News and Events => People news => Topic started by: Hazumu on July 08, 2007, 02:01:07 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Beneath The Surface, Americans Are Ambivalent About Diversity
Post by: Hazumu on July 08, 2007, 02:01:07 PM
Post by: Hazumu on July 08, 2007, 02:01:07 PM
Beneath The Surface, Americans Are Ambivalent About Diversity
Newhouse News Service (http://www.newhouse.com/beneath-the-surface,-americans-are-ambivalent-about-diversity-5.html)
By JONATHAN TILOVE
"New studies confirm earlier evidence that, at least in the short- to mid-term, diversity weakens civic ties, fostering mutual mistrust and detachment. Beneath all the "happy talk'' about diversity, many Americans harbor a deep ambivalence about where it will lead."
"There is peril here. According to an analysis by Mather, those states with the biggest gap in the complexions of the older and younger populations spent the lowest share of their economies on public education. The three most racially homogenous states — Maine, Vermont and West Virginia — had the highest proportional spending on higher education."
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This matches what I've found in recent reading -- humans are hard-wired to distrust 'the other'. There are several studies Steven Pinker cites in his book, The Blank Slate, to support this conclusion. We TG are by very definition 'other', and it behooves all to consider these implications. Ultimately, I think activism will secure the greatest good for the greatest number...
Karen
Newhouse News Service (http://www.newhouse.com/beneath-the-surface,-americans-are-ambivalent-about-diversity-5.html)
By JONATHAN TILOVE
"New studies confirm earlier evidence that, at least in the short- to mid-term, diversity weakens civic ties, fostering mutual mistrust and detachment. Beneath all the "happy talk'' about diversity, many Americans harbor a deep ambivalence about where it will lead."
"There is peril here. According to an analysis by Mather, those states with the biggest gap in the complexions of the older and younger populations spent the lowest share of their economies on public education. The three most racially homogenous states — Maine, Vermont and West Virginia — had the highest proportional spending on higher education."
--
This matches what I've found in recent reading -- humans are hard-wired to distrust 'the other'. There are several studies Steven Pinker cites in his book, The Blank Slate, to support this conclusion. We TG are by very definition 'other', and it behooves all to consider these implications. Ultimately, I think activism will secure the greatest good for the greatest number...
Karen