The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
- Downloads：7338
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-05-01 00:19:19
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Heather McGhee
- ISBN：B087CBHQQK
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Brad
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“。。。for when a nation founded on a belief in racial hierarchy truly rejects that belief， then and only then will we have discovered a New World。” If you can only read one book of non fiction this year， read The Sum of Us。 If you say “I don’t have time” then read the last two pages。
Laurie
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In the past six to eight months I have read multiple books about racism and， hands down， this is the book that made the most sense to me。 Heather McGhee writes clearly and straightforwardly about "what racism costs everyone and how we can prosper together。" Check out the video on Heather McGhee's website to hear in her own words how this book came about。She does not preach or stridently point fingers。 Rather， she shares stories。 The stories show our common humanity， that we all have fears and ho In the past six to eight months I have read multiple books about racism and， hands down， this is the book that made the most sense to me。 Heather McGhee writes clearly and straightforwardly about "what racism costs everyone and how we can prosper together。" Check out the video on Heather McGhee's website to hear in her own words how this book came about。She does not preach or stridently point fingers。 Rather， she shares stories。 The stories show our common humanity， that we all have fears and hopes， and that there are ways to cut through the brick wall that racist policies have created。 Time after time she recounts how policies designed ostensibly for everyone have resulted in cutting out those who would benefit from them on all sides of the racial divide， including - and sometimes especially - white skinned people。 It is a glaring tale of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face。 It is absurd to think that any one of us would intentionally cut off our own nose to spite our face。 However， that is exactly what policy makers have done over decades of decision making。 The difference is， if you or I were to cut off our nose， we would feel it， realize it hurt like heck， probably wasn't good for us， and stop before we did any further harm。 When policy makers "cut off the noses" they spin the story that makes it sound like they are protecting our faces from further harm。 The net result is everyone suffers except the policymakers。I was struck by her use of the term "social solidarity" coupled with "Solidarity Dividends。" As she explains: For those people who are opposed to [government aid] out of an animus to people who look different than they are … that lack of social solidarity causes harm to their own communities。 Solidarity Dividends are those benefits that accrue to a community because they band together in social solidarity; coming together over the social and human aspects that bind them。 The result is that all members of the community – the entire Community – benefits。 I learned about TRTH - Truth， Racial Healing & Transformation， a "framework [that] was developed in 2016 with the input of a group of over 175 experts convened by the W。K。 Kellogg Foundation。" As you will see by the resources on their website， the framework provides a way to face the hierarchy of race that has divided us， and from there begin to move forward。Some of the stories Heather shares， and much of the history she reminds us of， made me wince。 There is nothing comfortable in what she relates， yet she manages to conclude on a positive， hopeful note （see previous paragraph）。 This is a well written， well researched story of human truth in the United States from its inception to modern day。 I hope you read it。 。。。more
Don
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Should be required reading for all。 It’s best to be read completely though which I unfortunately I did not do - reading another great non-fiction book from our local library。
Abby
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Everyone should read this book。
Tim Walker
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You should read this if: You are white， live in America， or have ever argued for "small government"Kudos: THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK OF THE YEAR！ This work was so well researched and presented in manageable nuggets of truth。 Excellent balance of anecdotes and white papers。 I will read this again and will buy it for anyone willing to read it who can't access it through their library。 READ THIS！ You should read this if: You are white， live in America， or have ever argued for "small government"Kudos: THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK OF THE YEAR！ This work was so well researched and presented in manageable nuggets of truth。 Excellent balance of anecdotes and white papers。 I will read this again and will buy it for anyone willing to read it who can't access it through their library。 READ THIS！ 。。。more
Lindsey Sanderson
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“。。。we are so much more when the “we” in “we the people” is not some of us， but all of us。”Heather McGhee’s writing is eloquent， poignant， and powerful - Y’all better do yourselves a favor and read this one
Lauren Oertel
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Yes！ This book is a perfect complement to Caste， if you’ve read that one already。 It’s filled with important insights and has an overall message we need everyone to understand！
Liz Simbi
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One of the most important reads of 2021。 McGhee opened my eyes to how racism hurts us all。
Sherri
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McGhee， who also most excellently narrates the audiobook， offers lessons in history and a way forward to a solidarity dividend for everyone。This is both terribly sad and hopeful。 McGee is a wonderful writer， bringing insight， clarity， and a critical review of American policies that have brought us to the fractured state were in today。
Sean Murphy
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Good stuff。 She makes a great point that racism and racial and social injustice hurts white people as well as people of color。 Easy to read， meaty and thoughtful。 Appreciated what I learned here。 Worth reading。
B。P。
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I have been talking about this book nonstop since I listened to it。 I’m a bookseller， and never before have I ever pushed a book so hard on every person I’ve interacted with in the store。 Now， how to get every person in America to read it…
Janice Smith
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I've read many non-fiction books about racism recently， but this book brought a fresh-perspective to the topic。 A thoroughly thought-provoking book so I recommend reading just one chapter at a time to give yourself time to digest and mull things over。 Learned tons that I didn't already know！ I've read many non-fiction books about racism recently， but this book brought a fresh-perspective to the topic。 A thoroughly thought-provoking book so I recommend reading just one chapter at a time to give yourself time to digest and mull things over。 Learned tons that I didn't already know！ 。。。more
Amanda
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This is one of the best books I’ve ever read。 The data on institutional injustice is staggering， yet the author offers hope and a way forward—if we can move beyond the false notion of zero sum and find a path together。 Inspiring and challenging in its depth and breadth。
Hilary
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I don’t listen to a lot of audiobooks but I highly recommend the format for this one， as the author recorded it herself and is wonderful。 There’s a staggering amount of research in the book but it’s also a personal story throughout - hearing it in her own voice really adds to that。
Leah Kendall
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Really interesting with concrete ways to address racism that we can ALL get behind。 It will lift us all up。 A must read。
Valerie Erickson
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You know a book is important when its blurbs include George Saunders， Chris Hayes， Alicia Garza， Jon Favreau， and topped off with Ibram X。 Kendi saying， "This is the book I've been waiting for。" I cannot tell everyone enough that they need to be reading this book。 You know a book is important when its blurbs include George Saunders， Chris Hayes， Alicia Garza， Jon Favreau， and topped off with Ibram X。 Kendi saying， "This is the book I've been waiting for。" I cannot tell everyone enough that they need to be reading this book。 。。。more
Ang
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This book blew me away。 The language is accessible。 The harms of white supremacy are laid bare， in stark terms。 The way forward is laid bare， in easy to understand ways。Required reading for all。
Meggin
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This books looks at various aspects of economic and political life （union membership， mortgages， health insurance， voting rights， etc） to illustrate through historical examples and current data that racism hurts everyone in the United States。 It is compelling and easy to read while providing clear historical context regarding many of the issues of contemporary society。
Columbine
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Such a great book， highly recommend！
Sharie
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The cost to whites is hopefully powerful argument for some still unconvinced
Anne
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Very hard to read， seeing how cruel Americans can be。 Hoping for a brighter future。
Christy
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So interesting， and ultimately optimistic。 Not that there's not a lot of hard work ahead， but we can do it。 So interesting， and ultimately optimistic。 Not that there's not a lot of hard work ahead， but we can do it。 。。。more
Jenna
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"The zero sum is a story sold by wealthy interests for their own profit， and its persistence requires people desperate enough to buy it。"It's mind-boggling that many poor white people vote for a party that consistently works against their best interests。 A party that works for millionaires and billionaires and corporations， lowering their taxes and paying for it by cutting programs that benefit everyone。 What does it take to get someone to support politicians and policies that harm them？ They do "The zero sum is a story sold by wealthy interests for their own profit， and its persistence requires people desperate enough to buy it。"It's mind-boggling that many poor white people vote for a party that consistently works against their best interests。 A party that works for millionaires and billionaires and corporations， lowering their taxes and paying for it by cutting programs that benefit everyone。 What does it take to get someone to support politicians and policies that harm them？ They do it by placing the blame on the people with the least amount of power and wealth， rather than where it belongs: on corporations that exploit workers， refusing to pay them a living wage or benefits。 If you can convince people that people in even worse situations than them are responsible for keeping them down， then they fail to see who the real culprits are。 And they don't fight for their rights。In The Sum of Us， Heather McGee investigates the way that corporations and billionaires do this， and how from the inception of the United States， we've bought into a zero-sum paradigm。 One group has to be exploited in order for others to benefit。 One group has to be poor in order for others to have enough。 Republican politicians and the wealthy play this game， railing against welfare queens and lazy immigrants who are stealing everything from the hard working white people who really deserve more。 Poor white people could be rich if only the government wasn't taking all their tax dollars to support bums。 They would have more if others weren't being given the jobs that should go to white people， preferably white males。 It's almost funny how they paint minorities as hand-out grabbing loafers， getting everything for free。。。。 and also as the ones who are stealing jobs from white people。 Where is the logic？With penetrating insight， author Heather McGee shows how racism keeps alive the zero-sum paradigm， and how it harms not just minorities but also white people。 And yet the majority of white people vote for the party that works against their best interests。 Time and again， white people show they would rather do without than to allow Black and brown people to share what they have。 And if minorities suffer more （and they do）， then whites can still feel superior。From filling in public pools when they were ordered to be desegregated， to opposing universal health care because it means Black and brown people will also benefit， many white people vote to keep the wealth and power and goods in the hands of white people -- even though the wealth and power and goods are in the hands of only a few white people。。。。 and the rest go without。 Ms。 McGee analyzes the mentality that allows this to happen and it is disgusting。 I cannot at all understand how someone without access to health care would support a politician who opposes giving them health care。 Or who doesn't support unions which would work for their rights as workers - better pay and benefits - because unions also help minorities。 Why would someone not want affordable college education just because it's affordable to everyone and not just white people？ This mentality is asinine！And yet， even as they swear they're not racist， so many white people prefer to do without rather than allow minorities to share the goods。 As Ms。 McGhee says， "The majority of white voters have voted against the Democratic nominee for president ever since the party became the party of civil rights under Lyndon Johnson。" The majority。 This has allowed our middle class to shrink and the massive wealth of the US put in the hands of fewer and fewer people。 It has allowed us to create the most expensive health care system in the world with many people， including whites， unable to afford to see a doctor or get treatment when they're sick。 It means a college education is accessible to fewer and fewer young people。 It allows corporations to poison our air and drinking water。 It keeps workers down and unable to support their families。 It means subprime loans and hundreds of thousands losing their homes。 It means everyone suffering the disastrous consequences of climate change。The sub-zero paradigm hurts us all。Ms。 McGhee shows that we have to change this all-or-nothing mentality， this belief that one group has to suffer in order for another to succeed。 Hardly anyone succeeds when we think （and vote） this way。 Instead， we need to see how we're all in this together and we need to see that minorities are not to blame for white people's problems。 If you're poor， it's because of corporate and billionaire greed， not because immigrants have stolen a better paying job from you or because Black people have eaten up all the government's money。 I don't know how we can convince people to abandon the zero-sum paradigm and yet we must if we are ever to move ahead and to make this country a true democracy and one that works for all instead of just the very wealthy。 The Sum of Us is highly readable and informative。 In case you're worried， know that it doesn't bash white people， though it does ask us to look at how we support and benefit from racist ideas and policies。 It also shows how those same racist ideas and policies harm us。 White people need to stop fearing that Black and brown people will seize power and treat whites as we've treated them for so long。 We need to stop thinking it's either "us" or "them"。 We need to see that we're all in this together and can all benefit from progressive policies and from ending white supremacy。 My only complaint about this book is that the author paints the Democratic party （to which I belong） as all-good。 It's not。 There are many racist people among Democrats and there are Democrat politicians who create and support policies that harm minorities。 It might be less than Republicans， but Democrats are not perfect and have a long way to go。 We need to remember that when we are voting in primaries， and choose the candidates who display the least amount of racism and who at least profess to work for the good of all。 This is a book I recommend to those wanting to learn more about historical and institutional racism in the US or anyone wanting to work on undoing their own racist conditioning。 4。5 stars rounded up。As Ms。 McGhee says， "The fallacy of racial hierarchy is a belief system that we don’t have to have。 We can replace it with another way of looking at each other as human beings。" Terrific advice！ 。。。more
Ruth
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Mind blowing！！ I already knew how much the 1% were stealing from the rest of us， but I wasn't quite clear on HOW they were doing it。 Mind blowing！！ I already knew how much the 1% were stealing from the rest of us， but I wasn't quite clear on HOW they were doing it。 。。。more
Brad Walters
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Racism harms society for everyone， even those “winning” in the zero-sum racial hierarchy。 In some senses， I was already aware of this。 But the thoroughness with which McGhee makes the argument is tremendously powerful， and the breadth of the harm surprised me。 The thesis is correct。 It’s also disheartening， because there’s an implied necessity to McGhee’s arguments， as if addressing racism’s greatest harms requires including the oppressors in the harmed class。 But， of course， there’s also hope i Racism harms society for everyone， even those “winning” in the zero-sum racial hierarchy。 In some senses， I was already aware of this。 But the thoroughness with which McGhee makes the argument is tremendously powerful， and the breadth of the harm surprised me。 The thesis is correct。 It’s also disheartening， because there’s an implied necessity to McGhee’s arguments， as if addressing racism’s greatest harms requires including the oppressors in the harmed class。 But， of course， there’s also hope in the central premise here。 Because， if white people can see that racism hurts their lives more than it helps （and reading this book， they can’t escape that obvious reality）， there’s hope for true and lasting progress。 。。。more
Ali
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Fascinating perspective on what racism costs all of us and how the "zero sum" notion has infiltrated everywhere - from schools to pools to mortgages。 Gives a fresh point of view as to why people may "vote against their own interests"。 Fascinating perspective on what racism costs all of us and how the "zero sum" notion has infiltrated everywhere - from schools to pools to mortgages。 Gives a fresh point of view as to why people may "vote against their own interests"。 。。。more
Katherine Sydor
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The content of this book was great， and I enjoyed it but it probably could have been a long form article in The Atlantic or NY magazine。 Nevertheless， I’d recommend it！
Katie Proctor
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All the stars。 This book is fantastic！ Especially the last two chapters。
Duane Bindschadler
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On Monday， April 19th， 2021， the human race reached a technological milestone – the first powered aircraft flight on another planet。 A robotic helicopter， named Ingenuity， lifted itself up above the dusty， arid surface of Mars， using two madly spinning counter-rotating propellers to lift itself using the tenuous CO2 atmosphere and hold itself for a few moments in mid-air。 Ingenuity was the result of a project led by MiMi Aung， an engineer whose parents are from Myanmar。 Her team， like many today On Monday， April 19th， 2021， the human race reached a technological milestone – the first powered aircraft flight on another planet。 A robotic helicopter， named Ingenuity， lifted itself up above the dusty， arid surface of Mars， using two madly spinning counter-rotating propellers to lift itself using the tenuous CO2 atmosphere and hold itself for a few moments in mid-air。 Ingenuity was the result of a project led by MiMi Aung， an engineer whose parents are from Myanmar。 Her team， like many today at JPL， is visibly different than the ones that built space probes during the 1960's， 70's， and 80's – more women， more Asian-American and Pacific Islanders （AAPI）， more Black and Latinx engineers and scientists。 This was a relatively low-cost / high-risk endeavor， a "Class D" NASA mission， in which the contributions of every team member becomes critical。 The success of Ingenuity is one small example of what Heather McGhee calls the Solidarity Dividend in her brilliant， essential book The Sum of Us。 In her thoughtful， factual， and thorough prose， when looks unflinchingly at the cost of public policy that is all too frequently driving by a zero sum worldview， in which any public policy or spending that benefits Black， indigenous， Latinx， AAPI， or others outside "the norm" is presumed to take something away from white people， when instead those changes would benefit nearly all of us。 It is not news that the United States has repeatedly turned its back on changes that would materially benefit the vast majority of Americans。 What is new is McGhee's ability to show us through data and anecdote how these bad choices are linked our country's foundational flaw of white supremacy。On the topic of healthcare， and housing policy （anyone recall the Great Recession？）， in the decline of unions， in growing anti-democratic sentiment， and even in pollution and climate change， Ms。 McGhee methodically shows that the "reason we can't have nice things" is （again and again and again） because of the corrosive effects of racist ideas and how fear of loss of power and privilege lead white politicians and voters to opt for policies that harm themselves over gains that would lift up all of us。 And in a tour de force final chapter， she provides us with examples of how we could make things better。There is no simple formula; and there are powerful and wealthy forces who have benefited from using the lever of racism to pit white people against Black and brown people。 Still， in clarifying some of the roots of the problem， and underlining that the solution is within our reach， if we can simply work together to achieve those "nice things，" Heather McGhee has done us all a true service。 。。。more
Sylvia Johnson
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