with says. Two children from same home, chose different paths come out different
You missed the point. His point wasn't dismissing trauma. It was pointing out that diversity isn't a strength. You cant disagree with that. That's the story of all of Human history all over the world. So he wasn't minimizing trauma. You cant disagree with facts bro. He was talking about diversity, not degree of suffering. And you went right off topic from jump.
stuck in racism
The reason you should compare trauma is because you need something to gauge it to we do that with just about everything else. It also helps us to avoid getting to that point.
@@LarryBonson I agree if that was the use of the comparison. Van was just making excuses to dismiss the point Sowell was making. He clearly wasn't getting the point because he was immediately triggered by the statement.
In my opinion, Thomas Sowell was not minimizing suffering of our people. His focus was on becoming successful/productive in this country…Frederick Douglas.
The idea that you can't compare trauma is silly. Why does murder carry a higher sentence then theft?
People clinging to being a victim is the problem. He's right, you missed his point .
Spot on!! Ivy Leagues doesn't help his argument. He must not be aware of the "Asian problem" in the Ivy Leagues too.
Yeah, the first part Van nearly got there by saying ‘if you diminish what has happened to you by comparing it to how much worse it could’ve been…’ then lost it by saying that creates a victim mentality. The logical conclusion of that is usually ‘then you’re less likely to consider yourself a victim and be grateful for the agency you have.’ That would be my understanding of the first part of that anyway.
Victim mentality is so incredibly ingrained in America, sadly Americans learn little about the rest of the world, cause that way they would know there is not that much of the whole race thing in the rest of the world, but it is becoming a trend now and it comes from the US. Cause it's used for politics
@The Esquire of Sports ® I'm not familiar with it, will check it out for sure! Thank you
Yuuuuuuup!!!
Believing that there are forces Constantly working against you, wanting you to fail, never reach your full potential, make life so difficult it's a constant struggle to acquire even the very basic essentials and provide the bare necessities for yourself and your family, is a cop out and an exercise in futility and self pity!
So to clarify when he talks about the Balkans, the person he was talking to wasn't saying that it's worse where they were from, he's saying if you want to see two groups of different ethnicities hate each other look at the Serbians and Croatians & how much they hate each other and what one group was willing to do to the other in the name of that ethnic hate. He was not saying one situation was worse or better. He is an amazing speaker.
He is warning about the consequences of collectivism, and racial collectivism in particular. Woke activists are balkanizing the races and genders in the West and creating similar social conditions. A large percentage of black people have been fed a simplistic victim narrative and consume cherrypicked facts and rhetoric to drive the demonization of whites. This obviously is easy given the real history of racism. But it's gone so overboard, whites are now turning and being forced to defend themselves by bandying together under their own white identity. It's actually insane. Many of us are now too afraid to even tell people what we really think because our jobs and friendships are on the line. It's going to get worse before people start realizing they are being used by deranged "activists" and politicians.
Thomas Sowell didn't just pick the Balkans as a region to compare to. Balkanization is the the extreme end of Diversity policy- separating people into their groups by race and religion instead of a natural melting pot and voluntarily created identity. He's not saying that "its worse in the Balkans", he's saying "let's get off of this track and not become the Balkans."
Bingo
I haven't even heard the expression balkanization or "balkanisierung" (german) until now.
which is crazy, since I'm from germany and the balkan isn't that far away.
learned something today.
thx for that
religion more then anything, since they all still look pretty much the same
Exactly
@@Retro_Rainer Genau! Das einzige Kurs ueber Geschichte das ich erinnere war eigentlich das Zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts America. Heidelberge Uni.
Diversity of thought works. Diversity of skin and gender doesn’t matter, we are all human.
Exactly
Yes and no. Diversity of thought include thoughts on religion and other convictions that people have. Certain areas of thought works great with diversity, but not all areas.
@@soulextracter yes!!!
Exactly. There is only 1 race (homo sapiens). What is problematic is the diversity of culture and language which can cause huge issues as far as communication goes.
Diversity is based on division. We need to all be humans and recognize each other as such. Individuality is the ultimate diversity because there is no one else like you. Race is SO irrelevant to reality compared to self determination and good decision making and the ability to cooperate with others.
Totally agree. The in group/out group mentality needs to be absolutely obliterated. It's been a good 40 years that everyone on earth has been the in group and there's an entire universe out there that wants to kill us. We shouldn't be trying to help lol
My own perspective evolved on these issues over time but much of my own thinking came from Sowell. I made many assumptions but Sowell did work on race, culture and class all over the world and made me realise many of my opinions were based on very loose thinking which in principle sounded simple and obvious, but went against the empirical evidence. Under scrutiny so many of the lefts sweeping statements aren't backed up by evidence and many on the left know what they are saying is wrong or incorrect. Sowell used to be a Marxist, he was disabused of these notions after working at the Dept of Labour. He also said
when asked "what made you change your mind on liberals (I paraphrase), his reply was "Facts". Great thinker.
Diversity is inclusive, not divisive.
@@kylaarmstrong-benjamin8066 That is the top end description. It sounds wonderful but it's not possie for it to work in the way the left imagines it. Just take what is very import to a cohesive society, tollerence and diversity of opinion. Today's left are tollerent only for people that are high enough on Thier victim register.
Agreed. The thing is there is only ONE race: the human race (homo sapiens). I laugh when I hear people try to refer to blacks, whites, asians as being different "races". The shade of your skin (we all have essentially the same colour skin btw) does not make you a different race or give you advantages or disadvantages. Most of this is attributed to culture.
What I find sad is people say we want diversity in college, but they seem to actively discourage diversity of thought. If you have true diversity, then every discussion should come from multiple point of views and risk becoming offensive.
It really depends on how the word is defined as it relates to the subject.
The word "diversity" not clearly defined in this discussion, it's just vague terminology.
To be fair, neither side wants diversity of thought. Everyone has the desire for everyone else to agree with them. Hence, media that promotes an ideological bubble is far more popular - and profitable - than media that features open, honest debate.
@@sthubbins4038 well to be fair some people just want others to agree that it's perfectly ok to disagree on some things!
We don't all have to believe the same thing in order to be a good person!
When I think of diversity it’s usually age, culture and class diversity. Race and gender may be second but those are 3 noticeable difference. I work with people who have much different opinions than my own, thanks to this political BS. We can still have good discussions and it helps both to define reality and test solutions to problems. We have enough in common to work together and when I’m not allowed to talk, it feels more like a wasted opportunity.
@@kylaarmstrong-benjamin8066 What you think of as a good person varies from belief to belief. So you do need to agree on things just to figure out what we all agree to be good.
I've always said, what's the point in "diversity"( racial), if everybody still thinks the same opinions? People pushing for "diversity" only want your skin color to be diverse, not your thoughts. Keep grinding man. BTW it's Texas Instruments
The problem is that in order for a nation to be good and powerful, the majority of the people must be on the same page with the same values and ideals.
Of course I don't mean people should be robots... but at some point we have to concede and sacrifice for each other to make us stronger as a whole.
Ti-52 right?
@@Beofware too bad it's only conservatives that concede or sacrifice anything, liberals are like , more , more gimme, gimme, free, free, boys can play sports with girls, and so on an so forth
Quite.
The thing Sowell is pointing out is that there is a fixation on Race, Gender and sexuality to define "diversity" yet diversity of thought is frowned upon if it is not the sanctioned thought of those making the rules when diversity of thought is the most important diversity there is.
Let's consider diversity quotas and affirmative action.
They demand diversity along those grounds mentioned and actively discriminate against people who do not meet those criteria, diversity of thought is not only not a requirement it is a detriment as those promoted must share the same views on intersectionality and identity politics as those promoting them.
Political Correctness is a cultural Marxist social engineering tool to promote left wing radicalism through cronyism and identity politics is nothing more than active discrimination to meet those ends under the guise of equality!
It is a completely counterfeit ideology and just as damaging to the underprivileged minorities it claims to support because as you will note nothing changes at the grass roots where any actual inequality manifests in the reality of living in poor neighborhoods.
It perpetuates that inequality and develops new inequalities by only discriminating "positively" after the fact via "equality of outcome" and not tackling it at source "via equality of opportunity"
And it isn't even a net positive because the people they discriminate against via their skin color, gender and sexuality who are deemed to be "privileged" may well have been just as or more underprivileged as the people they are promoting over them because there is no desire to find out since our privilege and underprivilege are predetermined by our race, gender, sexuality and not the actuality of our life experience and situation according to this evil doctrine based on prejudice, and that is even before we get into whether they are more or less qualified!
Show me evidence of where in society minorities are openly discriminated against in such a way and it is lauded as moral and I will tear that down too but chances are you won't find it and if you do it will be right labelled, "Bigoted" "Prejudiced" "racist," or "white supremacist".
I agree mostly with Thomas Sowell here, it's not poverty that holds people back it's the poor mentality that does.
We have opportunity despite the lack of resources because if you have the right attitude, mentality and work ethic the lack of resources won't hold you back.
For example very poor immigrants from all walks of life come to this country and surpass a lot of native born Americans, that's mindset.
I was in second year IT college when I had money to buy a computer. I do agree that people with less opportunity should have some kind of "help" to get at the same level of opportunity, but it should never be based on Race. Not because I am white, with African and Native Brazilian background, but because it doesn't make sense to level opportunity base on race, since the most impactful point in get opportunity is on Class.
I'd never thought about it like that before. Makes sense.
Another funny thing.... people complaining about "the system" when they live in cities run by Democrats for the last 80 years.
It's like, if there is systemic racism in all these places, then they should automatically be against the Democrats that have ruined their city.
Nah, though, that'd be too difficult. Just point their fingers at the white man and claim racism seems to be their best idea on how to victim blame, instead of at the people who actually did it.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad. It should be mandatory reading in all schools, especially poor districts.
@@randysewell3199 I agree. I also think children should know how to prepare a tax return, apply for a personal loan, buy a car and apply for a mortgage before they leave high school.
What I miss about being in the military was being around so many different people. However, we weren’t forced to be around each other, other than work. We also wasn’t constantly told Petty Officer Smith is black, Cheif Jackson is white, Airman Moore is Asian, and so on. We just enjoyed each other, got on each other’s nerves, and worked together wonderfully. We were a team.
In the Marine corps we were all green. Some of us were darker green some of us were lighter green but all of us are green. You were either a good Marine or a bad Marine and all of it depended on what you did not where you came from
“66” I was in Guam. So many mixed couples, I never knew race until I moved to the south
That!! It's amazing to see as a European how all races are labelled as Americans. That keeps racism alive and well. And it exists only in America . While indeed , Military Americans I know don't ever talk like that. This is why Americans in general are so divided , it's so sad to see all these groups separating themselves from each other as Americans
Exactly. I was in the Army and we were a family, with people of all colors from all over. It was amazing. 🤗
Van, I have to tell you, I have really been enjoying watching your videos! I love that you have an honest desire to learn, and you tend to always want to bring the viewers in and ask their opinions for both information and criticism. One of the things I would like to say about your observations about the money being used in different school districts is that the most funded schools in the country are also some of the worst performing. The amount of money given per student does not have a correlation to how well the students do in school, or testing. The vast majority of progress when it comes to student education has to, and will only ever, come from the home. You have to have parents that set expectations for their children, and hold them to those expectations in both behavior and work ethic. Until that happens, you can keep dumping money into bad school districts, and the bureaucracy will just eat the money, because children miss-behave, destroy the property, don’t do the work, and they have to keep training new teachers because they can’t keep them around. By the way, this is coming from a guy who grew up in the projects, has done well for himself in life (because although my parents were poor, they had expectations for me), and now that I’m doing better in life, I substitute teach in my school district.
Once again, thanks so much for doing these videos! I’m getting a lot from them!
Exactly. Education begins in the home. If the parent/parents don't push education, the child will have a poorer chance of succeeding.
And yes, the worse school districts receive more than their fair share of government money, where the highest percentage per student is received, but those schools just waste the money instead of making a difference. Hopefully he will look this up on his own to verify that it is fact.
I can agree with this. The school I had attended gotten the blue ribbon award still with terrible funding and management within a town of less than 3200.
This is well said! Thank You
Brutually true.
Spot on. It starts with parents. They are the most important educators. Raise your kids to be great.
You should really read MR Sowell's bio. He came from a poor family and overcame so much in the Jim Crow era that he is an inspiration.
Thank you for this, I couldn’t put it together as you did.
Sowell wasn't implying "be rich enough". He was actually criticizing that reality. That was his criticism of diversity. The implementation results only in selecting people who "look different" , but come from the same background.
Man this channel is getting better and better by the day always good to hear ur thoughts on these type of topics
Agreed. Race and sex are immaterial. Poorer people of all kinds should get a leg up. BUT standards must be maintained.
And how many pro athletes have the story of growing up in the same situation you described. They made it with the same tools you had. Bad bats, horrible gloves, worn basketballs, dirt field or even empty lot football. So since they came from the same exact situation, then what helped them make it when others didn't? Maybe it is them wanting it and putting in the extra work to make it happen. Pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. You don't wait for someone to make it easier, you work inside the system you are in, and then work on making it better for those that come after you.
Correct, genetics worked for them. However, kids need to look beyond bats and balls, the books need to improve. The reason rich schools are well provided for is taxes and private funding. Parents in the rich area pay higher property tax and donate to the schools
I want to thank you for going through these videos. You are the first person I have found to articulate your disagreements without resorting to personal attacks. You also provide a logically based opinion on why you disagree with him. We need more people like you! People who articulate their disagreements without lashing out emotionally.
Van, from what I've seen in several of your reactions videos, one of your biggest weaknesses is forming an opinion and saying "I disagree" with what someone has just said before hearing out the entirety of their argument. Having read a number of Sowell's books, and knowing where he was going with his initial statements on "diversity," I simply had to shake my head when you did this a few minutes into the video. I knew that you had no clue what he was evern talking about yet, but you were already convinced that he was saying something that you disagreed with. Not a good look, my friend!
Money has been poured into low income/high crime areas at increasingly astronomical levels for decades. The lesson there is pouring money into something doesn’t fix it. You have to get to the root of the problem.
Exactly. The problem is that families have been broken up and now government has increasingly replaced fathers.
And corrupt politicians and government
My man, Sowell. When you get bored, watch his teacher, Milton Freidman, who is just as great a speaker, and has loads of YT vids available. Well done, and thanks for the video!
Thomas Sowell activates Godwin's Law with his very first sentence. 😂 "It's Hitler!" Which, of course, is what the other side says as well. At least they have a point, in that Hitler's goal was to ELIMINATE diversity.
Van, I appreciate your content and you doing this. I GENUINELY do. But (and you may get mad at this) you actually have a “pick YOURSELF up by your bootstraps” story. You didn’t have much, you came from an impoverished background, and yet, you have a wonderful family and bright future BECAUSE you didn’t cave into the whole “victimhood” mentality. And I strongly believe that any one individual CAN have that mentality no matter where you’re from. You are a great example of that. Question is, how can we help others? And to me, that’s pointing them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Peace.
I think a lot of blacks don't realise that the underprivilege they have in the poor inner city areas is pretty common among working class white neighborhoods too.
When I hear him talk about his lack of privilege and what school was like it makes me chuckle what he would of thought of my working class white neighbourhood school in the UK back in the day.
I guess everything is relative though and the black American views things through a historical lens of oppression and discrimination which is natural but not productive if we want to bring about a better society and world for everyone where all underprivileges people regardless of any other factors have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
Society doesn't need to be equal, in fact that goal would make for an extremely totalitarian communistic system that stamped out individuality, what it needs is to have the structure where all people have the same opportunity to thrive - what they make of it is up to them.
When did Jesus start paying peoples rent? smh
I can suggest a reason why white people fail to recognize out of unawareness or say things like victimhood and just refuse to recognize the systemic racism that most certainly does exist throughout our society. That regardless of education or income, there exists a set of rules that Black citizens must educate their children about staying alive in this multi-racial country.
Their are obstacles of racism or privilege that Black citizens must navigate and overcome in order to succeed in this multi-racial country.
I think one reason why these facts are so easily dismissed is because they do it.
What other choice do they have?
Black citizens have been overcoming obstacles of racism and privilege in order to succeed this whole time. That makes those accomplishments extraordinary
doesn't it?
You're still going to hear about injustice wherever it exists.
You are questioning the mentality of the wrong group of people.
@@michaelbradley7529 When Jesus removes that burr from your arse and you get the gumption to go out and get a job.
@@eileencastillo6323
Nobody would deny there was historical systemic racism but there is no evidence
I have seen that it exists now except against males and whites.
"That regardless of education or income, there exists a set of rules that Black citizens must educate their children about staying alive in this multi-racial country"
This is just not factual or statistically validated in any way.
You are basing it off emotive media propaganda and selective moral outrage.
That doesn't mean there isn't racism, there are always racist people black, white and brown, what it means is that contemporary Western society does not have inherently racist institutions or discriminatory laws.
It may be that in poor inner city areas blacks are more likely to be murdered but that is almost exclusively at the hands of other black people.
When you look at the modern statistics on violent crime it is perpetrated by blacks on whites at massively higher rate than vice versa.
How did Obama become President (Twice) in a systemically racist predominantly white nation?
Why are white people not the wealthiest or most successful in the nation they founded if they have privilege and it is institutionally racist against other ethnicities?
Asians and Jews do far better than whites in America, only blacks do worse?
Is the system racist against whites too and prejudiced toward Asians or could it be about culture?
Someone getting a University place or job on the basis they are black due to diversity laws and/or affirmative action is not an achievement nor is it equitable..
A black person qualifying for a position because they are better qualified is an achievement but a personal one not a racial one.
The idea that black people are becoming President in a systemically racist nation because their magnificence and superiority was such that it just could not be denied at any point is deluded - it is the sort of illogic and rhetoric white supremacists use, you are just the flip side of that bad penny.
What was truly praiseworthy was black people like MLK coming to prominence and ditching their own well earned and deserved prejudice at a time America was systemically racist to bring people together to fight our common enemy of bigotry and prejudice which certainly is not just the historic domain of black people.
That was the genuine rise above the obstacles legacy and greatness of black America you should be talking about and promoting because it brought black and white together to the common cause of a more just world where people would not be judged by the color of their skin but content of their character and by extension their deeds.
Diversity of ideas is often a strength. But obsessing on diversity of culture and race, while ignoring unity, is a problem. Diversity is related to the word “divorce” and “divide.”
Unity not diversity is our strength
Im toasted right now but I coulda swore you said "Vulcans" over and over my guy.... had me dead
I don't think you're going to get much sympathy from Sowell. Just like you pointed out, he is the, pull yourself up by the bootstraps kind of guy. To be as successful as he is, he had to be. His father died shortly after he was born and he lived in poverty most of his childhood; working low-paying, menial job after job just to make ends meet. He didn't have a lot of opportunities, he just took advantage of the ones that were given to him. I think probably the two of the best things that happened to him was that he had a teacher that was very hard on him. I don't remember the interview but he was talking about one teacher whom, if he misspelled a word, he had to write the word several dozen, or a hundred times or something until he got it right. Then he got drafted into the marines which only reinforced that, get it right from the start mentality. He took that mentality and applied it to the rest of his academic studies and as a result, had the mental fortitude to be accepted into these top tier colleges. He lived through the exact kind of society that you describe but rather than blaming society for all his problems, he perservered and worked through it despite the shortcomings of said society.
I strongly suspect a lot of the issues that appear at face-value to be racial-based are actually class-based. It is easier and more distracting to focus on racial issues than address or admit the real disparities between classes.
exactly....what do a young man that grew up in the south side of Chicago and the cross-dressing son of Magic Johnson have in common have - other than their skin color? One is born into a neighborhood of violence, poverty, and survival mentality and the other one grew up in a life of such privilege he will likely never need to work a day in his life and was given access to high-quality education throughout childhood, never missed a meal, lives extravagantly, travels extensively, etc.
@@sw3783 Valid point.
Society nowadays seems to care about every kind of diversity except the only kind that actually matters: diversity of thought
He's telling a story about an experience he had with someone. You're taking it as the racism here was less, but Thomas was just pointing out there are atrocities in this world.
I’ve heard it said and know it to be true because I am a little older: No matter the color your skin, your background, or your opportunities, you will not get anywhere unless you get yourself going. If you dare to go it alone, you may not wind up doing, thinking, or being exactly what you planned on when you started.
you are not listening, he is talking about facts, you are talking about emotions.
With all due respect, you clearly don't know what diversity means. It is not class diversity. People who argue we should prioritize class diversity (which helps blacks more!) are accused of being racist for questioning racially imposed diversity. You are literally making the exact same argument Thomas Sowell and every right-winger makes, and every so-called "racist". BLM explicitly demands race quotas. And this whole game is a social game maintained by upper class whites and blacks (and others) and they gatekeep anyone who questions it.
You seem reasonable, but seem completely unaware of what these leftist social movements are pushing for... and they explicitly state it over and over.
if you actually look at how much the schools are receiving in low-income areas it's not that they don't have enough funding for each child. It's the miss management of funding by the schools and the unions. It will cost more to fire a bad teacher than to keep paying them to do bad work.
Within the first three minutes, he says, "I have to disagree with Mr. Thomas Sowell" . . . and the point with which he disagreed was that race relations in America are not as bad as in Yugoslavia, where babies were being slaughtered. Unbelievable.
My Great Grandpa was an irish immigrant who was thrown into coal mines at 12 years old. Every group of humans has faced oppression
Thanks for another great reaction Van. I have some thoughts on this... my great-grandmother had a saying that, I think, strikes at the core at what Sowell is getting at... "Can't never did anything". It means that when faced with a situation or circumstance, the one thing that you will ALWAYS have control over is your own mind and perspective, and that... that is true freedom AND diversity. Diversity at the individual, thoughtful level. Regardless of how bad a situation might be, focusing on it will only make it worse. In other words, whether you think you can or you think. you can't, you're right. Pay attention to your thoughts because they become your words... and your words will become actions... those actions will become habits... those habits will form your destiny.
My grandparents and parents always said something very similar, which is awesome haha. “Can’t never could do nothing”. I’m aware the grammar isn’t correct but that comes with the dialect lol
Van, ‘listen’ (IMO you misheard several issues)
and think before you have a knee jerk reaction. He never diminished black neighborhoods strife. Just how bad things could become.
Van, you’re doing exactly what Thomas suggests is how to succeed.
Please stop whining and be proud of your achievements. What makes you believe ‘we’ had all of these things (calculators) in high school. I never had a TI calculator until my junior year of college…. So ? It’s a wonderful thing that you stayed around for your children. That’s what makes a man!
You understandably jumped to a conclusion - which he was in fact talking about, but you flipped around what he was getting at. "Diversity" has been muddied up to the point where it has now been used for everything but what it really means. Like you said - diversity of status / class. Nowadays, there is "diversity training" at every job and it is not about class and tolerance - it is literally about having a certain % of people to portray your business, organization, group, etc. as reflecting your general population. Regardless of qualifications, work ethic, etc. which actually hurts people of whatever culture or class they belong to.
Seriously, that is what it has become. It is no longer diversity of personage, but forced localized equity. Which again, goes back to his point - if there was REAL diversity in question, then why are the affirmative action enrollments in Harvard coming from 99% elite households, and nobody coming in from the projects?
You skipped right past that as if you thought that's what he wanted it to be, instead of what he was chastising them for. Like he was for rich people or something. That is the most anti-Sowell thing I've ever heard.
I believe you might find this interesting -> It is about the effect of affirmative action on education, but I think it explains the problems of "diversity" very well, and the unintended (or even by some people, intended) consequences: www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/the-sad-irony-of-affirmative-action
Thank you for all of your hard work in you videos!
Sowell is a guy who has studied and written books on Diversity. You cant say he doesn't know what he is talking about. He knows more about diversity than every diversity officer in corporate America. Lol.
He would agree with you on class. But in America, diversity has come to be synonymous with race.
I think that’s part of his reasoning. The definition of “Diversity” has been morphed into mostly being a skin color/racial thing. I’m all with you with diversity of class. I think that would give you a better sense of “diversity” than just making a mixed group of people based on race.
I think it would be helpful if they clearly defined the word "diversity" as it relates to the subject matter, before beginning this discussion in the video!
We just sorta have to take a guess
@@kylaarmstrong-benjamin8066 Not sure if he realizes this yet, but if he built a business and the government came in and said it is mandatory for him to hire a certain percentage of people from different races. This is what he's not realizing yet. They demand racism in the hiring process, and he would have no choice about it.
@@CelticSpiritsCoven its racist if they only hire white people and its racist to force them to hire people who aren't white.
Its inescapable
@@kylaarmstrong-benjamin8066 But we on the Right believe that the person who is the most qualified for the job should be the one to get it.
You can't control who applies for a job opening. But you can control who you hire. And if you are actually a Right leaning Conservative, you wouldn't hire someone because of the color of their skin or their gender.
People on the Left are the ones who got smacked in the arse for only hiring white people. Facts of reality.
@@CelticSpiritsCoven As someone who was raised around lots of AG i can say that is true. You hire based on merit or ability to do the job. However Kayla is partially correct when she said "its inescapable". Part of Racism is perspective and as long as people can freely form their opinions then you will always have a percentage of the population seeing things incorrectly (example, calling a business racist because they only have white employees. You dont know the variables that caused that situation but automatically assume racisms)
Whenever you say “I disagree with so and so”, Thomas Sowell in this case, I’m not always sure what exeactly you’re disagreeing with. Like this time, I didn’t hear Thomas say that our problems don’t matter as much because of some other countries problems that are more serious. It sounded like that’s what you disagreed with, but I didn’t even hear Sowell say that.
It can be confusing because you say you disagree with what he just said, but it’s unclear which part of what he said you disagreed with, especially when what he just said sounded pretty reasonable.
I’m a fan, brother, just wanted you to know how at least one fan is receiving your videos ✊🏼 Keep fighting the good fight
I love that you're watching these. I love that you've pulled up from SW DC and the challenges you faced there (I live in NOVA). My first child went to Virginia Tech and had a miserable time. My second (and academically smartest) child went to a lesser-known school and thrived. A friend of mine went to an obscure school in the midwest. He's a partner at Price Waterhouse Coopers and has two beautiful homes. He works his head off when he's not at his kids' soccer games. My point is that you don't have to go to an Ivy League school to have a successful, fulfilling career. Isn't that the end-game for our kids? My youngest child is in a 12-month program to learn music production in LA (God help him and his mama who worries about him!). Studying to be an electrician or plumber would have made me more sure about him supporting a family. Even aggressive learners like my daughter don't need those schools. As parents, we need to teach work ethics. My husband lived in a trailor park in SW VA for some of his childhood, turned down a small scholorship to MIT, and payed his own way through graduate school at VT. Why? Because he's white? Or because he was motivated and found his passion? Find what sparks your kid's passion and nevermind if they go to college or where.
"Diversity is the universal good and our goal." ----- liberals
- Let's put more short people in the NBA.... will it make the game better?
- Let's put lots of slow people on the track team in the name of diversity.
- Let's enroll dumb people into Harvard.... low SAT scores and low GPAs in high schools.
- Let's hold half of the positions on NFL teams for women to make the sport better.
- Let's let more unqualified surgeons operate on people.
- Let's let lawyers who can't pass the bar exam represent people in court.
- Let's have non-engineers designing and building highway bridges in the name of diversity.
Competition, ability, achievement, and a demand for excellence are all contrary to diversity because they all limit who can participate in certain activities. So, let's get rid of the standard of excellence in any given field and choose diversity instead... the world will be better for it.
Thomas Sowell is talking about present day. He's like 95. He knows about Black history.
Van, I agree with you in that diversity can be racial but that's just a physical difference. True diversity is differences in thought and differences in background (economic upbringing).
Hey. Right quick. And I mean no disrespect because I love your channel. It's balkanization. The balkans. Vulcans are from Star trek. I'm only pointing this out because sometimes these words sound alike and then when we try to argue our points outside of our own comfort zone we make these mistakes and it make us look like we don't know what we're talking about when we really do. Much love and respect to you sir. Keep doing what you're doing. It's great to have this discourse here. One more thing. I left a comment on another one of your videos. I believe it was one you posted 3 days ago. I know you don't get a chance to look at everything, but please make it a point to see if you can find it and take a look. What you are doing here is awesome, and I really hope this opens up conversations all over this great nation of ours and perhaps the world. This is the only way we're going to start getting things done, and done right. And you have really showed a lot of people on every side of every spectrum that it can be done. Kudos to you sir
When it comes to Schools and supplies. Schools are funded by the property tax around them. Baltimore City, since you're from MD and I grew up there. I went to a suburb school in Anne Arundel county. Those TI-83 calculators weren't given to the students, they were bought by the parents. Teachers may have had loaners for those without them, but they were also bought by the teacher and not by the school. I was in theater and the props and supplies were donated or bought through ticket sales, we fixed a light board that was from the 70s. My buddy and I modernized a early 1900s spotlight because we were running out of lights to fill the stage. Baltimore City schools spends more money per student than anywhere else in the country. I live out in Texas now with a big HS football culture. The Students train with good coaches in school but its the parents that pay for Strength and Conditioning coaches off season and during the summers. The schools are well supplied because property taxes out here are significantly higher. 1.06% in MD compared to 4% in TX. There's no State income tax here so people here are willing to pay higher property tax as an investment in their community for the next generation. Teachers in Urban areas are generally paid more with benefits like tuition assistance, with a few exceptions. Alief ISD highest paid teachers but rough area in Houston w/ tuition assistance, Katy ISD one of the best school districts in suburb of Houston and famous football program teachers are paid less but not by much in a safer area, then out in the more rural areas teachers are paid up to $10k less a year. The reason schools in suburban areas have more success than urban areas is because of community reinvestment and parental involvement with the schools. (PTA/Coaching/Training/Donations).
He’s saying that diversity should be looked at critically. Again, I like Dr Sowell because his opinions are based on facts over feelings.
It's not about "comparing trauma" in my opinion. It's about some folks like to pretend that they own all the trauma in the world. And, if they ever wake up and see some folks have it worse, then maybe they can start to be grateful. And, an attitude of gratitude can work wonders, it's a huge source of strength. When a person stops asking "Why me?" And says instead "What can I do?", and starts doing instead of crying... that's powerful.
You brought up a very good point at the 3 minute mark about comparing trauma. I just want to mention that though we should not try and diminish ones trauma from another persons, we also should not be exhaulting one persons trauma versus anothers aswell. "person x had it worse than person y, so we need to acknowledge person x more". The moment you cater to these people based on trauma you enter a very difficult place where bias and even racism can spread and develop.
Mr Sowell isn’t opposed to diversity, he is opposed to diversity for the soul sake of diversity. He is a firm believer in advancement for all based solely on your individual merits.
“Who attends Ivy Leagues?”
Disproportionately the children of wealthy non-Asian and non-white professionals.
“Different classes need help sometimes”
Is a very different statement than “rich kids with dark skin who had every resource possible as children are more deserving of help than poor Asian Hmong immigrants”
I’m not sure you’re really listening to Sowell. He talks for like 2 minutes then you say “I disagree” and talk for 5. He’s laying out a longer argument, you gotta take it all in before you react. He never said a terrible trauma makes another trauma nonexistent.
I've always said that broke is a state of being, poor is a state of mind
Ridley Scott said ..the best humans can hope for is tolerance. It's sad but true .
I wish all human conflicts could be settled by a dance-off. And if that doesn't work? A pillow fight. 😄
I taught school at a low income school for ten years. I’ve always believed our problems are more about the differences in income than color. When you’re poor you tend to hand around other poor people and do things that keep you poor.
The Vulcans! 😂
Live long and Prosper!🖖
As a Blackman, what Dr. Sowell said is very simple. If you want to go to an Ivy league school, get the grades and money/scholarship to do so. If you can't meet both the requirements go to the best school you can. What sense does it make to attend Harvard because of some diversity quota that has a lower standard than what is required while knowing I won't be able to keep up with the pace of the institution. It will end with me dropping out without my degree and a was of my money.
The money that some celebrities and athletes spend at the club or on cars and houses invested back into their communities could change that starting point.
Van I love your content and your willingness to both expose yourself to new thoughts and to hold onto what your own thoughts when you disagree with things. Some people I see in the comments pointing to you need to believe this fact or that are frustrated because they are in a different place in their journey. Who knows, after another year of your personal investigation you might see some of these ideas or "facts" differently than now. Perhaps you won't. Either way you're approaching these ideas with curiosity, patience and rationality. For what it's worth you've certainly opened my eyes and softened my views on a few things. Things I might not wholly agree with you on now but at least I better understand where the motivation for those thoughts and beliefs come from. Keep up the great content.
What do you mean no one can compare their trauma to other peoples trauma ? That makes no sense .
It's a built-in excuse
I like the videos you are reviewing and that you give your thoughts freely and openly. I think that one of the problems with promoting class diversity at the various colleges and universities is that many students haven't yet reached a level of education (for whatever reason) where they can understand the material. Their resulting failure at that level does them no good. Students need to be put in a situation where they can succeed. So, I think, matching a student's abilities and prospective strengths at a school where they can continue to grow is more beneficial than to artificially raise their scores that then puts them into a situation where they will, more often than not, fail.
Those Texas Instruments calculators were expensive as hell and we had to buy them ourselves!
Honestly thinking of subscribing. I really enjoy watching you because, knowledge is power!! Doesn't matter if you agree, you made the choice to hear other opinions.
Old school, no social media. How do you subscribe? Really? Just Saying
You just gave me a whole new understanding of your reality when you said you didn't even have Texas Instruments we were required to buy them in high school they cost my family (n me mowing the lawn raking the leaves every day I came home from school with this I had to go on top of the roof and be-leaf the roof and unclog the gutters) 80 bucks I think my mom was a hairdresser and made a lot of money thankfully I was able to have one.. this comes about class because before that we couldn't afford nothing until she got better on her feet.
My ghetto Pop Warner team from West Central Phoenix rode in church buses to Huntington Beach, California and beat the crap out of the team whose houses we stayed in. It was about what was under the helmet and shoulder pads.
A personal story: My Dad wanted to play hockey very much ,but had to learn how to skate first,he didn't have skates,so he borrowed his sisters skates to learn how to skate with and then used them to play hockey initially until his parents bought him some men's hockey skates...He was anxious to prove he could do it and did so without the right equipment... he chose to play in those leagues for the enjoyment and camaraderie and the for the social aspects this affords...Ty for these thought provoking/insightful pieces brother
I was born into a military family. My father did 20 yrs and then retired. From my perspective, your parents made the decisions about how they wanted to raise their kids. After I finished high school, I enlisted in the USAF. I did 4 years. I took my GI bill and went on to attend a major university. Again, If my parents and I could make these type of decisions, then why can't other people do the same. My family was not beyond working class. We had the opportunity to see the world. We wore the same clothes until they fell off of us. All my brothers and sisters are now college grads.
Denzel said it starts at home. I agree. Parents make the decision of how they want to raise their children. If your parents planned poorly, then they harmed their children.
The last Supreme Court Biden picked is a very accomplished person who seems to be a good fit for the job. But her promotion has been tainted because Biden specifically said he wanted a black women to be his pick. That’s an issue with diversity. It minimizes the accomplishments of minorities
You are a hero to me - a man from a fatherless household who determined that his children would not be fatherless. Everyone makes choices throughout their life, and it is those choices that determine one's future more than anything else. But having both a mother and a father under one roof, loving you and loving each other, that is the greatest "privilege" any person can have when it comes to grounding a person and giving them the example and the support they need. Your choice is what makes you a man, and I salute you.
I love ya, man! You got a good heart. I'm a subscriber and watch all your videos. I love that you watch all these intellectuals and I hope you keep it. I am also amused how often you miss the point of what they are saying. That's not a criticism because I admit, sometimes it goes over my head as well. Keep up the good work , stay curious and open minded. You're the best!
At 3:57 --3:58 "Yes, the Vulcans went through what the Vulcans went through." :-)
Bro, he was talking about stuff that happened in the 90's. Not 350 years ago. That's the point.
Cannot argue with Class Diversity by the way. Never thought of that for some reason.
Lol, that's why I watch and listen to you! Good job my man!
Van my man,
I give a story from my perspective. My aunt was a diversity/affirmative action acceptance to Havard and later fast tracked to doctorate at Johns Hopkins.
She was a chosen for this reason because she was a rural white woman.
Fast forward 50 years later, she doesn't care and doesn't want to help the people that she came from. Not me, me and mine we are very well. BUT, she is from a different class now and wants nothing to do with where she came from.
Love the LFR Family!
Van, I taught school in Colorado, and we had so many resources available. I moved to Alabama and I couldn’t believe how poorly funded the schools here are…no technology in the classroom in 2022? It’s unbelievable! No wonder Alabama is almost last in student achievement overall. We’ve got to do better!!!
Be good enough does not mean be rich enough. Mr. Sowell is a great example of someone coming from poverty and did the work and attended ivy league schools.He didn't get in those schools based on race or class,he did the work and got the reward for the work. I'm sure in Harlem when he was coming up they didn't have everything they needed but he came out on top. I respect anybody who doesn't make excuses but does the work for the reward,whatever that reward may be.
Thomas Sowell's point was not that trauma in the Balkans was worse than the trauma of slavery in the United States, His point was diversity is not a strength because everywhere it exists there is societal trauma
Thomas Sowell came from poverty and was an exemplary student at Harvard at a time when racism was exponentially worse than today. You are an example of someone improving your life and your family's life by your determination and choices. It's not be fair, but we all start from different circumstances with different talents and opportunities. Your choices may not provide complete success in your life time, but when you impart that ethic to your children their prospects will improve beyond your own. The government system holds more people back then it lifts up. Actual charity helps the giver and lifts up the receiver because it has accountability, which motivates toward self reliance (Like that of mentor and student). The government system entraps people with reliance and at the same time decreases charity because it is easier to accept help when it is more anonymous and requires less accountability (like giving answers to a test instead of teaching the subject). I believe the biggest obstacle is self defeat (victim mentality). Why seek to achieveme if you believe the path is impossible. I struggled with this mentality myself. I was married with kids and was on public assistance, but I went to college while working full-time and raising six children. I am not wealthy but I am well off and my children have more opportunity than I did.
LFR family. I've watched two of your videos tonight and I've enjoyed hearing you thoughts. They are insightful and intelligent and spoken from your experience. I hear you when you say economic class is a factor. I agree to some extent. However I dont think economic class is the final determiner of our potential as individuals. Being poor makes the journey to success harder, but does not prevent one from succeeding. Thomas Sowell pulled himself out of Harlem to study at Harvard and teach economics at some of the best schools in the country. There is a video about his journey to success. It is amazing. He developed his political beliefs over years of study and observing evidence that lead him to his present conclusions. He was a socialist, now he's conservative. Those are opposites. His never ending search for answers is what I respect most about him. He admits when he's wrong also. Keep listening to Mr Sowell. There are few people better equipped to talk economics, politics and social issues than he is. He is a national treasure.
You incoherently defined victimhood mentality. Victimhood mentality is a belief that you’re a victim compared to others and you can blame your state of victimhood on someone else.
YES CLASS 👍. I agree this is the issue in America not race.
50% of the wealth in America is concentrated in a few large cities . A very small area.
Pure and simple he is saying diversity is not a country's strength, its the ability to overcome the diversity and tolerate each other that is the strength of a nation.
You’re interpreting his statement from a reverse point of view. If he refers to other people’s trauma, it’s because other people faced such trauma and overcame and became great. It is not supposed to keep you back by making you satisfied in where you’re. It’s supposed to encourage you by telling you that no system can keep you down there
Strength comes from unity. Unity sees diversity as no more than an interesting fact of life it accepts if it is wise.
For many "Diversity" means less white people. Recently also less Asians
The reason you should compare trauma is because you need something to gauge it to we do that with just about everything else. It also helps us to avoid getting to that point.
Finding commonality is more important than diversity. Our commonality is being an American first. It is believing in the Constitution. It is believing in democracy. It is supporting the U.S. as a republic. It is in believing in freedom and the importance of individual sovereignty. Believing in American virtues is what ties us together and makes us strong, thrive and enjoy life.
You're looking too hard for things to disagree with and in the process missing the larger issue. Its getting you sidetracked.
"The one and only important form of so called "diversity" is diversity of thought and idea, which this country is sorely lacking in as of late" - Larry Elder
I felt you on your point about class. I grew up with money but lived across the street from 2 sets of section 8 developments. We all grew up playing baseball together, and I was by far not the best one of the group. But, I was the only one to play college baseball because of the financial advantage I had to pay for private lessons and training plus the ability to travel around the country to be seen.
I agree more with class diversity than racial diversity. But I still don't want a brain surgeon who got into school just because of the of their race or class.! Again, I look at Dr Ben Carson. Born in the Projects with a single mother who worked, I think, cleaning houses. He didn't like school but his mama drove it into him & his brother that school was the way out and they'd better get to it! He became a world renowned Pediatric Neurosurgeon & was the first to successfully separate twins conjoined at the head & brain! He removed brain tumors from kids that other doctors called inoperable! And he bought his mama a house! 🤗
I love that man so much!
TIP! No matter how much you screwed up in high school it doesn't matter!!! Anyone can get into college as a non degree-seeking student! Then it's only your college grades the count!!! Then you can declare a major if you want. That's what I did but College was BS so I bounced to follow my real dreams.
Just to summarise what an Indian spiritual man said… it’s good to know the history of slavery…but don’t invest in it as you will become poisoned…let it go, it’s the past, move on. All civilisations have had atrocities visited upon them and it will continue throughout the ages.
I think the blacks in the United Kingdom have a good sense of self, more self respecting, and less self denigrating.
Shocked how this is the reverse of a large segment of black Americans. It’s reflected in how they address each other as niggas, and also in some of their music. Really shocking. What role models can they be.
Think about it this way. Let's say you were just a fish born in the ocean. There is nobody to cry and complain to. You just got to make s*** happen on your own or gets swallowed up by a bigger fish. Some people have that live or die mentality and some people just don't have it.
Diversity of thought, belief and opinion is the only type of diversity that should be striven for.
Diversity only doesn't work for people who can't see others as humans first. Thank God we don't all look alike. Love your channel!
It doesn't matter your background, if you don't have the ability to meet the standards than you shouldn't be let it. Not only because the school has standards, but YOU won't be ready.
I could appreciate that people born in poverty want to go to Ivy League Schools, and their is no doubt some of them are capable, BUT they are less likely to be capable because the education system sucks in poor neighborhoods. You can't counteract that with affirmative action because the damage is DONE, you are already at a disadvantage. Instead of screwing yourself and becoming bottom of an Ivy League school and being a failure, go to the MANY other schools and graduate average or above average and have a succesful life. Your children can than enjoy the benefits of a decent living. Assuming your life wasn't already great and full of success.
Affirmative action is like getting an MMA fighter who didn't have enough experience and going "Now go fight the champion to make up for your lack of skill", it is detrimental to those they target to help. That guy would get pummeled and massacred.
Also, race based affirmative action is even worse. If ANYTHING it should be class based affirmative action, despite the fact it would STILL be detrimental to those targeted. Does it make any sense to make it race based? If historical wrongs truly did hold back the black community than surely the they WOULD be in the lower class, right? So it still helps them AND the whites born in poverty. It also avoids giving benifits to blacks who already have generations of success. Why should a wealthy minority get a place instead of a suffering Asian or White person?
Either way though, affirmative action is bad. I'm Hispanic so I don't really care. We get minor benefits, but really being bilingual is a HUGE advantage. I'm glad to be born Mexican. Never felt oppressed and I wouldn't change the race/ethnicity I was born into, I love being me so why should I pretend like I am miserable for it. I wouldn't change it even if I could.
I enjoy your thoughtful comments.
Thumbs up for being a father first!!