That the new administration is opposed to "DEI" (and is quick to use it as a scapegoat for just about everything bad) is unsurprising and was expected, but the aggressiveness of today's anti-DEI purge is still jarring and disturbing. They are creating an atmosphere in which any attempt to hire, promote, or engage with anyone other than a white male will be regarded as inherently suspect.
The damage - to both individuals and to our institutions - will likely be both swift and long lasting.
I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. EVERY SINGLE TIME I've been part of a committee or decision-making body that was explicitly mandated to consider diversity as part of its process, it resulted in better, more thoughtful decisions and outcomes. EVERY TIME.
Diversity yields enormous, and often unexpected, benefits. And inclusion is not a zero-sum game.
@mattblaze My understanding is that companies that use DEI are more profitable per person than otherwise. Examples: having Spanish speakers means not selling a car called "Nova" (it doesn't go) in Spain; The dude who invented flaming hot Cheetos.
All these companies divesting DEI will find themselves making less money...
They don't want diverse...
They want homogenous.
They don't want ideas which stray off-path.
All their women look the same and when they didn't "have the look" they changed themselves into the look.
Their guys have issues. Alcohol. Drugs. Girl issues: rapist, domestic abuse
Their women look the same because they are the latest model FascistBarbie™ fresh from the factory in Stepford.
@mattblaze I am quite often wrong, incorrect, or simply a dunderhead.
I find that I am a vastly better thinker when I am surrounded by good minds. It does not matter what kind of body encloses that mind - race, sex, orientation, etc simply are not relevant to the quality of the correction that these people can give me.
So I'm less for diversity as measured by some of our social lines and more for diversity of minds.
I look at diversity inclusion based on social/sexual, etc criteria as beneficial because it opens up and expands that pool of good minds.
I always wonder at people who are afraid of people who don't look like themselves. I think "Gee, that person is self limiting his/her/... possibilities."
@mattblaze i completely agree with you that diversity brings better outcomes.
If everyone looks at a car from the same angle, let's say the front, then they would agree that a car has two wheels. It is only through diversity of perspective that we can actually begin to understand things as they are.
@mattblaze
I listened to a great podcast re DEI (Assembly Required w/ Stacy Abrams, Jan 16). Two types of DEI efforts: “leveling” and “lifting”. Right wingers and conservatives complain about “lifting” efforts (like affirmative action) but seem to be divided about “leveling” type efforts. They mostly claim not to be bigots and claim to support fairness and removing bias. Also, most business owners, managers, and board directors agree with your view: diversity is already here, and equality and inclusion are good business.
Abrams and her guest (Yoshino) made the point that “Talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t” and this is why DEI is mostly about basic fairness.
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