Idealism is based on big ideas. And, as anybody who has ever been asked “What’s the big idea?” knows, most big ideas are bad ones.
P. J. O’Rourke
In the beginning, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) and ESG (environment, social, governance) activists had conservatives shaking their heads. Today, after Biden’s ideas added $4.7 trillion to the national debt, two new-age banks failed, San Francisco supervisors accepted a reparations plan, and the Pentagon devoted one of six pages in its “new strategic plan” to diversity and climate, conservatives are shaking in their boots.
It’s not like conservatives support pollution, workplace discrimination, or crooked CEOs. A “conservative” accountant wouldn’t pass environmental clean-up costs into the future. A “free-market” CEO knows hiring diversity increases job-market competition. A “cautious” investor knows good governance prevents another Enron. What conservatives don’t like are reckless DEI and ESG zealots pushing the “normie” majority too far (and too fast).
The considerable backlash against DEI and ESG is warranted because of who is pushing it and what is being pushed. On Monday, I heard NASDAQ CEO Arena Friedman say younger consumers, employees, and investors believe the ante for a company to stay in business is buying into DEI and ESG. Sadly, she acknowledged “polarization” but not the arrogance this new generation mistakes for self-belief (a good reason not to give them power).
This arrogant age group has re-defined altruism and progress because Lincoln (Emancipation Proclamation) had a few sins, and Nixon (created EPA) had lots of sins. They would call my grandfather (R-VA) a “fascist” for views that were mainstream in 1945, in spite of the fact he forewent profits to commit his factories’ production to the arsenal of democracy that defeated REAL fascists. This arrogance is a thinking trap called presentism (uncritical adherence to present-day attitudes); a manifestation of closed minds and ill natures.
I know my parents’ generation passed civil rights legislation, and my generation did not cancel black, feminist, or gay speakers; thus, it is unthinkable that US colleges – of all institutions – now demonize ancient greats and oppose unfettered freedom of expression. By teaching kids words they don’t like are “violence” and censorship prevents “harm,” America’s colleges are producing “snowflakes” that will melt in the real world; especially if China decides racial preferences, or Iran defines gender.
It’s too polite to call it “indoctrination” when a college is actually damaging psyches. This was recently reported by Pew Research; since 2012, there’s been a steep decline in the mental health of college students. And a 2022 study (“The Politics of Depression by Political Beliefs”) found liberal women from 18 to 29 had the most depression (53%), and conservative women over 65 had the least depression (7%). Psychologist Jonathan Haidt blames the deviation on DEI culture in US colleges.
Haidt found DEI encourages students to dwell on slights, ignore nuance, and prioritize emotions, rather than to move on from perceived slights, accept the duality of man, and learn from setbacks (what shrinks call cognitive behavioral therapy). Instead of learning coping skills to have the right stuff to lead their country, today’s students form their identities around “bad” experiences and see victimhood as a source of prestige. Hence, America can fail from within.
The US lost the Vietnam War despite Kennedy’s “best and the brightest” cabinet. Biden’s “most diverse ever” cabinet is far worse; with lazy Pete Buttigieg in charge of transportation, incompetent Kamala Harris in charge of the border, and dishonest Janet Granholm in charge of energy. The Hill reports, “Pete Buttigieg Fails the Woody Allen Test” (“90% of success in life is just showing up”). Politico reports, “Biden Border Crisis Is Worst in American History.”
Bloomberg dissed Granholm for lauding China last week for “achieving its climate goals” and “investing in clean energy” in spite of the worst polluter in the world hitting a new record for coal production in 2022. Biden could have diversity AND competence, which is lost on ESG zealots. They foster illusions of progress by cowing leaders into doing things right rather than doing the right thing. To wit, ESG darling PepsiCo was awarded an “A” Net Zero Grade, but ESG villain Tesla got an “F” Net Zero Grade.
Pepsi was awarded an “A” primarily for disclosing carbon offsets every year and reducing “absolute emissions” 4.2%. Great, but only 32% of us recycle its plastic bottles (source: EPA). One day, the “social cost” of creating obese and toothless recipients of Medicaid and Medicare will tank Pepsi’s market cap, which has gone from $105 billion to $242 billion since 2012.
In contrast, Tesla’s market cap has grown from $2.9 billion to $564 billion since 2012. Great, but its stock is down 46% since October, when its founder and CEO Elon Musk upset liberal investors by buying Twitter and talking up the first amendment. All Musk’s done for ESG is make the electric vehicle industry happen, put EV charging stations in small towns, provide Starlink internet to Ukraine, and expose government censorship. If he’s not helping social justice and the environment, then who is?
Not the idiots at Silicon Valley Bank, which filed for bankruptcy protection last week after eight months without a chief risk officer. But, it had a chief diversity officer and “served” over 1,500 “climate technology and sustainability sector” companies by offering “subprime business loans” to startups that would have a “hard time getting a line of credit from a larger bank” (source: WSJ). Which is why Biden wants to fully reimburse SVB’s rich clients for deposits over the $250,000 FDIC threshold. Just call it what it is, Mr. President: crony capitalism.
The late P. J. O’Rourke saw leftist “idealism” for what it was; “when liberals say ‘everybody deserves a good job’ they mean ‘everybody deserves your good job.'” Because DEI and ESG really mean re-distribute and replace:
- “D” means replacing white men in gainful jobs
- “E” means Asian taxes fund Black reparations
- “I” means girls get dunked on by transgender boys
- “E” means petrol profits fund green ventures
- “S” means aggrieved minorities rule contented majorities
- “G” means new regulations confound old understandings
Like Cruella De Vil – if that doesn’t scare you, then nothing else will.