Aptly summarized! Of course, the Diversity in the current DEI acronym assumes none of the attributes described in the book, e.g., Darwin’s geological perspectives on deep time that helped his biological discoveries would not come into play. He would not be selected to board the “Beagle” as a privileged, white, cisgender male (no checked boxes there)… Of course, DEI will be cloaked in other acronyms in the future to justify high-level positions for otherwise irrelevant academics. Let us hope merit, through natural selection, triumphs in the end!
I agree that having a USSR background gives a good perspective, but the Medici family exerted their power not only by giving money but by poisoning people so I am not sure that they are a good historical example of bringing diversity. The Soviet Union had very diverse new "intelligenciya" but they killed old intelligent class people. to give a newcomers space. There is only merit and market, everything else is based on envy and will not generate anything good. We should be a result-based economy and not a bs economy. and then we will be fine. Planes will fly, and trains run without derailments. All old soviet slogans of "removing the border between village and city and man and woman" and "equity, fairness, and young pioneers go ahead" are old lies to corrupt young minds and rob them of the future. Life is unfair, and I hope America believes enough in the Founding Fathers to learn about a proper society with rights for life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. We already went to the medieval ages during COVID to save grandma - it does not work.
Was not aware of the Medici Effect (reminds me of scholarly Andalusia). Very much needed in my discipline because as an educator who has also chosen to not check boxes, both physical and metaphorical, the entrenched paradigmatic DEI strictures have reduced my ability to research, present, and publish in the last 4 years. For a renaissance to occur, efforts must strike at a prominent CRT tenet called convergence theory, that white people will only participate if they first benefit from lifting up minority races. This subtractive, zero-sum tenet intentionally defines race and gender roles in a disempowering monolithic way. Erec Smith addresses just how disempowering antiracism is in this way to writing students.
As for renaissance, I support any efforts to redefine diversity and reserve the right for me to define the role, purpose, and value of my identity without censure. In my attempts to navigate and mitigate that risk and remain silent, I find I must call for faculty right to their own language (FRTOL) like my discipline’s prior call for students (SRTOL 1974). It will reform and enhance what is acceptable speech and thought and research, increasing diverse viewpoints in my discipline (rhetoric and composition studies).
Might be worth noting that the Medici in Medici Effect is indeed the patron family of Galileo - so yeah, those Medici.
Aptly summarized! Of course, the Diversity in the current DEI acronym assumes none of the attributes described in the book, e.g., Darwin’s geological perspectives on deep time that helped his biological discoveries would not come into play. He would not be selected to board the “Beagle” as a privileged, white, cisgender male (no checked boxes there)… Of course, DEI will be cloaked in other acronyms in the future to justify high-level positions for otherwise irrelevant academics. Let us hope merit, through natural selection, triumphs in the end!
I agree that having a USSR background gives a good perspective, but the Medici family exerted their power not only by giving money but by poisoning people so I am not sure that they are a good historical example of bringing diversity. The Soviet Union had very diverse new "intelligenciya" but they killed old intelligent class people. to give a newcomers space. There is only merit and market, everything else is based on envy and will not generate anything good. We should be a result-based economy and not a bs economy. and then we will be fine. Planes will fly, and trains run without derailments. All old soviet slogans of "removing the border between village and city and man and woman" and "equity, fairness, and young pioneers go ahead" are old lies to corrupt young minds and rob them of the future. Life is unfair, and I hope America believes enough in the Founding Fathers to learn about a proper society with rights for life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. We already went to the medieval ages during COVID to save grandma - it does not work.
These are excellent points. Here's another alternative:
"Diversity Renaissance through the Ten Commandments"
The Founders of America valued these very much. It's clearly apparent in Christ Church of Philadelphia.
Thank you for sharing your experience and recommendations. Wonderfully detailed and explained.
Thanks for the book recommendation :)
Was not aware of the Medici Effect (reminds me of scholarly Andalusia). Very much needed in my discipline because as an educator who has also chosen to not check boxes, both physical and metaphorical, the entrenched paradigmatic DEI strictures have reduced my ability to research, present, and publish in the last 4 years. For a renaissance to occur, efforts must strike at a prominent CRT tenet called convergence theory, that white people will only participate if they first benefit from lifting up minority races. This subtractive, zero-sum tenet intentionally defines race and gender roles in a disempowering monolithic way. Erec Smith addresses just how disempowering antiracism is in this way to writing students.
As for renaissance, I support any efforts to redefine diversity and reserve the right for me to define the role, purpose, and value of my identity without censure. In my attempts to navigate and mitigate that risk and remain silent, I find I must call for faculty right to their own language (FRTOL) like my discipline’s prior call for students (SRTOL 1974). It will reform and enhance what is acceptable speech and thought and research, increasing diverse viewpoints in my discipline (rhetoric and composition studies).