The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

241. How Anti-Racism Is Hurting Black America | John McWhorter

13 snips
Apr 4, 2022
In this engaging discussion, John McWhorter, an associate professor at Columbia University and author on linguistics and race, dives into how language shapes perception and worldview. He examines the complexities of race in America, addressing the pitfalls of virtue signaling and 'wokeism.' McWhorter also critiques the religious fervor surrounding contemporary anti-racism and its impact on rational discourse. Additionally, he explores the intersection of music and language, illustrating the profound connections between art and human experience.
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INSIGHT

Language Acquisition and Down Syndrome

  • Even individuals with Down syndrome often acquire language remarkably well.
  • This highlights the deep embedding of language within human cognition.
ANECDOTE

Russian Blues

  • Russians having different words for shades of blue shows a slight perceptual difference, not a worldview shift.
  • McWhorter uses this to critique the strong Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
ANECDOTE

Music History at Columbia

  • McWhorter teaches a music history course covering Western masterpieces from Gregorian chant to Philip Glass.
  • It focuses on complex music appreciation.
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