Keith Martin-Smith (Part 2) – The Wonderful Ideals But Flawed Applications of DEI: Intolerant Tolerance, Undiverse Diversity, Unliberal Liberalism, and More

Deep Transformation

Ep. 146 (Part 2 of 3) | Award-winning author, Zen priest and teacher, Kung Fu master, and professional advisor and trainer, Keith Martin-Smith, took a good look at the diversity, equity, and inclusion movement when he began to notice the damage it was causing people he knew under the guise of progress, or equity. Putting his keen mind to the task, Keith identified seven key areas where the DEI movement goes markedly astray from the values it aspires to. Coming from an integral understanding, Keith does more than simply point out where the movement has backfired. We learn that postmodern thinking is how we became aware of the “subtle soup of racism [and bias] in the cultural field itself”—beyond the concrete, obvious social injustices that activists fought in the 20th century. This more subtle field of bias is responsible for the inequalities we see in society today, which is what the DEI movement would like to tear down. But the ways in which DEI acts to make this happen, ironically, are characterized by exactly the things that DEI is against: intolerance, inequity, undiversity, tribalism, and anti-liberalism.

In his wise, articulate, and gracious way, Keith makes sense of why the diversity, equity, and inclusion movement has become a political flashpoint, raising the hackles of not only rightwing conservatives but also liberal progressives. Sympathetic to the values of DEI, Keith is all about helping to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive movement. When asked how the values of DEI could be fulfilled to make it the harmonious, effective, correcting movement it aspires to be, Keith responded, “with conversations like this, for one thing,” adding, “we need to realize that everyone has a portion of truth—we just need to connect everyone’s portion of truth with their heart.” Recorded June 6, 2024.

“All of us deserve to be treated with dignity that is innate in all of us.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2

• DEI’s overemphasis on oppression and power: how it started (00:50)
• Critical race theory’s metaview is that the world operates on principles of power and oppression (01:57)
• The single cause fallacy (02:59)
• Drawing the wrong conclusions: Kenyans and marathons, women and STEM fields (04:10)
• Male dominance in sports caused by bias rather than biology? (12:03)
• The wage gap between men and women and significant difference it makes to control for factors (18:51)
• Why men outearn women at Uber: subtle differences in the way men and women behave (27:39)
• IQ and how men dominate the extremes of the Bell Curve (29:34)
• Fairness demands that everyone is treated the best way possible (34:18)
• Brief review of the main DEI flaws covered so far: DEI’s simplistic view of privilege; how DEI’s diversity doesn’t look at diverse mindsets; intolerance of other viewpoints; pushing everything through critical race theory; and how equality of outcomes can be oppressive, unfair, sexist & racist (35:31)
• Tribalism: DEI compartmentalizes everyone to a tribalistic identity, with the focus on race and sex (40:05)
• How to explain a white supremacist group run by people who are not white: multiracial whiteness (46:00)
• The primary goal should be to cultivate relationship rather than projecting a whole history on an individual based on their skin color or sex (49:20)

Resources & References – Part 2

• André Pichot, known for his critical writings on issues related to genetics
• Critical Race Theory
• STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, math)
• Duke Law Study: Comparing Athletic Performances: The Best Elite Women to Boys and Men
• Richard Herrnstein & Charles Murray, The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life*
• Jordan Peterson, psychologist, author, popular media commentator
• Susan Nieman, Left is Not Woke*
• The Proud Boys
• Keith Martin-Smith’s website: https://www.keithmartinsmith.com
• Keith Martin-Smith, When the Buddha Needs Therapy*
• Keith Martin-Smith, A Heart Blown Open: The Life and Practice of Zen Master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi*
• Keith Martin-Smith, The Seven Deadly Sins of DEI (Integral Life video presentation)
• Keith Martin-Smith, Reintegrating DEI: Beyond the Culture Wars (Integral Life video presentation)

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Keith Martin-Smith is the award-winning author of five books, most recently When the Buddha Needs Therapy, about which Ken Wilber said, “This is a terrific book, fully embracing a truly Integral perspective and highly recommended.” He is also an ordained Zen priest, a Northern Kung Fu lineage holder and recognized sifu, and a professional advisor and trainer. More at KeithMartinSmith.com.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell