Malcolm Gladwell on racism, Trump, and the moral licensing phenomenon

New York Times bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell sees things the rest of us often miss. Recorded June 7, 2016 at 92nd Street Y.
One of today’s most original thinkers, he has made us reassess the way we understand the world and ourselves. Join him and his new collaborator, Slate Group chairman Jacob Weisberg, for a discussion about their upcoming special project.
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[@bigmedge]

I wish there was an infinity likes button just for Gladwell's jacket

[@neanderslob]

was thinking the same thing.

[@seyionutube]

I came to the comment section to type the same things

[@jordanabeaulieu2530]

bigmedge I didn't know this guy. He fascinates me, so insightful, such profound analysis about the psychology of American people and he's such a cultured man

[@bobv8374]

@@jordanabeaulieu2530 he fasinates me that so many people buy his bullshit. Can't wait to see the Antichrist at work.

[@bobv8374]

You people are joking right?

[@stevedavenport1202]

Brilliant man

[@clairemillington5055]

If you want to be a pioneer and not a token, you have to build the road for people to come after you. That's something that people getting into power don't do (for various reasons).

[@nhlanhlambatha]

I think it is a systematic issue. When a Black person reaches a new level because of work done by many behind them - and not because of an odd invitation coming from the top. Then it is likely that the forces pushing the person from behind will bring in other persons. Tokenism comes from the top, while breaking through comes from the bottom. It is earned by the marginalised themselves.

[@LailaLailaLailah]

nhlanhla cyril Mbatha brilliant observation. I’m going to ponder this for a while.

[@Mavuno100]

O

[@adverseinperpetuity]

Surely I'm not the only one who realizes the irony here... That they are doing exactly what they are describing

[@AnnoDomini2690]

Trump!!!!!

[@cytherians]

Still emphatic after all he has done these past weeks? Your icon is not a snake... it's s steaming pile of excrement.

[@1258-Eckhart]

So much of what nowadays gets discussed as "ethics" with techy sounding terms like "moral licensing" has nothing to do with ethics or ethical considerations, it's just straight up human behaviour. That's not any category of philosophy, it's anthropology. I think we need to be honest with ourselves.

[@josephdellaselva484]

Decisions on the basis of content of character vs the color/religion of a person. The people speaking on this have lost sight of MLK's important litmus test.

[@jubilantsleep]

Joseph Della Selva You don't know anything about MLK other than that one catchphrase.

[@bellbanana]

i think in this video, gladwell is touching on the distinction between people with some prejudiced views (which is most people, regardless of race) vs people who are actual 100% racists (of which there are very few remaining in the US). so long as a person can reasonably claim to not belong to the latter group, then that person will feel much more comfortable expressing the few prejudiced views they do have. case in point, i know a lot of asians who have some prejudiced views of blacks, and are never wary of being called racist simply because they are not white. that said, i find it odd that so many commenters here are weirdly defensive about what gladwell is saying, and that so many here (and elsewhere) are framing race issues as being purely a conflict between whites vs nonwhites. of course it's going to be a lot more nuanced than that.

[@DrJohnnyJ]

I wish that you had been right

[@tmjcfx3081]

If Irony and Hypocrisy had Siamese twin babies, that's what these two are. It must be awesome to be so wonderful, like these 2 think they are.

[@MarbleClouds]

please explain.

[@dcg1227]

Guess for the last question: Our fears of the unknown or unfamiliar (you don't just automatically become comfortable with what you're not familiar with) and acceptance, understanding, and conversations with others who share in the same fears. I believe that a ways to work towards helping to fight this is to work on making more peace with yourself, which can allow you to then access to neocortex more easily, which allow for more sympathy and kindness for more open connections with our fears of the unknown and unfamiliar, which is something that can be accessed through philosophy. Open to any and all criticism, just adding to the conversation here and trying to learn the truths of life. Thanks!

[@perfectbeat]

Interesting (and true imho) point of view.

[@romanbruni]

Gladwell is an observer with a brilliant flashlight: 'moral licensing' is the new outlier tool that make some sense of the chaotic panorama of cultural paradoxes. I just think that understanding this lateral thinking is essential; lets hope that this understanding may not loose its force within the living currents we live by.

[@TomMerle]

But isn't' moral licensing' just old wine in new bottles. Haven't we been aware of tokenism of this sort for a very long time?

[@whatsmyname3237]

You are right Tom. This is one of Gladwells gigs. Let's all overthink and sell books.

[@RedElm747]

Moral licensing isn't the same as tokenism though.

[@RedElm747]

Moral licensing isn't really a new concept. It's also known as self licensing.

[@SoLNaTaL555]

Gus Geiger It is clear that your unsustained arrogance, jealousy, and possible racism, motivates your stupid ass comments. There's nothing new under the sun, bitch, it's how one projects these concepts, that gives Malcolm Gladwell his freshness. Malcolm Gladwell is manifesting his purpose, so leave him the fuck alone hater!

[@roland20002000]

So basically the argument is your racist if you do have friends of another race and your racist if you vote for some one of another race. If this is truly the case then we are all racist and racism is just a fact of life.

[@Ray89135]

I was impressed on how Gladwell brought out interesting & unusual insights on what we think we know. However; after reading several of his books, I found that on occasions he was sloppy in his research. For instance, he mentions numbers in Chinese, which was incorrect, as many Chinese people can testify to this. But, despite that, he's still a good writer and intellectual.

[@suzannesands7330]

Intellectual? You're easy to impress. I've never heard him say anything that wasn't intuitive for a semi-intelligent person.

[@jackmajor3466]

@@suzannesands7330 He has spent hours on his theories inside & out to condense & formulate his beliefs into something he can explain to millions. fucking bitch

[@karlashoultz3157]

@@suzannesands7330 what do you do for a leaving? I bet you are more successful than him. It most be conspiracy NOT to find you anywhere.

[@majmage]

While moral licensing certainly is a real thing, it seems incredibly unlikely that there's a lot of demographic overlap in Obama-voters and Trump-voters. Now WITHIN that very limited Obama->Trump overlap sure we might say moral licensing was a factor, but in general it seems silly for Gladwell to snatch up the question and run with it, implying it's a significant factor in Trump's overall success. It might be an indirect knee-jerk where the right wants a extreme president after the left had their "extreme" president (at least that's how the right would see him; he's not actually 'extreme' at all), but it's largely NOT the same voters flipping that caused Trump's rise.

[@MichelleBeahm]

I assume you are loving the inflations

[@majmage]

@@MichelleBeahm What does that have to do with (a) the points I made 7 years ago, or even (b) whether we should be interested in voting for Trump generally? If anything, our firsthand experience with Trump should've made everyone (including the political right) realize he's a _horrible_ leader, and want to elect someone else (obviously for the right it'd be another right-leaning candidate).

[@cytherians]

The one problem I have with this interview is how Malcom didn't properly qualify the subtext of moral licensing with the examples. For instance, his claim that it's "classic moral licensing" how our country is exhibiting a very notable number of people voting for Trump, after having elected Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008 (and renewed in 2012). There are many different reasons why people have voted for Trump. Racism is one of them... but not everyone who supported Trump is a racist. There are many who are overlooking that quality, because of another agenda -- a revolt against the establishment. The disenfranchised... the economically repressed, who are tremendously angry with the greedy power hungry elite controlling most of our nation's wealth. I think this "knee jerk" choice on citing the current election as an example of racism fueled by moral licensing is not correct. (By the way, I am NOT a Trump supporter. It's not his racism that worries me!)

[@visas_marr]

I don't think that intention lies in his statement. It's simply the idea that we're able to accept someone despite their racism that makes it moral licensing, not that necessarily that we're accepting him BECAUSE of their racism. That's an important distinction.

[@jrchicago9216]

Lisa Muirhead. Re: Why Trump. If we call a percentage of the American public “Group Angry” and another group “Predominately Republican” and another “Christian Idealist” you have the overall mix of the Republican voters. Group Angry were exploited by “Trump’s School Yard Bully” positioning - addressing “your getting screwed over” and “I am a street fighter” - Vote to make American Great Again. Without group angry, the votes would not be there to elect him. In perspective, people who were left out of the business advancement revolution were left feeling screwed over. Left, poor, untrained, not retrained, ignorant and not helped = screwed over... was the genesis of Trouble, especially in rural areas and manufacturing towns. Then, pin the financial problems on the Mexicans taking your jobs, and US resources, you insight anger. What is anger... It’s the reaction to a sense of loss, whether it’s real or perceived. Loss of respect, loss of dignity, loss of being viewed as a family provider and loss of community pride. Group Angry would go along with any BS they were handed even if they instinctively questioned it - because Trump is the school yard bully to fix it, or at least try and fight for me way of justifying. The smarter Republican Voters knows Trump is often an embarrassment and often called out for his BS. But, they have no one else to turn to. Like it or not, the Angry Group also feel left out to dry by the Democrats - what have you done for me lately kind of feeling. Tapping into pain and anger is how Trump won. The problem is needing a School Yard Bully is only needed a percentage of the time. Let’s just use 20 to 30 percent to use as a base of example. The problem is Trump is a School Yard Bully virtually all of the time and that plays to his detriment of getting things done. The majority of his smarter base have to drink the cool aid to tolerate him - or ignore the adverse truths piling up. The message to everyone is, Trump is a bully - period and his King of The Mountain approach is unhealthy for the country.

[@ChigbunduO]

Man I love online politics. "Show me anything that Trump/Clinton has done that's racist/untrustworthy! But keep in mind that no matter how many sources you come up with, I will call them biased! I'm not trying to get educated here, I'm trying to make a point without any factual backing!"

[@chrislee176]

At the end here, did Gladwell say that he cannot distinguish what he opposes from what he supports when it comes to racism and moral licensing versus valuing individuals on their merits?

[@embraceblack53]

GREAT question at the end....i often wonder about that, especially as a black man with yrs of experience....entering a new job in a field you've been in for decades

[@beasleybrother1]

Malcolm Gladwell drops the mic when he talks about Moral licensing

[@hueyerr3560]

Dear Mr, Gladwell, Please run for president... of any country... PLEASE!! We need thinkers as leaders! the world needs role model minds!

[@phoenix81293]

thinkers as leaders, thats the thing

[@suzannesands7330]

I just don't understand why people think this guy is a genius. I've never heard him say anything that I don't consider a pedestrian insight ---- if insight can even be an appropriate term.

[@bobv8374]

@@suzannesands7330 I agree the idiot has so many people snowed it ridiculous. I can bearly stand looking at him and only listen to him to spread the word about this flaud. Get the word out . I hear his famous 10000 hrs theory is proven a sham. Time always brings out the truth. And he talks crap about the US yet he chooses to stay hear instead of Canada where he belongs.

[@bobv8374]

@mcketamd2 fortunately you mean. He would be worse than Hitlery and that's bad.lol what a sham this idiot is

[@BuyTheDip627]

Huey Err He has atrocious ideas.

[@tradtke101]

"I love the poorly educated!" - King Donald I

[@dwholady]

saturatedly true clear thinking man ever.. Gladwell should be on the board of earth thinking and writing true wisdom... determining major world policies and ???? how fast to gallop on a horse

[@TheNewNationPodcast]

Can someone please tell me anything that Trump has said negatively about the black community?

[@molomosk123]

those crickets tho...

[@alisaoyler]

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-racist-examples_us_56d47177e4b03260bf777e83

[@TheNewNationPodcast]

+alisaoyler so your source is the huffington post, a leftist website? I'll rephrase my question. During his campaign can you name one racist thing Trump has ever said?

[@alisaoyler]

+Mike Lerner just to give you another source ... though not my job to hand hold you through the evidence ...fortune.com/2016/06/07/donald-trump-racism-quotes/

[@TheNewNationPodcast]

+alisaoyler apparently you don't read well. When, during the campaign, during any rally or press conference has said anything negative to the black community?

[@guyincognito143]

Lost any respect I had for Gladwell.

[@MrLakers92]

Bye

[@josephdellaselva484]

Speaking on this video. Wrong because you can tell from the tenor of the conversation that being contrarion to their view point will cause you to suffer. Moral Group Think.........

[@kylemedeiros6907]

Trump has done a pretty good job. He really isnt as bad as people make him out to be. Im glad i started thinking for myself on this one.

[@dalicloud9]

Malcolm Gladwell burned Trump so hard without even trying.

[@mensabs]

imagine! truth! wow!

[@chegeny]

I think it's nearly impossible for any of us to consider ourselves a racist. "Are we the baddies?" kind of self-awareness is unavailable to most of us. More beneficial to discuss institutions.

[@JoeCnNd]

I workout so that I can eat whatever I want.

[@siceluxolontombela921]

the way i binge watch Malcolm's interviews.... i feel like it is no longer healthy

[@JoyfulMD]

Same

[@lisaschuster686]

Well, do something unhealthier for a while so that watching Gladwell seems healthy in comparison.

[@jonhennemann4729]

It is not moral licensing it is propaganda and that is the huge difference .

[@xXNezzuXx]

I think what is important about Gladwell's conversation about moral licensing is the fact that biases can exist even if one does have an "(ethnic)" friend or whatever. When talking about Trump, moral licensing can be used as a mechanism for people to hide or justify their subconscious intention behind voting for Trump. I think them mentioning obama was a poor choice of example; it would have been more prudent to say, "I like Trump because of his hardline on immigration and refugees...but I'm not racist against muslims, I have plenty of muslim friends". That would be a better example imo.

[@keithwisdom1663]

I like the jacket; but not with those sneakers and pants

[@skyym3629]

I don't have any black best friends and I still feel I can say what I want, when I want. I guess I just old fashioned and believe everyone is equal despite the color of there skin.

[@Patthewwonis]

Anyone else wish they could have this man’s intellect?

[@bobv8374]

@mathewmorris. I don't want to be called a dumbass lol

[@jshen9393]

I think its important that words do not equal deeds. Also, if racism is open and handled in a rational manner as opposed to suppression and shaming, this world would be a better place.

[@kwidnunc]

How so? Studies have shown that even some of the most bleeding heart Liberals can subconsciously be racist. Shouldn't we at least try to second guess thoughts we have that may have derived from something racist? Isn't it fair to find out what people prefer to be referred to as? I'm not saying everyone has to be perfect but it is in the media's best interest to be politically correct. Audiences are much more diverse now and they don't want to alienate any of their viewers. I just don't see how suppressing and shaming racism could be a bad thing.

[@jshen9393]

All fair points. I think having public decency is part of a great society but there is a thin line between decency and thought policing. What I have started to notice is that the term 'racist' is starting to take the place of 'heretic' in religious societies. Any comment remotely criticising God will be shamed and the accused is presumed guilty until proven innocence. I don't believe we can avoid the topic of race and ethnicity all together but I think we should handle it in a much better way other than shaming people to even question objective facts and ignore that all cultures have strengths and weaknesses. Also, the color of one's skin doesn't dictate one's culture or belief system. Ie. it is an objective fact that black people in american commit a disproportionate amount of crime or that a disproportionate amount of jews are in banking. I can be labeled as a racist by stating these facts but its not facts that make one a racist, its the interpretation of those facts. There are numerous historical, societal, political, cultural and religious components that would affect this. People will then have a logical conclusion that black people are not born criminals and jews do not have a conspiracy.

[@rainafortini5797]

The very idea that you were reducing Sammy Davis Junior to a token? How did you just go stupid on me in a second? Maybe we can discover something here? Wow Malcolm. You are so wrong here. “Oh look I’m at the White House“ has Sammy Davis Junior “so that means lots of class people will come to the White House...” for whatever reason!! If he saying that because he feels like Moses or if he saying that because the tents was past future maybe I didn’t hear you right just the fact that you said “oh now lots of Black people can come here”! Please explain to me why as a black man he is really required to think this way? Why is that the highlight memory? Why wasn’t he allowed to just be special? No importantly why do Black people how to do things in large numbers? I have 50 years of experience with that question and believe me.... I wants took a neighbor who is struggling with me on a hike in the mountain, we’re talking bear mountain so I don’t need much of a hike but this is about 20 years ago and this woman had a drug addiction, she was breaking up with somebody, she was a mess she was 10 years older than me blah blah blah I had to talk her into coming with me and when we got to my special Secret place, which is supposed to represent the White House and your story here, then we were in the middle of the woods it was so beautiful and she said “I have to tell my church about this” I swear she said something about a bus’ This was my gift to her not the planet? Well actually yeah maybe the planet but not an entire race of people WTF? I certainly didn’t want any other white people following me up there that was my place MY special place where I go to be alone and I share it with someone who’s hurting and her response is to bring 50 people?

[@TheTruthiest]

While moral licensing obviously is a real phenomenon, I don't think it has anything to do with support for Trump. These are almost all people who not only voted against Obama twice, but hated him with a passion. Only someone ignorant/confused about politics would have voted for Obama and now see Trump as an option.

[@daveharrison84]

but they insist they're not racist

[@astheskylarksings]

yeah, it's not the majority, but it is still related to the minority trump voters who jumped on board later in his campaign. and actually, a big chunk of his supporters were not on board from the beginning. what did they find so alluring as time went on? what they saw is, at least in gladwell' eyes, related to moral licensing. definitely something (im)moral going on there and definitely a lot of licensing going on. you would have to feel licensed to publicly support trump

[@hastii36]

To suggest people vote for Trump because they are racist is anti-intellectual, and parroting the Liberal party line propaganda. Liberals and their (manipulated) sycophants need to wrest whatever intellectual independence they have, or have salvaged, and put it to good use. Those who voted for Obama once, didn't do their homework; those who voted for Obama twice, are blinkered, doltish. To be Liberal is to be either devoid of good character and morality, or a dunce. There simply are no rational justifications for being a Liberal, or aligned with the (Socialist) Democratic Party -none whatsoever.

[@hastii36]

slyrundog: You prove my point exactly!

[@astheskylarksings]

+garth hunt the point is there is no political language that exists outside of propaganda. Pick your poison--the red or the blue pill. The worst, for those on any side of political spectrum, is the extreme arrogance become the gold seal of the typical American

[@schloughed]

Less Hillary was his first answer.

[@indexplus]

Young Obama Said the American Dream Is to Be Donald Trump (Vice News, 12 May 2017) As a Harvard Law Student, Barack Obama Said Becoming Donald Trump Was The American Dream (Complex, 13 May 2017) In Law School, Obama Co-wrote a Paper Referring to Trump as the American Dream (AOL, 13 May 2017)

[@ZoOnTheYT]

There certainly are a number of variables that come into play for a marginalized group to break through. Gladwell's instinctual response is correct though. Time will tell. The issue most of us have is with that range of time. We expect change to happen much faster in our culture than it does. Preferably, we want it to happen almost immediately, or at most, within a few years, so that we can participate in the change. And after pioneers, change does begin, but it can take more than a lifetime, sometimes, several. Biological evolution takes millennia, and enduring cultural evolution takes decades or centuries. Often, nothing short of wars are needed to kickstart change. Especially at this moment, when technological change is rapid, we've been conditioned to expect quick change in other human endeavors. We might not like it, and many will suffer during the transition, but eventually, there is progress.

[@duggydugg3937]

licensing... the Roth schild bank is licensed to sell bogus scrip currency to treasury.... for which all my taxes are used to redeem the bonds treasury used to acquire these scurrilous debt certificates..fed res bank notes virtually nobody will respond to these facts... feelings , thoughts, slogans and impressions are more important.... viz t v ... net...

[@marilynlundquist1018]

I, too, love that jacket!! And I love that you have such an open, searching mind. I was raised Mennonite (my relatives live in Kitchener, Ontario) And then followed a different set of rules to marry a gorgeous Catholic. Now I'm no religion, but still love God because I never did blame Him for the rules... I blamed the ministers and priests. But now I am happy to let all fellow humans be themselves however they choose. I'm so proud that you're a Canadian! We need more like you everywhere on earth!

[@BeatleHead88]

That's a great explanation, and shows actually that it's not so unreasonable that Trump was elected after Obama, but he most likely had a better shot of being elected because he ran after Obama. So in conclusion, thanks Obama

[@deanswartz5812]

Moral licensing is nothing more than a subset of confirmation bias. The term racist has become so fashionable and cast as an ever expanding pejorative it is becoming almost meaningless other than to identify the user as someone who hates.

[@djn1822]

Familiarity and personal connection can overcome an initial racial or sexist or any other discriminatory bias on an individual basis but the mechanism of the discrimination in belief and outlook is different and engrained in that individual’s perceptive programming. It is highly cumbersome to dismantle without dire motivations or extreme circumstances. That’s assuming that the person has the introspective prowess to be self aware enough to recognize the subconscious operational schemes and the limits of their consciousness that approximates an understanding of their inner emotions and behavioral products. Most people have such an underdevelopment in this cognitive realm, it usually results in such profound disparities in thought and action. People believe in themselves in inaccurate ways and rarely put any effort into improving the efficiency or accuracy of their thoughts and behaviors, let alone their language and answers. In essence, moral inconsistencies persist and result in incompetent arguments about self reflective conclusions...hence, “I’m not racist” and have a friend or spouse of the [discriminated group]” but they can hold and behave in racist ways. It happens so commonly.

[@snarlbuckle]

I used to think Malcolm Gladwell was smart.

[@lauraprincipato8079]

snarlbuckle I used to think so too. Now it sounds like he just likes to hear the sound of his own voice

[@guyincognito143]

He is far from smart.

[@bagradbadalian6191]

1:26 cucuuu

[@brainsareus]

Along with extraordinary, vulgar, banality; one hears Moral Licensing constantly on Sports talk Radio.

[@user-ns3jr3jd6u]

Interesting Question: Precursor to Moral Licensing or a tipping point. We do have mathematical formulas to estimate if we're in a bubble, maybe that would apply here.

[@ksuefox45]

Most openly racist, b/c Nixon was racist

[@ellenmuseum]

We used to call it 'situational ethics'

[@JessieLewis]

wow... token, not a pioneer #realization

[@rocr62]

I love these types. They are so comfortable in their ignorance. In their own minds they occupy the commanding heights of morality which is fortified by academia and their, so-called, intellect. These interviews are nothing more than a bouquet tosses and public relations exercises: We the intellectuals know best, observe us in awe. The arrogance is palpable. Their message is the same as the classic marxists, you are wrong because you are a (I don't need proof because I know what your intentions are). Moral of this story : If you are caucasian the only reason why you would have a friend outside your own culture is because you are trying to veil your racism/homophobia/.... In the end he contradicts himself when asked if "racial pioneers" are token or real... he indicates that it could be because money was the motivator. Go figure.

[@suesheification]

valid point

[@RedElm747]

Gladwell isn't exactly an intellectual from academia. He's a journalist.

[@cytherians]

You're presuming too much, jumping to conclusions. If you have much experience with the types you've described, it's easy to presume he's just another one of those if you selectively draw on statements out of context.

[@aironbaron]

Maybe justify your statements about women? Its a big claim to say that women don't have opportunity in America.

[@astheskylarksings]

he didn't say that... he's saying that women are still being denied equal opportunity even though there are moments were it seems like they are receiving it just because a few women seem to get access

[@redryan20000]

What denial?

[@roses81731]

Is it moral licensing? Or is it that we voted for President Obama with the hope that it would help the African American community elevate itself under the leadership and example of the President? But the predicated expectation and hope was met with an attitude of entitlement and opportunity for criminal activity within some of the communities to rise. Along with the belief that law and order can be ignored.

[@MusicbyWordPlay]

You are making a prime example of moral licensing in your rant against moral licensing....congratulations. See I think this is the real issue, a bunch of big heads talking about the issues without any self-awareness at all.

[@MusicbyWordPlay]

And before you reply back about what a dipshit I am, or Malcolm Gladwell is, watch the video. He literally uses the argument you just made as an example of moral licensing...try not to be so dense.

[@kjp1629]

That's a stupid reason to vote for a President.

[@phukgoogell5293]

oooooooh.....a trump hater.....

[@TheNeverposts]

at least he admits it's a meaningless term.

[@chriscorcoran4839]

Can the popularity of Trump be so easily explained.

[@xtremeiceskating]

Yes.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Bollox. Utter bollox.

[@robdennis3143]

This is petty for some one as intellectual as Gladwell. Love his books but this is just silly.

[@Luis-ng4fb]

I like Malcom Gladwell but it's sad to see him falling hook line and sinker on a political trap question and being so left leaning considering the openness he shows in his books. I wonder what he thinks about Hillary Clinton.

[@bobv8374]

Luisdeleon he loves her

[@williamf.buckleyjr3227]

2:30 Or, Mr. Gladwell, people may be saying, "Don't call me a racist", because they aren't racist. P.S. Do a shot every time RACE is mentioned during the first MINUTE of this podcast. See 'ya in AA

[@prestonthomas5399]

I voted for Obama, then Trump, race has nothing to do with it.

[@M_SC]

Distracted by the lisp. Why not get it fixed? It’s fixable. Make a little effort if it’s your job to speak.

[@sniferlip]

n 2017 Gladwell said something that is true and gave me comfort. "Trump will either be impeached or in jail because he jut can't help himself"

[@idteran]

Kinda disappointing that Malcom who tries to study every side of the arguments would come to the conclusion that Trump is a racist and that the only reason Americans elected Trump was no other than "hey I voted for black person before". Both completely ignored the reasons as to why people wanted Trump, other than to imply that the nation is just racist.

[@jilltalbot5508]

Not necessarily... But Gladwell, like most thinkers in the public realm, enjoys over-generalization to appeal... psycnet.apa.org/journals/zsp/45/3/232.pdf

[@pinkfrosting0]

You are bae

[@femalehero420]

I am so sick of liberals saying being open, friendly, or emotionally close to, some person of some color doesn't make you not racist or prejudice...A. Prejudice is how people survive....B. Saying something others may not like isn't racist....C It may not save you from being racist, gbut it does show a track record of having a certain caliber of humanity that would lend me at least, to air on the side of NOT A FUCKING BIGOT if someone I knew said something subjectively dubious until it was explained or put into context....but then again...context and morals have no place for race obssessed/ race baiters

[@avedic]

Rationalizing your own ethical shortcomings is FAR easier than doing the hard and nuanced work of improving them. But don't worry...you've got plenty of company in that department.

[@femalehero420]

Eat shit, it isn't the job of people of whiteness to explain why you are wrong

[@14lotlizards]

Interesting you would talk about prejudice. Gladwell's book Blink is pretty much about that, the quick decisions we make. Having the capacity to make quick decisions is a great thing, like you said. However, there is a difference between a prejudice and Civic Duty. A presidential election takes time, the decision to eat an unfamiliar berry in the woods is much quicker. We should think about who we chose and what that entails for everyone because they represent us and we give them a lot of power. How will they use that power? Will that use it to perpetuate hate, get involved in petty conversations and troll the media, or will the use it to better how we live and interact with each other?