It’s a little ironic that I’m here as a mediocre White man commenting on a book about the failings of the group of which I’m a part. Consider it an exercise in self-identification through reading. Ijeoma Oluo’s book Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America essentially offers an overview how catering to the mediocrity of White men in America has led to disastrous consequences for everyone else and that all of the problems we face are actually the system working according to design.
The book starts off with an engaging, and somewhat surprising description of cowboys in early America. The discourse is rooted firmly in a critique of colonialism that walks through the way that American men took charge through violence, though not through any superiority in ideas of governance. There’s a compelling account of how White men failed to engage in authentic understanding with America’s Indigenous people and Black populations, which led to offensive, reductive depictions of these cultural “Others”, which then justified widespread genocidal practices (like killing off the buffalo to ensure that food sources for Indigenous people dried up). It isn’t where I expected the book to start, and giving that angle was a refreshing way of setting the groundwork for a work of cultural studies.
The second chapter also offers a really interesting perspective about the way White men co-opt social justice movements and take the glory for themselves and the third chapter depicts how White men systematically discredit and dismantle the education system because it benefits the population that is not White men. Incidentally, Oluo points out how even the Republicans who talk about how “woke” colleges are ruining America still send their children to the most prestigious schools they can. Oluo, though, also dismantles the notion that Leftists and Liberals are smarter than their right-wing counterparts and how that mindset is demeaning, replicating our existing biases rather than moving us forward. It’s not a matter of intelligence or education. It’s a matter of empathy.
In this regard, it’s pretty interesting and controversial to take a look at one of Oluo’s key case studies. Donald Trump is an easy target. He’s mediocre in every sense. What’s most interesting to me, though, is the way that people who otherwise would have been Bernie Sanders voters moved over to Trump out of spite. They were people who wanted somebody—anybody—to shake things up, regardless of politics. At the same time, White men were still not willing to vote for a “shrill” woman (Hillary Clinton) or a woman of colour (claiming that Democrats make “too much” of race—and therefore lose). Oluo points out that Sanders’ accomplishments in the realm of social justice are still not truly representative of constituents and that he, along with other politicians, get credit for socially progressive stances while people of colour who offer the same policies are criticized for them. It’s a complex issue to navigate.
A more straightforward example of White male mediocrity crushing social justice movements is in the case of Colin Kaepernick and other football players who knelt during the national anthem. The White owners of football teams—including college teams—took measures to ensure that protest was not possible without repercussion. For instance, at the college football level, students could be removed from the team and school for one instance of protest and the inordinate fines on players and teams offered financial disincentives to speaking truth to power. I found the entire chapter really compelling in its account of injustice.
Perhaps of all the specific examples, what stands out most to me is actually something from an early chapter. Oluo writes about how White men are allowed to be mediocre because their actions require no risk. Myself included: I could, theoretically, write something passable and get attention. Meanwhile, poc and women have to “take bigger swings” in order to make an impact. I find that idea so interesting: the idea of lack of risk leading to mediocrity could be productively explored in so many realms.
Oluo’s text is a clear, informed argument against the continued leadership of mediocre White men. I suspect that it will ruffle a number of feathers (in the same way her book So You Want To Talk About Race? would ruffle some feathers). For that reason alone it’s worth reading. It’s challenging. It will force you to confront some difficult truths in American history and contemporary society—or, if you’re not a White man, it will affirm what you already know and provide you with the language to confront the institutions that are harming you.
This review might not be that great. It is an act of generosity to have sticking with me so long.
Happy reading!
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