#336 - The Roots of Identity Politics

<p dir="ltr">Share this episode: <a href="https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/336-the-roots-of-identity-politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/336-the-roots-of-identity-politics</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Sam Harris speaks with Yascha Mounk about identity politics. They discuss Yascha&rsquo;s concept of the &ldquo;identity synthesis,&rdquo; skepticism about &ldquo;cancel culture,&rdquo; racial segregation in schools, the ideological change on college campuses, Michel Foucault and postmodernism, the rejection of universalism, Derrick Bell, Kimberl&eacute; Crenshaw, the &ldquo;permanence of racism,&rdquo; the indoctrination of children, intersectionality, white privilege, institutional racism, equity vs equality, racial preferences during the Covid pandemic, the asymmetric advantage of authoritarianism, class and elitism, affirmative action, media coverage of crime and violence, social media and the business model of mainstream journalism, and other topics.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Yascha Mounk</strong> is the author of <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3EAXmKZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time</a></em>. He is also a Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Johns Hopkins University, the founder of <em>Persuasion</em>, and the host of The Good Fight podcast.</p> <p dir="ltr">Website: <a href="http://www.yaschamounk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.yaschamounk.com</a></p> <p dir="ltr">Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Yascha_Mounk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@Yascha_Mounk</a></p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That&rsquo;s why Sam Harris created the&nbsp;<a href="http://wakingup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Waking Up</a> app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life&rsquo;s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of