DeepSummary
The podcast episode is part of the Anti-Essentialism series, where Adam Proctor interviews Walter Benn Michaels, a literary and social critic known for his critique of identity politics. They discuss Michaels' argument that race is not a biological reality but a socially constructed concept, and that the focus on diversity and anti-discrimination has become a way for neoliberal capitalism to legitimize itself while ignoring economic inequality.
Michaels explains how the idea of racial identity shifted from a biological basis in the early 20th century to a cultural one, with people being defined by their adherence to cultural norms rather than genetics. However, he argues that this idea of cultural identity is still rooted in essentialist notions of race, and that the emphasis on diversity and inclusion serves to promote a vision of society divided along racial and cultural lines rather than addressing economic exploitation.
The conversation touches on Michaels' experiences organizing a faculty union at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and his belief that efforts to build class solidarity and address economic issues should take priority over identity politics. They also discuss the challenges of convincing people to abandon racial categories, and the tendency of both the left and right to frame issues in terms of discrimination rather than exploitation.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Race is a socially constructed concept, not a biological reality.
- The focus on diversity and cultural identity perpetuates racial essentialism.
- Anti-racism and anti-discrimination discourses can serve as a cover for neoliberal capitalism to ignore economic inequality.
- Building class solidarity and addressing economic exploitation should take priority over identity politics.
- While anti-discrimination is important, it cannot be the central focus of a socialist or social justice program.
- Decommodification and redistribution of economic resources should be the key goals.
- There is a tendency on both the left and right to frame issues in terms of discrimination rather than class exploitation.
- Pragmatic electoral choices may sometimes be necessary despite ideological disagreements.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So the thing about it is the main thing about the discourse is not that's wrong with it. It's not that it recruits like the Klan, although that is a truly unfortunate byproduct. Right. It's that it's just fucked up. It's wrong.“ by Walter Benn Michaels
- “You know, the idea of reforming the university, like in Wisconsin, it's getting rid of tenure, making it easier to fire people, the flexible workforce, all those things we know. And again, you know, when I am talking about that, I'm talking about things that everybody who's listening to this podcast already agrees about and that, you know, even people who are the most commit, most hostile to my version of these left arguments, even they are committed to that.“ by Walter Benn Michaels
- “So to me, it's a kind of double track. On the one hand, we should be absolutely pushing not extreme views, but the actual views we hold, views in which identitarianism is, in the end, not either relevant or useful, that anti discrimination is essential, but it cannot be the center of a social justice program, and it certainly cannot be the center of socialism.“ by Walter Benn Michaels
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Episode Information
Dead Pundits Society
Dead Pundits Society
4/27/18