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The End of Racism: Finding Values in an Age of Technoaffluence
The End of Racism by Dinesh D'Souza is a comprehensive inquiry into the history, nature and meaning of racism.
D'Souza's work examines how there is little agreement about what racism is, where it comes from and whether it can ever be eliminated. This book explore these questions while raising some controversial issues of its own.
D'Souza's work examines how there is little agreement about what racism is, where it comes from and whether it can ever be eliminated. This book explore these questions while raising some controversial issues of its own.
756 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1995
20 people are currently reading
777 people want to read
About the author
Dinesh D'Souza
53 books901 followersDinesh D’Souza is a political commentator, bestselling author, filmmaker and a former policy analyst in the Reagan White House, Dinesh D'Souza graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1983. He served as John M. Olin Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and the Robert and Karen Rishwain Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. D'Souza writes primarily about Christianity, patriotism and American politics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 3, 2008
Although Dinesh D'Souza is born of Indian parents, he's thoroughly White.
You might think the "End of Racism" would be a book about how society is changing in a direction that will ultimately lead to the end of racism, or something similar to W.J.Wilson's "Declining Significance of Race", but the only racism which D'Souza is interested in ending is affirmative action and societal consideration of race. D'Souza argues that outside of a fringe of skinheads, White racism is already a thing of the past. News to me given various conversations I've had over the years in which fellow Whites, apparently thinking I was with them, shared openly racial sentiments with me, often in public settings!
D'Souza is Banfield and Moynihan redux, arguing that the "real" problem facing the Black community is "dysfunctional culture" and a "lack of civilization". The guy actually writes of single-parent families as "illegitimacy" and the "bastardization of the Black community". He suggests that Black employment problems are largely a result of young Blacks being uninterested in working and lacking important work "skills" such as "obedience to authority" [sic].
D'Souza complete rejects the existence of institutional discrimination, defines racism as a belief in racial superiority/inferiority, and chooses extreme examples of Black public figures to represent Black culture as a way of depicting Blacks as counter-cultural! The book is itself blatant anti-Black racism! D'Souza suggests that numerous types of White discrimination against Blacks are, in his words "rational discrimination", which should not be considered racist. He believes that American society is based on "merit", a belief he references inumerable times, and that science is extra-cultural, factual, and an absolutely desirable goal. He seems to have no problem finding examples to debunk Afrocentric views of history, but breezingly dismisses the parallel critique of the atrocities of European history glossed over by Eurocentrism, no doubt because as he sees it European-American civilization is functionally superior to that of African-American civilization.
He believes Whites would be disinclined to discriminate against Blacks because the "free market" economy would penalize such behavior [sic], but feels that it is morally appropriate that all private individuals should be given the freedom to discriminate how they may wish, by repealing the Civil Rights Act.
I found several logical fallacies in the book, often in the form of assuming two possibilities as exhaustive options, showing how the one was false, and thereby assuming that the other must be the case.
A book that makes me reconsider my general opposition to book burning.
You might think the "End of Racism" would be a book about how society is changing in a direction that will ultimately lead to the end of racism, or something similar to W.J.Wilson's "Declining Significance of Race", but the only racism which D'Souza is interested in ending is affirmative action and societal consideration of race. D'Souza argues that outside of a fringe of skinheads, White racism is already a thing of the past. News to me given various conversations I've had over the years in which fellow Whites, apparently thinking I was with them, shared openly racial sentiments with me, often in public settings!
D'Souza is Banfield and Moynihan redux, arguing that the "real" problem facing the Black community is "dysfunctional culture" and a "lack of civilization". The guy actually writes of single-parent families as "illegitimacy" and the "bastardization of the Black community". He suggests that Black employment problems are largely a result of young Blacks being uninterested in working and lacking important work "skills" such as "obedience to authority" [sic].
D'Souza complete rejects the existence of institutional discrimination, defines racism as a belief in racial superiority/inferiority, and chooses extreme examples of Black public figures to represent Black culture as a way of depicting Blacks as counter-cultural! The book is itself blatant anti-Black racism! D'Souza suggests that numerous types of White discrimination against Blacks are, in his words "rational discrimination", which should not be considered racist. He believes that American society is based on "merit", a belief he references inumerable times, and that science is extra-cultural, factual, and an absolutely desirable goal. He seems to have no problem finding examples to debunk Afrocentric views of history, but breezingly dismisses the parallel critique of the atrocities of European history glossed over by Eurocentrism, no doubt because as he sees it European-American civilization is functionally superior to that of African-American civilization.
He believes Whites would be disinclined to discriminate against Blacks because the "free market" economy would penalize such behavior [sic], but feels that it is morally appropriate that all private individuals should be given the freedom to discriminate how they may wish, by repealing the Civil Rights Act.
I found several logical fallacies in the book, often in the form of assuming two possibilities as exhaustive options, showing how the one was false, and thereby assuming that the other must be the case.
A book that makes me reconsider my general opposition to book burning.
October 17, 2009
I stumbled upon this book almost by accident, and I'm absolutely furious that I went through 19 years of education and never even heard of it. Reading this was a better education than three sociology classes and a minor in history. Think of what I could have saved on credit hours!
In all seriousness, this book is worldview-altering. Everyone of every political persuasion and racial background should be reading this, and it should reshape the national dialogue on race. Since the book was written in the 1990's it's apparently not going to do that, but maybe with the current obsession with all things racial, this will come back to the forefront. We could certainly use some new ideas rather than rehashing the same old ones.
Some of D'Souza's analysis is a little dated; at one point he mentions "the recent Oklahoma City bombing." Obviously things have changed a lot since then, and I would be interested to hear what his take on current events would be. But that doesn't affect probably 95% of the book, or his overall conclusions. A huge section of the book is the "how did we get here from there," and of course history doesn't change, no matter how much sometimes we try to rewrite it.
D'Souza did a very fair job of looking at a variety of viewpoints and picking out the best points from each one. Rather than just dismissing an author or a theory as garbage (which some of them were, sorry), he would point out what was positive or at least understandable about their work. An author might be quoted approvingly in one section and with reservations somewhere else, which showed a willingness to take the best of all thought together rather than to cater to certain sects.
It took me almost three weeks to read this, not just because it was huge (700+ pages, but only 550 in text, the rest in notes), but because it was intense. I would read a few pages, 5-10 if I was lucky, and then have to put the book down to think about what I'd just read and process it for awhile. D'Souza has probably forgotten more than I will ever know, and so even when he's explaining things step by step I still have to mull it over for awhile. There aren't any easy answers, and D'Souza doesn't pretend there are, but at least he provides the framework for a dialogue that can move beyond what we're stuck in now.
In all seriousness, this book is worldview-altering. Everyone of every political persuasion and racial background should be reading this, and it should reshape the national dialogue on race. Since the book was written in the 1990's it's apparently not going to do that, but maybe with the current obsession with all things racial, this will come back to the forefront. We could certainly use some new ideas rather than rehashing the same old ones.
Some of D'Souza's analysis is a little dated; at one point he mentions "the recent Oklahoma City bombing." Obviously things have changed a lot since then, and I would be interested to hear what his take on current events would be. But that doesn't affect probably 95% of the book, or his overall conclusions. A huge section of the book is the "how did we get here from there," and of course history doesn't change, no matter how much sometimes we try to rewrite it.
D'Souza did a very fair job of looking at a variety of viewpoints and picking out the best points from each one. Rather than just dismissing an author or a theory as garbage (which some of them were, sorry), he would point out what was positive or at least understandable about their work. An author might be quoted approvingly in one section and with reservations somewhere else, which showed a willingness to take the best of all thought together rather than to cater to certain sects.
It took me almost three weeks to read this, not just because it was huge (700+ pages, but only 550 in text, the rest in notes), but because it was intense. I would read a few pages, 5-10 if I was lucky, and then have to put the book down to think about what I'd just read and process it for awhile. D'Souza has probably forgotten more than I will ever know, and so even when he's explaining things step by step I still have to mull it over for awhile. There aren't any easy answers, and D'Souza doesn't pretend there are, but at least he provides the framework for a dialogue that can move beyond what we're stuck in now.
April 6, 2013
The premise of this book has been proven, some ten years later, by the fact that Barack Obama has been elected primarily by white people. D'Souza correctly identifies true racism as the irrational hatred of an entire race of people. D'Souza provides ample support for his claims with copious footnotes and references to the outcomes of recent sociological studies. He found that only about 1% of the population harbors this kind of hatred. Most people engage in what he calls rational discrimination, which is based on real life experience of various ethnic groups. For example, you might not want to give a loan to a Chicano male who shows an unusually large income, is self-employed as a gardener, wears grills on his teeth, an Oakland Raider's jacket and a black baseball cap. This man might appear shady because there is a large population of Chicano males who are involved in gangs. The reality, however, might be that the man has a brother who is a wealthy talent agent and wants to buy his brother a home in his brother's own name. The man might be denied a loan because of rational discrimination simply because his profile fits that of a very real group of ne'er-do-wells. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would mischaracterize that situation as racism when that was not the real issue when it came to the denial of a loan. It's unjust, but it's understandable. And of course there need to be ways that people can discern the good from the evil, but it's not always possible or expedient.
The book makes it clear that minority leaders, even though racism is rare, continue to vilify innocent people as racists so as to continue the very lucrative and influential business of racial politics. The fact is, however, that many minorities are being demoralized by their leaders who promote misleading descriptions of racist America where a person of color can never get an even break, an illusive atmosphere that breeds paranoia, hopelessness and despair in those who are crippled by this view of the world around them. When someone who lives in this atmosphere does experience an actual racist, that event becomes projected on an entire race of people making of the victim a paranoid racist himself. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. The real problem in America is no longer racism, but the politics of racism which is working effectively to keep people in bondage to their ghettos and to the minority leaders who want to keep them there. The claims of this book are still being played out in the verifiably false depiction of Trayvon Martin as just an innocent teenager who was "murdered in cold blood" by "a racist." These kinds of misrepresentations by minority leaders keep the people they claim to defend from experiencing the new freedoms that are available to this generation of minorities, opportunities that D'Souza also backs up with research and statistics. This book should be a breath of fresh air for minorities and a cause for celebration.
The book makes it clear that minority leaders, even though racism is rare, continue to vilify innocent people as racists so as to continue the very lucrative and influential business of racial politics. The fact is, however, that many minorities are being demoralized by their leaders who promote misleading descriptions of racist America where a person of color can never get an even break, an illusive atmosphere that breeds paranoia, hopelessness and despair in those who are crippled by this view of the world around them. When someone who lives in this atmosphere does experience an actual racist, that event becomes projected on an entire race of people making of the victim a paranoid racist himself. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. The real problem in America is no longer racism, but the politics of racism which is working effectively to keep people in bondage to their ghettos and to the minority leaders who want to keep them there. The claims of this book are still being played out in the verifiably false depiction of Trayvon Martin as just an innocent teenager who was "murdered in cold blood" by "a racist." These kinds of misrepresentations by minority leaders keep the people they claim to defend from experiencing the new freedoms that are available to this generation of minorities, opportunities that D'Souza also backs up with research and statistics. This book should be a breath of fresh air for minorities and a cause for celebration.
July 22, 2008
poorly researched nonsense designed to convince white people that there is no racism in america
July 24, 2015
Je. Sus. Christ.
September 27, 2022
D'Souza says he can write on the topic of racism in America because he himself is an ethnic minority. Any white person who wrote the exact same information would immediately be condemned a racist. It's unfortunate that the free exchange of ideas and the progress that such exchange can bring are preemptively shut down by claims of racism. Additionally, repeated, spurious claims of racism are like crying wolf and can drown out genuine episodes.
The focus of the book is specifically on African Americans. For numerous reasons, not the least of which is the history of slavery and genuine racism in this country, this particular ethnic group has not assimilated into American society to the same degree as others. The thesis is this: some attitudes and behavior were perfectly understandable and justified under immoral systems of slavery and genuine, irrational prejudice; but, those same attitudes and behavior have since become obsolete and unjustified as slavery and irrational prejudice have been widely eradicated. Whereas it made sense to steal and withhold one's best efforts from a slave owner, it does not make sense to resist requests for effort from teachers or employers. In fact, by withholding one's best efforts in school and in the job market, young blacks are merely harming themselves and their own future prospects and inadvertently giving employers justified reasons for discriminating.
D'Souza lays out the numbers on crime, economic status, education, and the history of race relations in the United States. He is against affirmative action and "race-baiters" or people who make their living by stirring up racial controversies. He ultimately argues that discrimination is not itself a dirty word or negative concept. People discriminate all the time for perfectly valid reasons: price, appearance, perceived quality, reputation, personal experience, etc. Rational discrimination based on limited information is not ignorance. Rather, it is the complete opposite. It is a necessary and appropriate method to successfully navigate a world in which people must actually behave and make decisions with imperfect information. Do all people with tattoos, disheveled clothes, and loud mouths start fights or cause trouble? Of course not. But more of them do than clean-cut people in business suits.
D'Souza says that cab drivers who refuse to pick up blacks who aren't well-dressed is not racism. Rather, it's a rational response to the fact that blacks commit a disproportionate amount of crime. He notes that black cab drivers are among the most "racist" or discriminating in terms of not picking up certain subsets of people because these drivers are exposed to the reality of the situation, know the facts, and are less concerned with political correctness than their own safety. He also points out that skin color is just one of several factors or proxies people use to make decisions.
A policy such as affirmative action, where A compensates B for harm done by C against D, only exacerbates the problem. People who would otherwise have no cause for anger or backlash suddenly develop one. The problems with affirmative action are countless and the shifting justifications or apologies for this system merit little attention. Suffice it to say that racial progress can never be made and racial strife can never end under such a flagrantly racist system that focuses so much attention on uncontrollable factors like skin color.
D'Souza argues that the end of racism will only come about once laws like affirmative action, media sensationalism, genuine racists, and race-baiters stop separating and dividing Americans. He further argues that maladjusted behaviors must cease, everyone must take responsibilities for his own actions, and notions of political correctness will never overcome stark reality. Discrimination will end only when people have no reason to discriminate.
The focus of the book is specifically on African Americans. For numerous reasons, not the least of which is the history of slavery and genuine racism in this country, this particular ethnic group has not assimilated into American society to the same degree as others. The thesis is this: some attitudes and behavior were perfectly understandable and justified under immoral systems of slavery and genuine, irrational prejudice; but, those same attitudes and behavior have since become obsolete and unjustified as slavery and irrational prejudice have been widely eradicated. Whereas it made sense to steal and withhold one's best efforts from a slave owner, it does not make sense to resist requests for effort from teachers or employers. In fact, by withholding one's best efforts in school and in the job market, young blacks are merely harming themselves and their own future prospects and inadvertently giving employers justified reasons for discriminating.
D'Souza lays out the numbers on crime, economic status, education, and the history of race relations in the United States. He is against affirmative action and "race-baiters" or people who make their living by stirring up racial controversies. He ultimately argues that discrimination is not itself a dirty word or negative concept. People discriminate all the time for perfectly valid reasons: price, appearance, perceived quality, reputation, personal experience, etc. Rational discrimination based on limited information is not ignorance. Rather, it is the complete opposite. It is a necessary and appropriate method to successfully navigate a world in which people must actually behave and make decisions with imperfect information. Do all people with tattoos, disheveled clothes, and loud mouths start fights or cause trouble? Of course not. But more of them do than clean-cut people in business suits.
D'Souza says that cab drivers who refuse to pick up blacks who aren't well-dressed is not racism. Rather, it's a rational response to the fact that blacks commit a disproportionate amount of crime. He notes that black cab drivers are among the most "racist" or discriminating in terms of not picking up certain subsets of people because these drivers are exposed to the reality of the situation, know the facts, and are less concerned with political correctness than their own safety. He also points out that skin color is just one of several factors or proxies people use to make decisions.
A policy such as affirmative action, where A compensates B for harm done by C against D, only exacerbates the problem. People who would otherwise have no cause for anger or backlash suddenly develop one. The problems with affirmative action are countless and the shifting justifications or apologies for this system merit little attention. Suffice it to say that racial progress can never be made and racial strife can never end under such a flagrantly racist system that focuses so much attention on uncontrollable factors like skin color.
D'Souza argues that the end of racism will only come about once laws like affirmative action, media sensationalism, genuine racists, and race-baiters stop separating and dividing Americans. He further argues that maladjusted behaviors must cease, everyone must take responsibilities for his own actions, and notions of political correctness will never overcome stark reality. Discrimination will end only when people have no reason to discriminate.
January 30, 2017
The possibility of having truthful, cogent, and diplomatic discussions on race relations in the public arena in America is not great. Mr. D'Souza's own race (Indian) helps to diffuse some of the black versus white arguments and he takes long looks at the history of race, its vices in evil hearts, and chronicles the very word racism. He comes to find much of the history of racism and of slavery has been revised and takes a machete to the thicket of mistruths and lies. His conclusions will shock you, upset you, make you think, and have you nodding your head. As you can imagine there was a backlash to his book, from the Right as well as the Left. Conservative voices such as Robert Woodson and Glenn Loury debated (and sometimes demeaned him) in public. A quote from the Left: "The End of Racism is wrong, dead wrong, on almost every topic it discusses and the explanations it offers. Yet it is an entrancing book, and I could not put it down. If I found myself arguing with every sentence, that shows how Dinesh D'Souza compels his readers to reassess their own assumptions." (Andrew Hacker) It will definitely challenge yours.
November 12, 2008
D'Souza writes from the unique persective of an immigrant to the US from India, where his family endured severe race related problems under European colonialism. He also writes, "In the U.S. I am no stranger to xenophobia, prejudice, and discrimination" (p vii). The book well written, extensively and immpressibly researched, and very enlightening. You WILL learn a ton from reading this.
March 22, 2008
One of only 2 or 3 of the hundreds of books I own that I would consider throwing away.
April 30, 2010
Very good book, will make you think. Highly recommend.
April 30, 2008
A very lengthy tome on the modern and historical aspects of racism, including slavery, reparations, racial profiling and civil rights. Although the author espouses quite controversial ideas and conclusions, he does so without being radical or alarmist in tone. I enjoyed this very much. It made me think.
July 6, 2012
The information and ideas do make you think. A reader has to read ALL of the passages, not parts, or ideas will be taken out of context and the author will be (has been already) viewed very critically.
May 27, 2012
This book was brutal. If I hadn't read AMERICA IN BLACK AND WHITE, I probably would have fainted reading this depiction of racism. Blew me away. A very informative read.
November 19, 2014
I read this book a little over two years ago so my review of this book will not be as detailed as others.
When I started reading this book I did not know who Dinesh D'souza was which I think helped me finish the book.
I was disappointed at how narrow he was in laying out the problem of racism. He believes that he has broaden the scope of the debate with this book, however he merely pushes his agenda, which I feel is not sufficient to take on the complex problem of racism. Especially if you want to bring about the end of racism.
This book tries to tackle the issue of racism against black people in U.S. His main message to solve racism is telling black people to change! Like telling a victim of a crime "well, don't walk through a street at night by yourself if you don't want to get robbed!" This is conforming to the status quo, which is a racist society.
Another problem is that he covers black society as one, generalising it the way racism does. Which make his solutions part of the problem and that is why I reject them!
In conclusion I felt like this book was narrow and superficial and pushing an agenda from the author, who's is exactly what you don't want when tackling a difficult and complex issue such as racism.
On a positive note he was easy to read and also at some points made a few good reflections but nothing weighty!
Hope this helps!
When I started reading this book I did not know who Dinesh D'souza was which I think helped me finish the book.
I was disappointed at how narrow he was in laying out the problem of racism. He believes that he has broaden the scope of the debate with this book, however he merely pushes his agenda, which I feel is not sufficient to take on the complex problem of racism. Especially if you want to bring about the end of racism.
This book tries to tackle the issue of racism against black people in U.S. His main message to solve racism is telling black people to change! Like telling a victim of a crime "well, don't walk through a street at night by yourself if you don't want to get robbed!" This is conforming to the status quo, which is a racist society.
Another problem is that he covers black society as one, generalising it the way racism does. Which make his solutions part of the problem and that is why I reject them!
In conclusion I felt like this book was narrow and superficial and pushing an agenda from the author, who's is exactly what you don't want when tackling a difficult and complex issue such as racism.
On a positive note he was easy to read and also at some points made a few good reflections but nothing weighty!
Hope this helps!
March 29, 2017
I enjoyed this book very much. D'Souza was, admittedly, preaching to the choir in many of his assertions, but nevertheless it is a thought-provoking read. I started in May, for crying out loud, and it took me this long to finish--it is definitely a "needs to be digested" read.
December 8, 2021
D’Sousa’s 724 page tome, (including 143 pages of footnotes) which was written back in 1995, represents to me, from my mere sampling of it, a fairly accurate depiction of how most Americans viewed racism at the time. As an Indian immigrant and naturalized US citizen, he showed a remarkably tolerant view of other minorities and seemed to believe that most of our racial prejudices were behind us - with only one or two minor exceptions. One of those was the group he called the black “under-class” who he believed needed to simply and magically boot-strap themselves somehow into prosperity.
I never managed to navigate all the shoals and reefs of this seemingly impressive volume - for its sheer weight raised my suspicion of overkill - but my conclusion from its preface and ending and a sampling of the middle, points me toward a recommendation that any remaining D’Sousa disciples of today try to balance their understanding of racism’s actual demise with some Robin D’Angelo and “White Fragility.”
I never managed to navigate all the shoals and reefs of this seemingly impressive volume - for its sheer weight raised my suspicion of overkill - but my conclusion from its preface and ending and a sampling of the middle, points me toward a recommendation that any remaining D’Sousa disciples of today try to balance their understanding of racism’s actual demise with some Robin D’Angelo and “White Fragility.”
December 14, 2020
This book could have been written today. Instead, it was written in the 90's. I wish that it could be updated. I do not always agree with D'Souza, however, this book was well researched and well written. It will help dispel some of the narratives surrounding race. Recommended.
January 12, 2020
Added review of a book I read in 1996 but decided needed to be reviewed. So it is a bit of then and a bit of now... And a recognition of how things are not so different than they have been, sadly.
Unfortunately there are People of Color who support racist ideologies. Unfortunately there are People of Color who then publish books that bemoan other People of Color for failing in a racist system. Then these same People of Color have their books used by racists to promote the idea that "racism is no longer a problem", People of Color are the problem! Seemingly. Huh, never realized the institutionalized racism inherently obvious in every system of the US wasn't the problem. Seems I was mistaken. I call this "The Abe Lincoln Syndrome". You see if one person, living in a log cabin, can eventually become president of the USofA, can't we all succeed if we just try hard enough? That is the lie of those who claim racism is over, that laws have ended racism, that laws protect People of Color from racism. They neglect to think about simple things like if we "ended slavery" in 1863, why did it take Black People another century to attain the right to vote???
Yeah, I could go on, but it would just get me angrier and more depressed. Racism is alive and kicking, and as much as plenty of it became institutionalized and less visible, it has grown new wings in our current times and Trump has normalized it to a point I wonder if we as a people are willing to do the work to end its power. White People are very afraid, and their fear has manifested itself in "the war(s) on terror", the burgeoning prison-industrial complex, groups like Evropa and Proud Boys, state assassinations, "state police life" under the DHS and INS, global capitalism and the demonization of the poor, heteronormative White conservatism under the guise of patriotism, democracy, and family values... Ugh.
Avoid this book, unless you use it to start a conflagration to undermine and/or destroy systems of hate and oppression.
Unfortunately there are People of Color who support racist ideologies. Unfortunately there are People of Color who then publish books that bemoan other People of Color for failing in a racist system. Then these same People of Color have their books used by racists to promote the idea that "racism is no longer a problem", People of Color are the problem! Seemingly. Huh, never realized the institutionalized racism inherently obvious in every system of the US wasn't the problem. Seems I was mistaken. I call this "The Abe Lincoln Syndrome". You see if one person, living in a log cabin, can eventually become president of the USofA, can't we all succeed if we just try hard enough? That is the lie of those who claim racism is over, that laws have ended racism, that laws protect People of Color from racism. They neglect to think about simple things like if we "ended slavery" in 1863, why did it take Black People another century to attain the right to vote???
Yeah, I could go on, but it would just get me angrier and more depressed. Racism is alive and kicking, and as much as plenty of it became institutionalized and less visible, it has grown new wings in our current times and Trump has normalized it to a point I wonder if we as a people are willing to do the work to end its power. White People are very afraid, and their fear has manifested itself in "the war(s) on terror", the burgeoning prison-industrial complex, groups like Evropa and Proud Boys, state assassinations, "state police life" under the DHS and INS, global capitalism and the demonization of the poor, heteronormative White conservatism under the guise of patriotism, democracy, and family values... Ugh.
Avoid this book, unless you use it to start a conflagration to undermine and/or destroy systems of hate and oppression.
June 6, 2021
I knew a lot about US race relations and race history in general, but this book taught me a lot more. Surprising given the author is some Christian conservative.
April 5, 2008
D'Souza presents a complex, thought provoking and eloquent analysis of the history and pathology of racism in the United States. No one will agree with all of his arguments and observations, and some will disagree profoundly with many of them, but his willingness to speak on aspects of the American social fabric that are often considered taboo helps to separate myths and half-truths from reality and helps frames the debate on race and justice at a level beyond prevailing assumptions.
September 11, 2016
I am often refer to this wonderfully insightful examination of racism in American culture. Written from a conservative bent, many non-conservatives have discovered the nuggets of truth in this book. The pervasive nature of racism is laid out and dissected here. Racism is a socio-cultural disease that never stops, shrinks or completely disappears. Hence, this book will always remain relevant. This remains one of the best intellectual books on the this dark topic.
September 8, 2018
Not as bad as Anne Coulter, but still sucks.
February 11, 2015
A hopeful look at the issue of race in America
February 7, 2024
The main point of this book is that most of our basic assumptions about racism and civil rights are either wrong or obsolete. Slavery was extensively practiced by virtually all societies so slavery was neither distinctly Western nor racist. What IS distinctly Western is the abolition of slavery. Throughout history, slavery had very few defenders because it had very few critics. The American South was unique among slave societies in that it had a PRO-slavery ideology. This is because slavery was under assault to a degree unrivaled anywhere else in history. MLK emphasized one serious problem (racial discrimination) while ignoring another equally serious problem (cultural deficiencies) which inhibit black competitiveness. Thus, equal rights could not, and did not, produce equality of results. Consequently, many liberals invoke the inequality of results to prove that white racism continues unabated. When, in actuality, the main contemporary obstacle facing blacks are destructive cultural patterns of behavior: conspiratorial paranoia about racism, the breakdown of the family, normalization of illegitimacy, resisting academic achievement (“acting white”), celebrating the outlaw as authentically black, excess reliance on government, and dependency.
An interesting part of the book described the life of a slave and the author quickly learned that, when it comes to slavery, good news is not welcome. While terrible things did happen, and happened often, American slaves were treated as expensive property, which is to say, pretty well. Masters often hired Irishmen for dangerous work. The life expectancy of slaves was only slightly lower than their masters. Slaves diet, health, and shelter were slightly better than Northern industrial workers, and far better than most of the world.
Racism must NOT be confused with Ethnocentrism. Racism is based on Biological characteristics. Ethnocentrism is based on one’s own group: common history, nationality, religion, shared traditions, and geographical proximity. The Chinese don’t discriminate based on race; they believe they are superior to everyone. Ethnocentrism is universal. All human communities are self-centered, culturally narcissistic, and regard strangers with caution, if not aggression. Being African American is BOTH a race AND a culture.
Social Justice warriors’ new paradigm is based on Cultural Relativism. No group can be considered superior or inferior. Any attempts to attribute intrinsic qualities to groups reflect “ignorance and hatred”. This often requires one to ignore: Witchcraft, honor killings, etc. Ironically, people who tolerate offensive aspects of other cultures often harshly criticize American culture. Therefore, holding Americans to a higher standard seems to imply superiority. Put differently, they seem to exhibit the silent racism of diminished expectations.
An interesting part of the book described the life of a slave and the author quickly learned that, when it comes to slavery, good news is not welcome. While terrible things did happen, and happened often, American slaves were treated as expensive property, which is to say, pretty well. Masters often hired Irishmen for dangerous work. The life expectancy of slaves was only slightly lower than their masters. Slaves diet, health, and shelter were slightly better than Northern industrial workers, and far better than most of the world.
Racism must NOT be confused with Ethnocentrism. Racism is based on Biological characteristics. Ethnocentrism is based on one’s own group: common history, nationality, religion, shared traditions, and geographical proximity. The Chinese don’t discriminate based on race; they believe they are superior to everyone. Ethnocentrism is universal. All human communities are self-centered, culturally narcissistic, and regard strangers with caution, if not aggression. Being African American is BOTH a race AND a culture.
Social Justice warriors’ new paradigm is based on Cultural Relativism. No group can be considered superior or inferior. Any attempts to attribute intrinsic qualities to groups reflect “ignorance and hatred”. This often requires one to ignore: Witchcraft, honor killings, etc. Ironically, people who tolerate offensive aspects of other cultures often harshly criticize American culture. Therefore, holding Americans to a higher standard seems to imply superiority. Put differently, they seem to exhibit the silent racism of diminished expectations.
August 24, 2024
That racism, defined as one who holds his race superior to all others, isn't really the point D'Souza makes in this book. Rather, D'Souza submits that racism is a theme, a tool, used by those set to destroy Western Civilization. The underlying issue propelling racism in America is Franz Boas' theory of relativism...the notion that no culture is superior to or can claim absolute moral worthiness over other cultures. A German immigrant, an educator and author Boas, known as the Father of American Anthropology. From his professorship at Columbia, he lectured that America, a culture embedded in Western Civilization, was in no way superior to any other culture.
One of his student's, Margeret Mead, validated Boaz's philosophy during her on a year long study in Samoa. She became famous as a result of her study which validated Boaz's theory which then became de rigueur in the field of anthropology. That Mead 'discoveries' were later debunked gained no traction as the die was cast. Relativism's 'truth' has never been shattered and it found a home in discussions of race in America.
D'Souza argues to understand the political and social issues tied to race in America, one must understand the seeds for these issues were germinated by Franz Boaz and his relativist acolytes. For relativists, the goal isn't to rid racism in America but rather to use racism to fuel the effort to undermine and destroy Western Civilization in American and elsewhere. Never mind the contribution Western Civilization has made to the world in areas of - health, industry, engineering, technology, education, governance and never mind that embedded within Western Civilization is the freedom to criticize it.
One of his student's, Margeret Mead, validated Boaz's philosophy during her on a year long study in Samoa. She became famous as a result of her study which validated Boaz's theory which then became de rigueur in the field of anthropology. That Mead 'discoveries' were later debunked gained no traction as the die was cast. Relativism's 'truth' has never been shattered and it found a home in discussions of race in America.
D'Souza argues to understand the political and social issues tied to race in America, one must understand the seeds for these issues were germinated by Franz Boaz and his relativist acolytes. For relativists, the goal isn't to rid racism in America but rather to use racism to fuel the effort to undermine and destroy Western Civilization in American and elsewhere. Never mind the contribution Western Civilization has made to the world in areas of - health, industry, engineering, technology, education, governance and never mind that embedded within Western Civilization is the freedom to criticize it.
August 19, 2018
"This is an important book addressing a complex modern problem. Dinesh D'Souza has gone into great detail with an in depth and well documented study on the issues of Race and Racism in America, how we got here and where we are going. This book should be required reading in schools and colleges to inspire a more informed and productive discussion of these issues."
April 3, 2019
An astonishingly deep, meticulously honest, and courageous work, The End of Racism was published in 1995. I wish had read it sooner.
June 26, 2018
Terrible quality of writing
January 25, 2025
Facinating read. So rare to have someone unafraid to say what we think deep in our brains.
February 10, 2016
Surprisingly good; though disappointing in the sense that D'Souza only consider black-white relations, he takes a refreshing neutral stance on important identity-related issues. Though he spends a fair amount of the book looking at typical 'white-racism' and 'black-rage' issues, he goes beyond it by criticizing both white liberals as well as black civil rights groups. An update is in dire need, given that this book was written in the mid-1990s and the US now has an African-American president, it remains surprisingly pertinent.
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