Kevin Bae

Non-Social in a Socially Networked World

Diversity is worse than discrimination

It’s a D-word with a different ending but the same meaning. I used to tell my children that I smelled this diversity ruse probably 20 years ago or so. I could tell in the language being used that this was just a tool to discriminate. The only reason it gained a foothold is because it’s the white man that is actively being discriminated against. It’s being accomplished through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statements (DEI). Apparently if you work almost anywhere, particularly in academia, you’ll need to demonstrate that not only do you believe what they believe but that you are an activist for their cause.

Several years ago, one began to see an additional criterion in advertisements for faculty openings. As a recent Cornell ad puts it: “Also required is a statement of diversity, equity and inclusion describing the applicant’s efforts and aspirations to promote equity, inclusion and diversity through teaching, research and service.” This sort of requirement became more common and is now virtually ubiquitous. Of the 25 most recent advertisements for junior faculty that appeared in Physics Today online listings as of Oct. 15—from research institutions like Caltech to liberal-arts colleges like Bryn Mawr, and even in areas as esoteric as quantum engineering and theoretical astrophysics—24 require applicants to demonstrate an explicit, active commitment to the DEI agenda.

This isn’t merely pro forma; it’s a real barrier to employment. The life-sciences department at the University of California, Berkeley reports that it rejected 76% of applicants in 2018-19 based on their diversity statements without looking at their research records. A colleague at a major research institution, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her students, wrote to me: “I have a student on the market this year, agonizing more on the diversity statement than on the research proposal. He even took training where they taught them how to write one. It breaks my heart to see this.” Other colleagues relate that their white male postdocs aren’t getting interviews or have chosen to seek jobs outside academia.

How ‘Diversity’ Turned Tyrannical – WSJ

It’s now pervasive and will take a complete change in mindset to eradicate this immoral behavior. You can’t end discrimination and racism by introducing different discrimination and racism. It’s all the same and it’s all immoral and wrong.


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