The Strange Language of DEI | Eric Kaufmann | Battle of Ideas 2024

[@memoryhero]

4:35 - what he is outlining here is the Weaponization of Empathy. The weaponization of empathy occurs when a marginalized or suffering individual (Person A) becomes a tool for a second party (Person B) to assert moral superiority and coercive influence over a third party (Person C). In this dynamic, Person B claims moral virtue by positioning themselves as the defender of Person A, using Person A's plight as leverage. Person B then castigates Person C for alleged moral failings-often for refusing to take specific actions that Person B deems necessary to "help" Person A, regardless of the broader ethical, practical, or systemic implications. This tactic relies on exploiting the non-intuitive nature of the scenario: the emotional appeal appears altruistic and urgent, silencing Person C and others who might resist due to the social and psychological cost of being labeled callous or harmful. The core mechanism, therefore, is not genuine empathy but a performative and often self-serving mimicry of it, with Person B garnering status and validation while reducing Person A to a rhetorical device and manipulating Person C through emotional coercion. This structure thrives on novelty, guilt induction, and the social stigmatization of dissent.

[@J.J.Parson]

I think the model you're describing here (the weaponization of empathy) is a much better way of understanding the woke concept of emotional harm than Eric's idea that it is a good intentioned humanitarian impulse which has gone too far. I don't believe it was ever well intentioned. Or humanitarian. It's a belief and activism system that was invented with Machiavellian utility in mind. Using all 3 of these powerful psychological effects together is potent: empathy, moral superiority and group membership status.

[@v1e1r1g1e1]

Beautifully expressed. Thank you.

[@cornchips704]

This is very well summarized!

[@DominicAllaway-hi3fn]

Person C, when they don't resist such manipulation by B, could be said to feel 'suicidal empathy' - Prof Gad Saad's phrase, not mine.

[@Elintasokas]

This is what good writing is like. Very clearly expressed. Bravo.

[@annakortukov2845]

Clear and concise, like how he takes it apart.

[@2Hesiod]

"Equity is the foe of justice." ― Arthur Schopenhauer

[@EmperorsNewWardrobe]

That was an illuminating summary of the idea. Definitely getting his book, if it’s anything like that speech

[@RC-qf3mp]

TLDR: facts don’t care about your feelings.

[@miketackabery7521]

Why haven't a lot more people watched this? Pretty valuable information.

[@haydenwalton2766]

succinctly encapsulated. it really isnt that hard to demolish this nonsense. looks like we're finally getting there now.

[@Shinybuddies]

@haydenwalton2766 Well . . . logically, of course it's not hard to "demolish" this nonsense, because it doesn't make a shred of sense. But, if I may politely disagree with you, pointing out the logical flaws in the ideology is missing the point - because it's not meant to make sense, making sense is no part of its function. And the people who buy into the nonsense are either incapable of entering into logical debate with you, or unwilling to do so - therefore they are never going to admit when you have "demolished" their arguments - trying to debate this shit convinces nobody and achieves nothing. That is why I disagree with you that we're "finally getting there" - I don't think we're getting anywhere. The people who promote Compliance Culture are so deeply embedded into it that I don't think they will ever admit that they were wrong about it. Because to admit they were wrong would involve recognising all the harm that has been done, and accepting responsibility for their share of that harm - can you see these frail victimhood addicts doing that? Don't think so.

[@paulwary]

I'm not sure either strand has a definitive influence over the progress of those ideas. Marxist ideas played a role; postmodernism / relativism played a role; individual feminist activism in institutions (law, media, education, government) and feminisation of the workforce and centres of power has played a big role, bureacracy / managerialism / opportunism has played a role. Personally I think that the debate of the 'two cultures' is not well enough known. In modern society it's now common for people to go through school, university and then into responsible positions in the workforce without ever once having to deal with any aspect of the physical world, to learn that in nature things are a certain way and not another way, to learn that wishing some state of affairs were true does not make it so. Any contact you have with reality can serve as some protection against false ideas. Anywhere you can learn the natural lesson that YOU must come to terms with the nature of the world, and not the reverse. The hard sciences, the trades, farming, economics & business give you this protection to some extent. The humanities, fines arts, media, journalism, law, political science , education not so much.

[@ReVoltaire]

A legend of the Inquistion has Galileo begging those trying him for heresy to look through his telescope to confirm for themselves that the earth and other planets revolve around the sun. They refused on the grounds that they did not want to see "nature contradict reason." Many of the topics, ideas and realities that Woke orthodoxy delimits as Verboten fall into this same mindset as the Inquisition.

[@paulwary]

@ReVoltaire Yes, we are more rationalising than rational. We have not just lacunae, but chunks of reality excised from our consciousness. Everyone remains confident in their own truth.

[@GeorgeMcCarthy-rn6og]

Believe me we are not suffering from an overabundance of "nice"

[@stevenrn6640]

Read up up on Lenin’s and Stalin’s DAI programs. In this case the A is for "Actual Equality" for people can’t rally be equal if we aren’t made to be equal.

[@SwatantraNandanwar]

The trouble with buses. They never come when you expect them. Then 3 three of them come along in a line. Same with ideas. Somebody gets a eureka moment and then a flood of ideas gush forth.

[@johndouglas3197]

The term "harm" should be replaced with the term "disturbance". The language of pain and battle ought not to have a place in political discourse. What was once metaphorical language is now taken to be true. This is a mistake and keeps us separated.

[@GeorgesDupont-do8pe]

It changes every 20 minutes, how are us ordinary mortals supposed to keep up. Newspeak is what it is.

[@happyappy19931]

Because it’s false. Truth stands firm and is constant.

[@GeorgesDupont-do8pe]

@@happyappy19931 No. It does not. Truth is a social construct.

[@YonieZukowsky51]

A strange language that lead to noticeable decline.

[@frankm215]

Within Dutch government and non govermental institutions this D&I ideology became a recruitment and selection criterium (policies) to applying procedures. So what it wants to prefent its instigated discrimination!

[@unsatura]

exactly, how trying to be nice became so vile in the end, that is the question, but it is appropriately deemed marxist, woke is a form of empowerment of the marginalized, just in a bad very bad way

[@happyappy19931]

It’s toxic empathy.

[@dyslexictroll8708]

It seems as if this comes from a panel discussion and I wonder why I'm being given only this part of it?

[@happyappy19931]

That lady to the left. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@billtomson5791]

Forget euphemisms, I want more MEphemisms. 😊

[@REXOB9]

Woke is all about exerting power over others, including virtue signaling, which is just another form of power play.

[@lisanidog8178]

I see this page doesn’t like truth and deletes comments. Looked up the very words people choose to make up their own meanings. Diversity meaning: the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc. Equity: the quality of being fair and impartial Inclusion: the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or intellectual disabilities and members of other minority groups

[@ryananderson5202]

Get a life

[@lisanidog8178]

It’s not a strange language If you bothered to look up meanings instead of deleting answers and making up things! Diversity meaning: the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc.Equity: the quality of being fair and impartial Inclusion: the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or intellectual disabilities and members of other minority groups

[@lisanidog8178]

What’s wrong with diversity, equity and inclusion! That’s what DEI means.

[@amialal4510]

@lisaidog8178 Didn't you listen to the video? It's RACIST against whites, men and Asians. Aka high achievers and hard workers. Are you really that ignorant or just politically brainwashed?

[@margaretkerr3449]

Inferior people in many ways mentally and physically want to be treated with more privileges and respect than the rest f the people, "survival of the fittest" comes to mind

[@lisanidog8178]

@ Without your parents as a kid providing stuff you wouldn’t have survived. Like the privilege of a roof over your head, food in your belly and schooling. They didn’t have to do any of that. Your superiority complex is quite inferior.

[@derekzicari2181]

Because hiring people based on skin color gender and sexuality, is in fact , Racist, bigoted and phobic of straight people. Yes indeed, imagine hiring someone based on skin color is racist, newsflash Einstein

[@mikeottersole]

In theory, they are "nice" words. In practice, they are not at all nice.

[@No1Buzznut]

it's got everything to do with shutting you down because your speech can expose them oops