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Wrongthink on Race With Glenn C. Loury

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Sep 29, 2021

Guest

Glenn Loury

Glenn C. Loury, Professor of Economics at Brown University and the first tenured Black professor at Harvard, dives deep into controversial topics around race and inequality. He critiques the Black Lives Matter movement and its disconnect from the challenges facing Black communities. Loury challenges the dilution of academic standards in elite universities while discussing the complexities of meritocracy in education. His personal journey from a working-class background to academic success adds richness to the conversation about identity and societal expectations.

01:41:18

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ANECDOTE

Journey into Economics

Loury's talent for math led him to economics, a field that applied rigorous analysis to real-world problems.
At MIT, he thrived in the collaborative environment, engaging with renowned economists and further developing his analytical skills.

insights

INSIGHT

The Concept of Social Capital

Loury coined the term "social capital" in his dissertation, recognizing that social resources influence skill development.
These resources, like family support and peer influences, are crucial yet not easily quantifiable.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

A New American Dilemma

Loury's "New American Dilemma" essay sparked controversy by addressing issues within the Black community.
He criticized the focus on external enemies, urging a shift towards addressing internal challenges like social disorganization and crime.

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Challenging Narratives on Race and Liberty

01:38 • 2min

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A Deep Dive into Race, Society, and Technology

03:10 • 2min

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From Struggles to Success: A Thinker's Journey

05:09 • 26min

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Navigating Identity and Struggle

31:13 • 22min

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Concerns of Academia: Standards vs. Diversity

53:17 • 8min

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Reevaluating Racism: Disparities, Discourse, and Politics

01:01:30 • 6min

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Challenging the Narrative on Race and Activism

01:07:20 • 19min

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Examining Merit and Misconceptions in Elite Public Schools

01:26:44 • 6min

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Exploring the Failures of Meritocracy in Education

01:32:28 • 3min

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The Dangers of Wokeness and the Backlash It Creates

01:35:04 • 5min

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Four decades ago, Glenn C. Loury became the first tenured black professor of economics in Harvard’s history. Ever since then, he has made waves for his willingness to buck the elite intellectual establishment; for his iconoclastic ideas about race and inequality; and for his incisive cultural criticism.

He is a man of seeming contradictions: he rails against the divisiveness of woke politics from his post at Brown University, one of America’s most left wing campuses. He worries about what the death of God means for the country -- though he calls his own past religious beliefs a “benevolent self-delusion.” In the 80s, Glenn challenged his fellow black Americans to combat the “enemy from within,” while he himself battled demons like adultery and addiction.

But Glenn’s ability to re-examine his positions and look at his own past with clear eyes is hardly a fault. Glenn is a man who, in a time of lies told for the sake of political convenience, strives to tell the truth even when the truth is hard. Or complicated. Or an affront to our feelings. Or contradicts what we wish were true.

In today’s conversation: race, racism, Black Lives Matter, school choice, standardized tests, crack, sexual infidelity, Christianity, the Nation of Islam, neoconservatism, Harvard, groupthink, and pretty much every other hot-button subject you can imagine. Plus, Glenn’s own remarkable life story.

Glenn's own podcast, "The Glenn Show" is available through Substack and in video form on his new Youtube channel.

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