Political buzzwords are keeping us from conversation

Alex White, Contributing Writer

Trying to decipher what people mean nowadays when they drop a political buzzword has become a constant source of frustration in my life — critical race theory, gender studies or DEI. It seems like every day the English language gains a new, vitriol-fueled layer of false definition to contend with.

These new definitions, as I have found out, are nearly always discriminatory, bigoted and most concerningly, thought-terminating. Words are boiled down to the gut reaction we have when hearing them, often influenced by pundits and news anchors whose priority is maintaining a perpetually outraged audience.

The fact that these misconceptions rely so heavily on emotion makes it extremely difficult — if not outright impossible — to gain any headway in debate. The sinister nature of this ham-fisted effort to co-opt language is seen most clearly when we examine which words are meant to be the subject of our ire.

Gender studies have been almost universally discounted as “woke nonsense” since they hit the mainstream, despite being just as benign as any other sociological study.

Critical race theory — a very real and vital concept in post-secondary studies exploring how race influences all areas of society — has been abstracted to the point that the millions who argue for its removal from academia have no idea what it actually means.

We’ve somehow reached the point where the acronym “DEI” — diversity, equity and inclusion — has been turned into an adjective designed to discredit the work and accomplishments of any employed member of an underrepresented group.

At their core, the arguments against each of these words plead with us not to question flaws we see in the world around us. They beg us not to listen to our fellow humans telling us what they endure. Empathy is sin, while contempt is the greatest of virtues.

Despite what some may want you to believe, bigotry cannot be ignored out of existence. Historically, confrontation is the only reliable path of progress into a more enlightened society we all claim to desire — so why are we so averse to speaking up?

The root of this antipathy is the misconception that dismantling oppressive societal institutions would somehow disadvantage those currently privileged under them. 

In reality, oppression is not a winnable circumstance, even for the privileged. A man only benefits from the patriarchy relative to the plight of a woman, but both would be better off in an equitable society. The same is true for all such dynamics. 

Systems of oppression are built to convince you of your inherent superiority over others, despite the actual insignificance of that supposed superiority. The fear of what life would look like if this power were relinquished is what keeps us all silently complicit in our own persecution. 

Regardless of an individual’s current position in this fraught hierarchy, a world free of prejudice would be better for everyone. We have the collective power to rectify injustice with our voices — we just have to use it.

We need to have uncomfortable conversations. We absolutely need to discuss how gender, race, disability, class, sexuality and countless other identities shape our experiences in the world around us. These concepts are so much more than what we call them, but words are the gateway to understanding and progress. 

We all need to be concerned with preserving meaning in the face of malicious diversion — a better future depends on it.