When Race Trumps Merit

How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives

By: Heather Mac Donald

Narrated by: Olivia Lewis

Does your workplace have too few Black people in top jobs? It’s racist. Does the advanced math and science high school in your city have too many Asians? It’s racist. Does your local museum employ too many White women? It’s racist, too. After the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, prestigious American institutions, from the medical profession to the fine arts, pleaded guilty to “systemic racism”. How else explain why Blacks are overrepresented in prisons and underrepresented in C-suites and faculty lounges, their leaders asked?

The official answer for those disparities is “disparate impact”, a once obscure legal theory that is now transforming our world. Any traditional standard of behavior or achievement that impedes exact racial proportionality in any enterprise is now presumed racist. Medical school admissions tests, expectations of scientific accomplishment in the award of research grants, the enforcement of the criminal law—all are under assault, because they have a “disparate impact” on underrepresented minorities.

When Race Trumps Merit provides an alternative explanation for those racial disparities. It is large academic skills gaps that cause the lack of proportional representation in our most meritocratic organizations and large differences in criminal offending that account for the racially disproportionate prison population. When Race Trumps Merit breaks powerful taboos. But it is driven by a sense of alarm, supported by detailed case studies of how disparate-impact thinking is jeopardizing scientific progress, destroying public order, and poisoning the appreciation of art and culture. As long as alleged racism remains the only allowable explanation for racial differences, we will continue tearing down excellence and putting lives, as well as civilizational achievement, at risk.

©2023 Heather Mac Donald (P)2023 DW Books

probably the most important topic today

this was a very well researched, very well supported, amd wonderfully argued takedown of modern day diversity obsession.

A must listen / read

It is astounding that the facts in this book are ignored by the mainstream media, then again, not really. Seeing as the left wants to destroy the US of A in every effort and divide the people. Give this a listen, or share it with someone who only gets their news from MSM. People are to ignorant to facts these days.

Amazing and eye opening!

An amazing and eye opening read! This book should be mandatory reading for every person in a political position of power.

Very Informative

This book should be highly lauded. It should be mandatory reading by all practitioners of CRT. Thank you for speaking truth -> providing evidence of the actual statistics involving violence and death inflicted on and by American police officers.

Briefly, on the chapters in the section on Culture and Arts, It is shameful how the racist Marxists are rewriting history and dismissing European, white artist that are great masters of their craft.
The Abstainers: Violinist and classical music composer, John Mclaughlin Williams is a true, accomplished musician who should be the role model for many black musicians; Tulsa Opera artist director Tobias Picker had a reasonable compromise for "God Bless America", "God Help America"; Long Beach Opera.

This book was very informative and thorough. Heather Mac Donald brought the receipts!
Highly recommend this book!
The actual truth must come out!

Uncomfortable truths

Heather does an amazing job of dissecting modern tropes and fallacies surrounding race. The death of merit is the death of our culture, and this book was absolutely a repudiation of many left wing talking points.

Crucial topic, brilliantly handled

Heather Mac Donald consistently squares off to address matters of deep importance in our world, and does so with rare clarity and engaging style. She is one of the most important intellectuals in the world today, in my opinion.

DEI ascendant

This book portrays the noxious dogma of Diversity-Equity-Inclusion at the flood. It is painful to listen to but perhaps less so today when DEI is ebbing. If academics are capable of embarrassment, they might manage a twinge at this documentation of official inanities. The author deserves credit for her part in turning things around.

A Must-Read in a DEI World

Heather Mac Donald is an unbelievably thorough researcher. Her chapter on diversity, impacting the music and orchestras is spot on. It is unfortunate that, some of the most talented musicians will miss opportunities to play in great orchestras because of boards that are fearful of being labeled racist. I will be re-reading this book again.

Outstanding

Loved this. It won’t be popular with the left, but tells the truth which needs telling.

Fact based writing

Heather uses stats that aren’t published in the mainstream press to her points and conclusions. Well written.