4 ms·

> Much of the discussion seems to place a blame squarely on employers, describing a cabal of shadowy prejudiced men in the board room ensuring someone gets 30%

> Much of the discussion seems to place a blame squarely on employers, describing a cabal of shadowy prejudiced men in the board room ensuring someone gets 30% less or 30% more just because Nobody says that. It's the larger society, which also teaches black people and women to ask for less

ringaroundthetx 9y ago
I think we agree that we should address it, but I have heard .... things. The understanding of this topic is a wide gradient, with lots of incomplete and incorrect information repeated by authoritative political figures including Presidents.
emsy 9y ago
Genuine question: Where does that happen?
beaconstudios 9y ago
it seems to me that if you spend all your time telling people they are oppressed, they'll believe you. There are certainly aspects of society that are unfair on women and racial minorities but hammering the idea of privilege and that as a person of group X you'll never be as successful as a white male you're just teaching people to accept and expect less.
- brooklyn_ashey 9y ago
  I hear what you are saying. There have been tests on groups of student test takers: group 1 is told they are talented and that the test is hard group 2 is told if they work hard they wil prevail that was the gist, but I could be getting the wording wrong. The work-hard group did much better at the test than the talented group. I'm going from memory here and will try to find the test to post here. But don't you think it is valuable to prepare those who might have a tougher time with knowledge about how discrimination operates within our institutions that confer power for situations they may face and that certain strategies are better (based upon data from history) than others in understanding the basis of these? When one understands how the opposing army operates, one can create a more effective and hopefully victorious strategy. Especially if one is told that winning battle strategies productively use insider knowlege of one's opponents strengths and weknesses in an innovative and sustained counter-measure.

ringaroundthetx 9y ago

I think we agree that we should address it, but I have heard .... things. The understanding of this topic is a wide gradient, with lots of incomplete and incorrect information repeated by authoritative political figures including Presidents.

emsy 9y ago

Genuine question: Where does that happen?

beaconstudios 9y ago

it seems to me that if you spend all your time telling people they are oppressed, they'll believe you. There are certainly aspects of society that are unfair on women and racial minorities but hammering the idea of privilege and that as a person of group X you'll never be as successful as a white male you're just teaching people to accept and expect less.

brooklyn_ashey 9y ago
I hear what you are saying. There have been tests on groups of student test takers: group 1 is told they are talented and that the test is hard group 2 is told if they work hard they wil prevail that was the gist, but I could be getting the wording wrong. The work-hard group did much better at the test than the talented group. I'm going from memory here and will try to find the test to post here. But don't you think it is valuable to prepare those who might have a tougher time with knowledge about how discrimination operates within our institutions that confer power for situations they may face and that certain strategies are better (based upon data from history) than others in understanding the basis of these? When one understands how the opposing army operates, one can create a more effective and hopefully victorious strategy. Especially if one is told that winning battle strategies productively use insider knowlege of one's opponents strengths and weknesses in an innovative and sustained counter-measure.