The Sum Of Us, which was written by Heather McGhee

Question

According to McGhee, the Zero-Sum Paradigm is a model that says that for one group to advance in society, another group has to sacrifice something. McGhee argues that this is NOT TRUE but rather a myth or story that gets told over and over in different ways, harming the majority of people in America. 

 

1. Explain what this version of the myth means and how it affects/affected people.
2. State how McGhee responds to the myth. That is, what does she write to try and convince the reader that the belief is false? What kinds of evidence does she use? (facts, statistics, historical research, interview data?) What does McGhee come to believe?
3. Explain how the myth relates to your own life or the lives of those in your own community. Have you noticed how this myth is harming the well-being of people in your community, either emotionally, physically or economically?

 

Reference:

https://kdocs.cn/l/sfkf7uELNsjs

 

https://youtu.be/eaCrsBtiYA4

https://kdocs.cn/l/sg333BaWwXZd

https://app.perusall.com/courses/college-reading-and-composition-32392-s67/preview-predict-and-intro?assignmentId=v8EjJRuPqpQtTatCe∂=1

https://1drv.ms/b/s!AsIQxR8rpq7RdJYpXbpG_qlTB14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phjygmo8Noo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZpse-90KTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKTgvwyDI8I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvPrzggbwjg

https://my.lwv.org/california/solano-county/article/sum-us-study-group-starts-february-16th

https://heathermcghee.com/

https://kdocs.cn/l/snsbkL4Apq9t

https://www.ted.com/talks/heather_c_mcghee_racism_has_a_cost_for_everyone

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/books/review-sum-of-us-heather-mcghee.html

https://artsfuse.org/239316/book-review-the-sum-of-us-why-we-are-divided/

https://theberkshireedge.com/book-review-the-sum-of-us-what-racism-costs-everyone-and-how-we-can-prosper-together/

https://www.enotes.com/topics/sum-of-us https://www.akpress.org/the-sum-of-us.html

https://www.wypr.org/show/midday/2021-08-24/heather-mcghees-the-sum-of-us-gauging-the-social-costs-of-racism

https://profilebooks.com/2021/03/24/announcing-nyt-bestseller-the-sum-of-us-by-heather-mcghee/

https://youtu.be/K1V2Iconi2U https://youtu.be/LB1VUdEbmKQ

https://www.c-span.org/video/?516936-3/washington-journal-heather-mcghee-discusses-book-the-sum-us

https://profilebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/wpallimport/files/PDFs/9781782839408_preview.pdf

http://findmedianow.com/book10.php?asin=B08XW6VYG8

https://heathermcghee.com/wpcontent/uploads/2021/02/McGHEE_TheSumOfUs_HC_DiscussionGuide_Final.pdf

https://best.shoopbook.com/?q=0525509569

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53231851-the-sum-of-us

https://www.enotes.com/topics/sum-of-us

https://community.macmillanlearning.com/t5/bits-blog/collaboration-and-heather-mcghee-s-the-sum-of-us/ba-p/14570

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o71KH9sr3bM https://time.com/6082663/heather-mcghee-race-america/

https://www.pushkin.fm/episode/the-zero-sum-myth-were-divided-were-conquered/

https://www.bostonchamber.com/our-impact/insights-blog/heather-mcghee-recap-1-1/

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/opinion/race-economy-inequality-civil-rights.html

https://www.eliseloehnen.com/episodes/heather-mcghee-how-to-end-zero-sum-thinking

https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/pulling-the-thread-with-elise-loehnen-60336/

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22301484/america-racism-the-sum-of-us-heather-mcghee

https://www.salon.com/2021/04/08/the-sum-of-us-author-on-what-racism-costs-white-people-and-the-lie-of-a-zero-sum-racial-hierarchy/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLm5j2ftu1Q

https://www.gendereconomy.org/heather-mcghee-on-the-sum-of-us-what-racism-costs-everyone-and-how-we-can-prosper-together/

https://www.emorybusiness.com/2021/11/04/what-is-zero-sum-thinking-students-faculty-and-staff-engage-in-tough-conversations-about-racism/

https://www.eliseloehnen.com/episodes/heather-mcghee-how-to-end-zero-sum-thinking

Answer 1

You’re going to have to do the hard work on your own. However, give a lot of thought to the concept that for one individual or group to succeed or benefit another individual or group must fail or suffer.

Do you believe this? Even if it is true, how is it harmful to adopt this as your philosophy? Do you have anecdotal evidence to support the theory or to deny it? What does the data say? Does the data all agree?