Article - 'Two blasts of fresh air could save diversity from eating itself' by Simon Fanshawe

[UtopiaPlanitia]

I couldn’t determine if an existing thread would suit this article so I decided to start a new one.

Fanshawe makes some very insightful points about the wretched, cargo cult nature of DEI in modern life and companies, although he’s more optimistic by nature than I am (especially when it comes to Labour changing tack on identity issues).

I also read the article on DEI training at the Financial Times which is linked to in Fanshawe’s article and found the content of what the whistleblower exposes as the so-called Diversity Toolkit to be relentlessly depressing and cult-like pablum.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/59c6dacf-b448-42bd-bf2f-91ccb50b932f?shareToken=255323784e556382c09668bc41217e1d

This does seem extremely refreshing!

@UtopiaPlanitia thanks for that. This is really great and I hope its true. (Was the FT article this one ... https://www.ft.com/content/7572fdf1-944a-4cf9-b1a8-ed74bd0f8ff0 seems to be also pushing for quantifiable and fit-for-business DEI targets. Not less DEI spend but better return on investment from the DEI there is. (Nice to read something optimistic and hope its true).

that all sounds better, but.... I wonder if Peter Boghossian is right and that pretty well all of academe is a complete bonfire beyond salvation-too many people whose salary and position depends on them spouting utter bollocks. His advice is to burn down the universities and for kids to learn a trade-plumbing, carpentry etc.

Thanks for sharing - wondering if I’m brave enough to share at work.

Glad you found it interesting.

The article I read (detailing FT whistleblower information on DEI training) was this one:

https://www.jamesesses.com/p/the-financial-times-ideologically

Thank you, I really needed that today! A reminder that there are people with common sense and a plot, that's plain good sense and a very refreshing read.

@UtopiaPlanitia wow.
@Froodwithatowel suggest you avoid reading that FT DEI Toolkit. It will not improve your day.

@UtopiaPlanitia Thanks for linking the article. The paragraph telling FT staff that they are either an “adversary” or an “ally” was chilling and reminiscent of 1984. The journalists are being trained to be ideologues.

It doesn’t feel like workplace training (which would have a legitimate aim of informing employees of their legal rights and responsibilities and the aim of preventing employees from breaking any employment laws); it’s dogmatic sermonising and proselytising.

It’s workplace indoctrination, something that should not be possible, or permissible, in a democracy. HR has turned into a priestly class in a lot of organisations.

Either an adversary or an ally? Bloody hell! How phenomenally offensive and blinkered. That's like when Christians used to call Jewish people the anti-christ because they have the temerity to not believe in Jesus and to insist on their right to their own beliefs.

Honestly, I don’t understand why this ideology is called Diversity, Equity and Inclusion because it’s very intolerant of other world views or philosophical beliefs.

It’s a remarkably conformist way of running HR for organisational cultures that claim to want and encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work i.e. You can bring your whole self to work but only as long as it matches exactly what we determine as being worthy of respect.

Quite!

Why is 'we can disagree, but we can agree to differ' no longer the standard in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?

I love Fanshawe

I like the Times article. The Esses thing is just a corporate speak presentation. Meh.

I think part of the problem is an almost wilful blindness to straight up racism/sexism/homophobia. Rather than weeding out people with those views, employers feel that "noone could be intentionally racist" (for example) and then try to train them out of it. Which of course comes across as patronising and trying to embed "wrong speak".

I don't know what the right answer is; what I do know is there is an awful lot of sexism and misogyny still in play in workplaces and it needs to be dealt with.