Woke Ideology's Entrenched Damage in Academia and Arts

Key Quotes

"And to tell you the truth, that way of thinking... We've got to double-click on that, or at least make sure you get back to it. I want to know how the damage has been truly unrecoverable or unrecoverable quickly in your view."

John McWhorter suggests that a particular way of thinking, likely referring to "wokeness" or DEI ideology, has caused damage that may be unrecoverable, particularly within academia and the arts. McWhorter indicates a desire to elaborate on the depth and permanence of this damage.

"I would just say that especially if you are an academic or a certain kind of journalist and maybe an artist, you see yourself as having a unique kind of insight. For one thing, you think that you have discovered a truth rather than you have an opinion, and you don't recognize yourself in that description."

McWhorter explains that individuals in certain professions, such as academics, journalists, and artists, often believe they possess unique insights and have discovered objective truths rather than merely holding opinions. He notes that these individuals do not typically recognize this self-perception.

"And I'm going to avoid getting into the weeds of why that idea doesn't make sense, but it doesn't make any more sense than it sounds. And I think anybody who was exposed to the article and then the book that he wrote on its basis fully understands that whatever else his accomplishments are, from what I know, he speaks Russian fluently, et cetera. But this idea that music theory is racist, it's just, it's absurd. It's frankly absurd."

McWhorter expresses strong disagreement with the idea that music theory is inherently racist, calling it "absurd." He implies that this notion, promoted by a musicologist, lacks logical foundation and is demonstrably false, regardless of the proponent's other achievements.

"The hardest thing is the idea that black men live in danger of being iced by a white cop who in a moment of tension is affected by their inner racism to pull the trigger. And that is an item of faith among a great many people of all levels of education and it's an absolute third rail."

McWhorter identifies the belief that Black men are in constant danger of being killed by white police officers due to racism as a core, unchallengeable tenet for many. He describes this belief as an "item of faith" and an "absolute third rail," indicating its extreme sensitivity and resistance to factual challenge.

"And so George Floyd was a matter of people really thinking that say me, maybe I'm getting a little old for it at 60, but that I walk around in a danger that you don't because the cops are more likely to kill me. That's a myth and you know, the numbers don't support it."

McWhorter argues that the perception of Black men walking around in constant danger of being killed by police is a myth not supported by data. He suggests this belief, particularly prevalent in 2020 and 2021, was a significant error in understanding the reality of police interactions.

"I consider it my duty to just repeat over and over that what all of these dust-ups have in common is this rather peculiar idea that battling power differentials must be the central goal of any kind of academic or artistic or judicial endeavor."

McWhorter states his perceived duty to repeatedly emphasize that a common thread in various societal conflicts is the notion that combating power differentials should be the primary objective of academic, artistic, and judicial pursuits. He views this as a fundamental, albeit peculiar, driving principle.