'The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together' by Heather McGhee explores the impact of racism on society, economy, and public policies in the United States. Through a combination of analytical facts and real stories, McGhee delves into how racism not only affects minorities but also harms ordinary white Americans. highlights the concept of the Solidarity Dividend, emphasizing the benefits of unity across races to achieve common goals and improve society as a whole. McGhee's writing style is engaging and thought-provoking, making readers empathize with the people she writes about and reconsider their views on systemic oppression and racial divides.

Writing/Prose:

Presented in an engaging and accessible style, the writing balances emotion and factual analysis, making it relatable while thoroughly exploring systemic issues.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative explores how racism adversely affects all Americans by tracing the historical roots and present implications of discriminatory policies, using public swimming pools as a central metaphor.

Setting:

Set against the backdrop of modern America, the book examines various locales to highlight the pervasive effects of systemic racism.

Pacing:

The pacing is measured, allowing for a thorough exploration of themes while keeping the reader engaged through personal stories and empirical data.

Growing up, my family and my neighbors were always hustling. My mother had the fluctuating income of a person with an entrepreneur’s mind and a social worker’s heart. My dad, divorced from my mom sinc...

Genres:

Topics:

racism's economic impact

housing discrimination

environmental violence

zero sum game

Notes:

Heather McGhee wrote about the Zero Sum philosophy, which suggests that if one group gains, another must lose.

Many once-popular public swimming pools in America were closed rather than integrated, harming communities overall.

Racism affects not only marginalized groups but also working and middle-class whites, often in unexpected ways.

The 2008 financial crisis was fueled by predatory subprime loans, disproportionately affecting Black homeowners.

Public policies like the GI Bill initially helped many but were cut back, negatively impacting both white and Black students.

Cities chose to close facilities rather than share resources, leading to a loss of public amenities for everyone.

Higher education funding cuts have led to increased student debt burdens for all races.

Immigrants of color have revitalized struggling American communities, disputing the view that diversity is a threat.

Racism can lead to worse public health and environmental conditions for all, not just targeted groups.

The Solidarity Dividend highlights the benefits communities gain by working together across racial lines.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Trigger warnings include discussions of systemic racism, economic exploitation, and historical violence.

From The Publisher:

What would make a society drain its public swimming baths and fill them with concrete rather than opening them to everyone? Economics researcher Heather McGhee sets out across America to learn why white voters so often act against their own interests. Why do they block changes that would help them, and even destroy their own advantages, whenever people of colour also stand to benefit?

Their tragedy is that they believe they can't win unless somebody else loses. But this is a lie. McGhee marshals overwhelming economic evidence, and a profound well of empathy, to reveal the surprising truth: even racists lose out under white supremacy.

And US racism is everybody's problem. As McGhee shows, it was bigoted lending policies that laid the ground for the 2008 financial crisis. There can be little prospect of tackling global climate change until America's zero-sum delusions are defeated. The Sum of Us offers a priceless insight into the workings of prejudice, and a timely invitation to solidarity among all humans, 'to piece together a new story of who we could be to one another'.

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1 comment(s)

ncltup375

Incredible

8 months

Another “must read” for all Americans, no, all humans.

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The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

Heather McGhee