Extremely Rare Recommendations

Recommending a Ross Douthat column is like seeing an ivory-billed woodpecker. You know that it is probably impossible, but theoretically one could emerge once every century. Amazingly, today is the day, as Douthat writes about the Ivy League existing to reproduce privilege. Of course, Douthat seems to just prefer that no one talks about it, even as he is teasing the idea. But that’s fine, simply repeating that the overall structure of the Ivy League is one that trains the next generation of elites is worth saying since so many Americans continue to believe in a fantasy meritocracy over class politics. Sure, the Ivies not let in a superficial number of non-whites to talk about diversity. And there’s probably like 4 poor people admitted each year. Otherwise, it’s the next George W. Bush.

This all matters for a reason Douthat doesn’t touch. The idea that smart white people don’t get into Harvard and Yale because of anti-white racial discrimination is strong. In fact, they don’t get in because they belong to the wrong class. Take Suzy Lee Weiss, a Pittsburgh high school student, suddenly famous because she got a letter published in the Wall Street Journal denouncing the elite colleges who did not accept her:

What could I have done differently over the past years?

For starters, had I known two years ago what I know now, I would have gladly worn a headdress to school. Show me to any closet, and I would’ve happily come out of it. “Diversity!” I offer about as much diversity as a saltine cracker. If it were up to me, I would’ve been any of the diversities: Navajo, Pacific Islander, anything. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, I salute you and your 1/32 Cherokee heritage.

Of course, the right wingers love it.

I don’t know if Weiss is wealthy or not. Presumably to access the WSJ, one would suspect some wealth in the family. But in any case, notice the easy move to blame racial diversity as the reason she didn’t get in. Regardless of her own politics, plenty of liberals believe this too. Many of us have probably had these conversations with families about colleges. Inevitably race comes up. Inevitably, I have to say that race is overrated as an admissions factor.

To sum up, the Ivy League (and a handful of other elite colleges) largely exist to reproduce elite social classes. They benefit greatly from America’s national fear of (largely nonexistent) racial advantage given to non-whites to hide this fact.

…..In fact, Weiss’ sister used to be the features editor for the Wall Street Journal. So I guess that solves the question of the family wealth. Sounds more like she considered herself a member of the elite and was outraged to find out that she wasn’t elite enough.