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A review by catapocalypse
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This is a great treatment of the ways white supremacy and patriarchy in America have built a stranglehold over many of our institutions, and the history of some of the most notable and notorious examples over the last couple centuries in particular. It's somewhere between a primer and a deep dive, whereas I felt <i>So You Want to Talk About Race</i> was more of a beginner's primer to the issues it covered. Though that could be since I knew much of the background on the other book's subject, whereas I learned a lot I didn't know with <i>Mediocre</i>.
Oluo touches on things like "Muscular Christianity" and its role in subjugating minority populations as well as creating the sport of American Football. She follows the messy path from the end of slavery to the Great Migration to struggles with integration (in neighborhoods, universities, the workplace, etc.) to the modern bitterness still retained by working class white men. She examines America's complicated relationship with women in the workplace. She even points out that it permeates all areas of society and politics, not just the white South or the GOP.
Ultimately she demonstrates how white male supremacy only survives on the oppression of everyone else, and yet still fails even many white men quite often.
Oluo touches on things like "Muscular Christianity" and its role in subjugating minority populations as well as creating the sport of American Football. She follows the messy path from the end of slavery to the Great Migration to struggles with integration (in neighborhoods, universities, the workplace, etc.) to the modern bitterness still retained by working class white men. She examines America's complicated relationship with women in the workplace. She even points out that it permeates all areas of society and politics, not just the white South or the GOP.
Ultimately she demonstrates how white male supremacy only survives on the oppression of everyone else, and yet still fails even many white men quite often.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Police brutality
Minor: Mass/school shootings