The "right" amount of concern about racism

How much should we be concerned about things that are racist, relative to all the other things we should be concerned about?

Jun 18, 2024

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A realistic depiction of Mount Rushmore in a state of destruction. The famous presidential faces are cracked, broken, and partially collapsed. The scene is set under dramatic, dark clouds, creating a somber and intense atmosphere. The wide aspect ratio captures the full extent of the destruction and the grandeur of the monument against the ominous sky.

Written by Noah Carl.

For the last few years, the United States and much of the Anglosphere has been in the throes of a moral panic around racism.

Explicit measures of racist attitudes are at all-time lows. Back in the 60s, for example, most white Americans said they disapproved of mixed education and interracial marriage; now only a small percentage do. Yet we constantly hear about how this or that is “racist” – whether it’s gardening, the countryside, Fawlty Towers, Dr Seuss or Aunt Jemima’s Syrup.

Properly defined, of course, racism is wrong. And nobody’s suggesting we should ignore the phenomenon. But what’s the “right” amount of concern about racism?

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