How Does Anti-Racism Hurt Black People? - John McWhorter - #390

**Chris Williamson** (0:00)
What's happening, people? Welcome back to the show. My guest today is John McWhorter. He's a linguist, associate professor of linguistics at Columbia University and an author. The last five years has seen race become a primary flashpoint for culture, news, protests, social justice, hiring, firing, media and politics. But why have race relations come back to the forefront? And who is driving this new religion of woke racism forward? Expect to learn what John thinks of white fragility and how to be an anti-racist, whether cultural appropriation is an actual thing, how anti-racism actually hurts black people, why black people are attracted to a movement that treats them like simpletons, the problem with the concept of whiteness and much more. If you're not familiar with John, you will be very impressed by him today. He is one of the most precise speakers that I have ever found. This guy's voice is like butter. And he's just got such a empathetic and real world, realistic viewpoint of exactly what's happening. He's able to say and convey the things that I think a lot of people are thinking. Are things really as bad as the news is making out? Is this really actually helping or is it making the situation worse? There's so much to take away from today. I really, really hope that you enjoy this one. Don't forget that you might be listening but not subscribed. And the only way to ensure that you will never miss an episode is to press the subscribe button. There's a little plus in the top corner on Apple podcasts or a little follow heart thing in the middle on Spotify. Wherever you are listening, press subscribe. It supports the show. It helps to keep me up the charts in Apple podcasts and it makes me very happy. I thank you. In other news, this episode is brought to you by brand new sponsor, The Six Minute Diary. I have used nearly 11 full diaries over the last few years. There's 10 completed diaries filled front to back, sat behind me. And it's because I sat down with a positive psychologist many years ago, and she said that the fundamental basis for happiness is gratitude. And if you do not have a formal gratitude practice, then you are building a house of happiness, building a life of happiness on a foundation of sand. The Six Minute Diary has a simple and science-based gratitude foundation for a happier and more fulfilled life. More than one and a half million people have used this. It's recommended by psychologists and therapists all over the world using the proven principles of positive psychology to help you live your life more consciously and positively. Honestly, if you haven't tried a formal gratitude practice, this is an awesome place to start. It only takes three minutes on a morning and three minutes on an evening. I would go as far as to say it's the one non-negotiable that I have as a part of my daily routine. 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