--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I confront the question of whether DEI…" description: "\"“I confront the question of whether DEI initiatives are divisive and ineffective. The answer is yes on both counts, but not for the narratives propagat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/louis-yako-20010_diversity-and-inclus_i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-i_1507335.jpg" --- # I confront the question of whether DEI initiatives are… ![“I confront the question of whether DEI initiatives are divisive and ineffective. The answer is yes on both counts, but not for the narratives propagated by the American ruling class of oligarchs. Rather, we should consider how DEI initiatives have worked just enough to keep the status quo intact…” quote by Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/louis-yako-20010_diversity-and-inclus_i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-i_1507335.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/louis-yako-20010_diversity-and-inclus_i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-i_1507335.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/louis-yako-20010_diversity-and-inclus_i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-i_1507335.jpg) > ““I confront the question of whether DEI initiatives are divisive and ineffective. The answer is yes on both counts, but not for the narratives propagated by the American ruling class of oligarchs. Rather, we should consider how DEI initiatives have worked just enough to keep the status quo intact for those at the top, while planting the seeds of division between a significant percentage of marginalized and impoverished white people and every other marginalized and impoverished group in the U.S. and beyond. \[From "Understanding the DEI Dismantlement” published on Counterpunch on January 31, 2025\]”” [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues DEI programs are deliberately designed to preserve elite power by creating division among marginalized groups while appearing progressive. **In simple terms:** DEI is seen as a tool for elite control, not genuine inclusion. Key Takeaway Question elite motives behind DEI and seek authentic equity. Themes power inequality politics social control Mood skeptical critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - activist critique - policy analysis - community organizing Key Concepts elite strategy divide and rule systemic preservation Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports or refutes the claim of intentional division? - How can equity be pursued without reinforcing hierarchies? A Different Perspective DEI may also produce genuine inclusion benefits for some groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diversity-and-inclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity-and-inclusion/) [Diversity-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity-quotes/) [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Equity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equity/) [Equity-and-inclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equity-and-inclusion/) [Planting The Seed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planting-the-seed/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism in america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-in-america/) [Ruling class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruling-class/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [“In the end, we are left with this painful conundrum: we only need DEI initiatives because we don’t truly have a society that values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/in-the-end-we-are-left-with-this-painful-conundrum-we-only-need-dei/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“We hear how diversity and equity are about lowering standards or doing away with them altogether. If DEI initiatives do the work they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/we-hear-how-diversity-and-equity-are-about-lowering-standards-or/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“Many people have asked me recently what I make of all the workplaces who were so quick to roll back on their DEI practices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/many-people-have-asked-me-recently-what-i-make-of-all-the-workplaces/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“It's clear to me that if we raise children with no moral compass, we are planting the seeds of our own destruction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/it-s-clear-to-me-that-if-we-raise-children-with-no-moral-compass-we/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [“Planting the seeds of future victory in present defeat is strategic brilliance of the highest order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/planting-the-seeds-of-future-victory-in-present-defeat-is-strategic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no way to re-enchant our lives in a disenchanted culture except by becoming renegades from that culture and planting the seeds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/there-is-no-way-to-re-enchant-our-lives-in-a-disenchanted-culture/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [No matter what your situation is, you can become a successful person today. You may not be able to reap the rewards yet, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/no-matter-what-your-situation-is-you-can-become-a-successful-person/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“If you're still hanging onto a dead dream of yesterday, laying flowers on its grave by the hour, you cannot be planting the seeds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-chapman/if-you-re-still-hanging-onto-a-dead-dream-of-yesterday-laying-flowers/) Joyce Chapman > [In the Church, when we talk about 'the world', we often create an us and them situation and end up planting the seeds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scott/in-the-church-when-we-talk-about-the-world-we-often-create-an-us-and/) [Steve Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scott/) ## More by Louis Yako > [ “\[Love Wasn’t as They Said\] Love wasn’t as they said… It didn’t last forever as they claimed… It is fleeting moments only recognized By… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/love-wasn-t-as-they-said-love-wasn-t-as-they-said-it-didn-t-last/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“It is not a secret that most American and Western institutions and workplaces are very much like mountains: the higher one climbs, the whiter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/it-is-not-a-secret-that-most-american-and-western-institutions-and/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“In the end, we are left with this painful conundrum: we only need DEI initiatives because we don’t truly have a society that values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/in-the-end-we-are-left-with-this-painful-conundrum-we-only-need-dei/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“Arabs & Garbage" Strange is the Arab story with garbage— who told them, who taught them to toss waste carelessly, wherever and however they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/arabs-garbage-strange-is-the-arab-story-with-garbage-who-told-them/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“The Triumph of Goodness" If only the reality was like cartoons like teenager books and stories or like the countless movies and soap operas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/the-triumph-of-goodness-if-only-the-reality-was-like-cartoons-like/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“Political correctness was never supposed to happen. Ever. The problem with politically correct language is already in the term itself: it corrects the language,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/political-correctness-was-never-supposed-to-happen-ever-the-problem/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“Oh, my friends, the first wish I have for the new year is to change the worn-out greeting: 'happy new year'. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/oh-my-friends-the-first-wish-i-have-for-the-new-year-is-to-change-the/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“Another dangerous neoliberal word circulating everywhere that is worth zooming in on is the word ‘resilience’. On the surface, I think many people won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/another-dangerous-neoliberal-word-circulating-everywhere-that-is/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“The first problem with the word “diversity” is the word itself. Who is diverse in relation to whom? The way diversity is often framed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/the-first-problem-with-the-word-diversity-is-the-word-itself-who-is/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“You’re crying because you think I’m going to a better place I’m crying because I think I’m leaving to a place Better than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/you-re-crying-because-you-think-i-m-going-to-a-better-place-i-m/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“Yesterday I learned that hours are nothing but bodies We kill upon confronting, Or perhaps they are the ones That backstab us as soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/yesterday-i-learned-that-hours-are-nothing-but-bodies-we-kill-upon/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“I found Baghdad, like most big cities in the world: big, exciting, interesting, rich, poor, hot, cold, restless, sleepless, and cruel at one and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/i-found-baghdad-like-most-big-cities-in-the-world-big-exciting/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“We hear how diversity and equity are about lowering standards or doing away with them altogether. If DEI initiatives do the work they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/we-hear-how-diversity-and-equity-are-about-lowering-standards-or/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“It is more important to look holistically at the root of why anyone would want to avoid work so badly that they’d game the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/it-is-more-important-to-look-holistically-at-the-root-of-why-anyone/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“We are creating a world in which what nourishes the soul rarely makes people employable, and what makes them employable often crushes the soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/we-are-creating-a-world-in-which-what-nourishes-the-soul-rarely-makes/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) [Explore all 30 Louis Yako quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) ## More Diversity-and-inclusion quotes > [“When all are one sentience, Language withers and fades away. Let's sit together and speak in silence, Let's be light to each other's way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-all-are-one-sentience-language-withers-and-fades-away-let-s-sit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Women of color are called on to fix the racial disparities in their companies, and it's a huge and exhausting undertaking, especially because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-wesley-wilson/women-of-color-are-called-on-to-fix-the-racial-disparities-in-their/) Lauren Wesley Wilson > [“It is not a secret that most American and Western institutions and workplaces are very much like mountains: the higher one climbs, the whiter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/it-is-not-a-secret-that-most-american-and-western-institutions-and/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“In the end, we are left with this painful conundrum: we only need DEI initiatives because we don’t truly have a society that values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/in-the-end-we-are-left-with-this-painful-conundrum-we-only-need-dei/) [Louis Yako](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/) > [“Only truth in the cosmos is love, All else is but lie. Life's only truth is love, All else is but death in disguise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/only-truth-in-the-cosmos-is-love-all-else-is-but-lie-life-s-only/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“One small step towards a language is one giant leap towards inclusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/one-small-step-towards-a-language-is-one-giant-leap-towards-inclusion/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“We think we are in conscious control and are making our own decisions when, in actuality, we aren’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-taylor/we-think-we-are-in-conscious-control-and-are-making-our-own-decisions/) [Sara Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-taylor/) > [“Every human greeting is an act of peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/every-human-greeting-is-an-act-of-peace/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The Sapiens Experiment (A Sonnet) If knowledge is power, Love is superpower. If curiosity is a gift, Compassion is a trove of treasure. More…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-sapiens-experiment-a-sonnet-if-knowledge-is-power-love-is/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Equality applies the same rules and advantages to all in an attempt to treat everyone fairly. While used with the best of intentions, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-taylor/equality-applies-the-same-rules-and-advantages-to-all-in-an-attempt/) [Sara Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-taylor/) > [“Human and hate cannot coexist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/human-and-hate-cannot-coexist/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Champion inclusivity, honor differences and seek diverse perspectives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/champion-inclusivity-honor-differences-and-seek-diverse-perspectives/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“BL series play an important role in creating a space where people feel they're not alone. Seeing characters on screen who reflect your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noeul-nuttarat-tangwai/bl-series-play-an-important-role-in-creating-a-space-where-people/) [Noeul Nuttarat Tangwai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noeul-nuttarat-tangwai/) > [“Dead Men's Tale (The Sonnet) They say, time and tide wait for none, Lest the bird learns it can fly. The best way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/dead-men-s-tale-the-sonnet-they-say-time-and-tide-wait-for-none-lest/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“My dad once said that he doesn't care if I bring home a son-in-law or daughter-in-law, as long as I'm happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noeul-nuttarat-tangwai/my-dad-once-said-that-he-doesn-t-care-if-i-bring-home-a-son-in-law-or/) [Noeul Nuttarat Tangwai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noeul-nuttarat-tangwai/) [Browse all 60 Diversity-and-inclusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity-and-inclusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I confront the question of whether DEI initiatives are divisive and ineffective. The answer is yes on both counts, but not for the narratives propagated by the American ruling class of oligarchs. Rather, we should consider how DEI initiatives have worked just enough to keep the status quo intact for those at the top, while planting the seeds of division between a significant percentage of marginalized and impoverished white people and every other marginalized and impoverished group in the U.S. and beyond. [From \"Understanding the DEI Dismantlement” published on Counterpunch on January 31, 2025]”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis Yako" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-initiatives-are-divisive-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Diversity-and-inclusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-initiatives-are-divisive-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/louis-yako-20010_diversity-and-inclus_i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-i_1507335.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/louis-yako-20010_diversity-and-inclus_i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-i_1507335.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/louis-yako-20010_diversity-and-inclus_i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-i_1507335.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I confront the question of whether DEI initiatives are divisive and ineffective. The answer is yes on both…” — Louis Yako", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Louis Yako", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-yako/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I confront the question of whether...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-initiatives-are-divisive-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-yako/i-confront-the-question-of-whether-dei-initiatives-are-divisive-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```