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August 9, 2007
Harvard Lib Admits to Harmful Effects of Diversity
Here's one you probably won't see above the fold — The Downside of Diversity:
It has become increasingly popular to speak of racial and ethnic diversity as a civic strength. From multicultural festivals to pronouncements from political leaders, the message is the same: our differences make us stronger.
But a massive new study, based on detailed interviews of nearly 30,000 people across America, has concluded just the opposite. Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam — famous for "Bowling Alone," his 2000 book on declining civic engagement — has found that the greater the diversity in a community, the fewer people vote and the less they volunteer, the less they give to charity and work on community projects. In the most diverse communities, neighbors trust one another about half as much as they do in the most homogenous settings. The study, the largest ever on civic engagement in America, found that virtually all measures of civic health are lower in more diverse settings.
Some things even Harvard professors can't help notice. The liberal Putnam was forced to admit that people in more diverse communities tend to
distrust their neighbors, regardless of the color of their skin, to withdraw even from close friends, to expect the worst from their community and its leaders, […] to agitate for social reform more but have less faith that they can actually make a difference, and to huddle unhappily in front of the television.
Putnam is terrified that KKK types will seize on his research as proof that race hate makes sense. They certainly might, but only because they go as far off their deep end as diversity advocates go off their own.
Not everyone has to be ethnically identical for a community to thrive. Minorities can certainly be assimilated. It's when assimilation stops and balkanization begins that we fall prey to the disastrous form of social decay known as multiculturalism.
On a tip from Bill.
Posted by Van Helsing at August 9, 2007 3:18 PM
Comments
Yes, multi-culturalism is a euphemism for balkanization. It is thrust on us by the people who are so against other groups that they refuse to adopt the features of other groups, also known as assimilation. It makes perfect sense that communities would be homogeneous. The similar factors do not have to be skin color or national heritage, they could be behavioral. Singapore is attracting many immigrants right now. Many of them are not Asian so they can't look like other Singapore citizens, but they can act like them. Multi-culturalism is a smoke screen for a rebellion against proper, courteous behavior. You touched on this with your post about the tribes in Australia. Those who don't want to confirm to polite ethics, wave the flag of multi-culturalism.
Posted by: d at August 9, 2007 6:52 PM
I really don't think it's going to matter what this professor says. Unfortunately, the libs' response will simply be that the people in those diverse neighborhoods are simply racists, and that more indoctrination training is in order.
Posted by: NudeGayWhalesForJesus at August 9, 2007 8:43 PM
It is thrust on us by the people who are so against other groups that they refuse to adopt the features of other groups, also known as assimilation.
D, I take a more cynical view: multiculturalism is thrust upon us by race- and ethnic-baiters who make their careers by playing off groups against each other. If total amity reigned supreme, the Sharptons, Jacksons, and most Democrat politicians would sink to their natural niche in society - drive-up windows.
Posted by: Jay Guevara at August 9, 2007 8:59 PM
Tip of the Day: Moonbat Celeb gives up washing hair to save Gaia. No comment yet from the Edwards campaign.
Posted by: V the K at August 10, 2007 5:43 AM
Oh, and in Texas, they are issuing vouchers to help poor folks buy new cars, think of it as socialized car down payments. If you're against it, you obviously hate poor people and don't believe in equal access to transportation.
Posted by: V the K at August 10, 2007 5:49 AM
This reminds me of a Dilbert strip where the punchline about "diversity in the workplace" was di-more you work here the divese it gets...
Posted by: metalgarth at August 10, 2007 8:38 AM
Ironic that Universities are those foisting these ideologies upon youth & society at large. Which of course, makes them hypocrites for not changing their titles and logos to reflect what they push.
I say sue them for refusing to go with "Diversities" vs. Universities.
Posted by: fellowes at August 10, 2007 9:11 AM
Years ago I read Aristotle's Politics. One of the questions Aristotle asked was, "Who will our friends be?" Aristotle's answer was, "People like ourselves." People bond together as friends or communities on the basis of shared beliefs, experiences, or interests. Catholics are very comfortable around other Catholics. Combat Infantrymen like to hang out with other Combat Infantrymen. Gearheads love to swap stories with other gearheads. This has nothing to do with race.
To expect people of different beliefs, different experiences, and different interests to bond simply because they live next door to each other is foolish.
Iraq is a good example of this: The Sunnis and the Shia are both Arab peoples, both Iraqi, and both Muslim. However, the beliefs are slightly different, to a non-Muslim probably less than the differences between a Catholic and a Protestant, and yet look at all the blood that has been spilled.
A house divided among itself cannot stand. Somebody said that once.
Posted by: phil at August 10, 2007 9:16 AM
Yep Phil. Christ first said it, then Abe Lincoln echoed it in his Gettysburg address.
Posted by: fellowes at August 10, 2007 4:52 PM
The "diversity" crew only wants "diversity" in those areas where they are unwelcome. As Mark Steyn once wrote, to the illiberals, Howard University is 100% diverse. They don't want diversity of races. They want their race to be in control. Then they will kill off their victims, as they have done so many times in the past.
Posted by: d at August 10, 2007 7:49 PM
