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I don't think that's the most reasonable interpretation. If someone is concerned with appearances, then they're choosing someone for their appearance over their
by natrius 15y ago
I don't think that's the most reasonable interpretation. If someone is concerned with appearances, then they're choosing someone for their appearance over their merit. Accusing someone of tokenism is claiming that they would've made a more homogeneous choice based on their judgment of merit, but put merit aside in order to keep up appearances. Tokenism and a lack of merit go hand in hand.
In other words, no one hates blondes. They prejudge blondes to be less competent, but they still keep a couple on the team, despite their prejudgment of being less competent. Being a token anything means merit wasn't the deciding factor for being chosen. It is bad.
- vidarh 15y agoWe'll have to agree to disagree on that one. First of all, I've met plenty of people who hold racist views without considering people of other races to be less competent. Secondly, even if they do consider them less competent, that does not mean they would not prefer the best. Personally I'd think it unlikely they'd just pick some random person from a group unless they were so blatantly in your face racist that they'd consider all of them useless. I don't think you'll find many in the latter group, and fewer yet willing to hire even the token black person to an important position.