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The Disuniting of America: Reflections on a Multicultural Society by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
laileanah's review
sad
slow-paced
0.25
It's an extremely white supremacist view to suggest that any culture other than European being celebrated or included in America creates 'disunity'.
This is largely written in support and favor of a eurocentric & white supremacist version of history and holding to that view as our national story, despite claiming to be a multicultural nation.
He argues that slavery was good for Black folks. That losing our language and identity makes us the most 'american' but then doesn't want or views or experiences included in the American story.
It's weirdly racist. Like he wants to credit Black culture that resulted in Jazz, Rap, Hip-hop, etc to just be credited as american with our contributions diminished to not cause 'division'.
At the same time he feels like manifest destiny was true, that white men -specifically the descendants of anglo saxons- are the creators of the western world solely, and to be given credit for inventions that weren't theirs, Iike jazz. But at the same time to be absolved of responsibility for the same aspects he's so proud of.
So which is it????
If manifest destiny is right and slavery and colonialism are okay because Europeans built roads and indoctrinated the globe in xtianity, then the problems that resulted from these policies also belong to anglo saxons, right? So that makes them RESPONSIBILE for the actions of their predecessors. Which this author feels is divisive.
He just wants to be praised and not critiqued and it reads as fragile, ridiculous
and immature.
This book exists as a response to 'Afrocentric' history. The forerunner to the current 1619 Project.
I'd say that Afrocentric History taught to Black folks in the 80's & 90's is likely why we have the 1619 Project today.
Unlike Afrocentric History which was taught primarily to Black students in Black school districts, the 1619 Project has a global and national audience.
It's being taught from pre K thru university level. I mean racists are really upset about it but it's happening regardless.
So for those that think white folks losing their shit over 'critical race theory' is new, nope, same shit different decade.
This author hasn't been liberal in decades before he wrote this.
However his views track as mostly liberal.
I appreciate that because it's important for BIPOC folks to remember that white liberals are often lying about their antiracist feelings, in their heart beats an unredeemable racist.
Always a good reminder.
This book contradicts itself in multiple places and largely functions as an angry rant that white anglo saxons created our society. They created the worst, most oppressive parts of it for sure. Pretty sure that's not what he meant but that's all I got for him.
This is old and dated so hopefully the author is dead and suffered while he died🤷🏾♀️
I saw this on hoopla but pirated a copy so the author won't make any money off of this.
This is largely written in support and favor of a eurocentric & white supremacist version of history and holding to that view as our national story, despite claiming to be a multicultural nation.
He argues that slavery was good for Black folks. That losing our language and identity makes us the most 'american' but then doesn't want or views or experiences included in the American story.
It's weirdly racist. Like he wants to credit Black culture that resulted in Jazz, Rap, Hip-hop, etc to just be credited as american with our contributions diminished to not cause 'division'.
At the same time he feels like manifest destiny was true, that white men -specifically the descendants of anglo saxons- are the creators of the western world solely, and to be given credit for inventions that weren't theirs, Iike jazz. But at the same time to be absolved of responsibility for the same aspects he's so proud of.
So which is it????
If manifest destiny is right and slavery and colonialism are okay because Europeans built roads and indoctrinated the globe in xtianity, then the problems that resulted from these policies also belong to anglo saxons, right? So that makes them RESPONSIBILE for the actions of their predecessors. Which this author feels is divisive.
He just wants to be praised and not critiqued and it reads as fragile, ridiculous
and immature.
This book exists as a response to 'Afrocentric' history. The forerunner to the current 1619 Project.
I'd say that Afrocentric History taught to Black folks in the 80's & 90's is likely why we have the 1619 Project today.
Unlike Afrocentric History which was taught primarily to Black students in Black school districts, the 1619 Project has a global and national audience.
It's being taught from pre K thru university level. I mean racists are really upset about it but it's happening regardless.
So for those that think white folks losing their shit over 'critical race theory' is new, nope, same shit different decade.
This author hasn't been liberal in decades before he wrote this.
However his views track as mostly liberal.
I appreciate that because it's important for BIPOC folks to remember that white liberals are often lying about their antiracist feelings, in their heart beats an unredeemable racist.
Always a good reminder.
This book contradicts itself in multiple places and largely functions as an angry rant that white anglo saxons created our society. They created the worst, most oppressive parts of it for sure. Pretty sure that's not what he meant but that's all I got for him.
This is old and dated so hopefully the author is dead and suffered while he died🤷🏾♀️
I saw this on hoopla but pirated a copy so the author won't make any money off of this.
asgard793's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.25
It's not without a sense of irony that Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.'s Disuniting America is divisive text in 2021. This title is a series of essays how pluralistic society lends itself well to creating stable, vibrant sustainable societies. That said, Schlesinger argues that the people of this society (America), must agree on the western philosophical and institutional origins on which their society is based. If the failure to acknowledge these origins becomes commonplace, the presumptions that hold society together will collapse. This is the route taken to arguing that multiculturalism, ethnic chauvinism and white guilt pose risk to a cohesive society. While the logic may have presented as common sense at its release in 1991, readers will frame this a diatribe by a dead white intellectual against diversity. The text is too brief for these complex ideas, and argues against elements of multiculturalism that strengthen western societies such as bilingualism. However, Schlesinger accurately foresees the risks of highly politicized campuses, and the breakdown of accurate historical analysis because of white guilt and the imperative for ethnic pride. Disuniting America is both a product of its time and clairvoyant in its analysis, worth a dispassionate read for anybody in the age of identity politics.
matttrevithick's review
Lots of food for thought here, particularly given the events of 2016 and how many of the trends identified in this book (published in early 90s) have only gathered steam and become more powerful. Much was underlined.
ahsimlibrarian's review
1.0
Absolute crap. Wrote my undergrad thesis in opposition to everything it had to say about American history and multiculturalism. If I could give it no stars, I would.
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