With the recent Supreme Court decision on the Affirmative Action, I wanted to learn a bit more about Affirmative Action, so played with ChatGPT to learn more about the topic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/07/opinion/affirmative-action-harvard-unc.html
Simple explanation about Affirmative Action
Let's say you're playing a board game with your friends. All of your friends have been playing this game for a long time, and they have a lot of practice, but you're just learning. So, they're naturally going to be better than you at first.
Now imagine that the rules of the game are changed so that you get a little bit of a head start or some extra help. The goal isn't to make it unfair for your friends, but to make it more fair for you since you didn't have the same chance to practice and get good at the game.
That's kind of like how affirmative action works. Some people, because of their race or where they come from, haven't had the same chances in education or jobs as others. Affirmative action is a way to try and balance things out a bit. It's a way to give those people who haven't had the same opportunities a bit of a "head start" or some extra help.
It's a bit more complicated than that, of course, and not everyone agrees that it's the best way to make things fair. But that's the basic idea.
Now imagine that the rules of the game are changed so that you get a little bit of a head start or some extra help. The goal isn't to make it unfair for your friends, but to make it more fair for you since you didn't have the same chance to practice and get good at the game.
That's kind of like how affirmative action works. Some people, because of their race or where they come from, haven't had the same chances in education or jobs as others. Affirmative action is a way to try and balance things out a bit. It's a way to give those people who haven't had the same opportunities a bit of a "head start" or some extra help.
It's a bit more complicated than that, of course, and not everyone agrees that it's the best way to make things fair. But that's the basic idea.
Who really benefit from Affirmative Action?
It is deisnged to benefit groups that have been historically disadvanged or discriminated against.
Racial and ethnic minorities: In many countries, including the United States, affirmative action policies have been implemented to help racial and ethnic minorities like African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans who have historically faced discrimination.
Women: Affirmative action also often benefits women. Despite making up around half the population, women have been underrepresented in many fields, particularly in leadership positions and in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
People with disabilities: Some affirmative action policies aim to increase opportunities for people with disabilities, who often face barriers to education and employment.
Other marginalized groups: Depending on the country and its specific history and demographics, affirmative action may be used to benefit other groups that have faced discrimination, like religious or sexual minorities.
Affirmative action isn't just about education and employment, either. It can also be used to increase representation in other areas, like government. For example, some countries have quotas requiring a certain percentage of politicians to be women, to ensure that women are adequately represented in decision-making processes.
The specifics of who benefits from affirmative action can vary widely depending on the specific policies in place, as well as the country and its specific history and context.
Women: Affirmative action also often benefits women. Despite making up around half the population, women have been underrepresented in many fields, particularly in leadership positions and in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
People with disabilities: Some affirmative action policies aim to increase opportunities for people with disabilities, who often face barriers to education and employment.
Other marginalized groups: Depending on the country and its specific history and demographics, affirmative action may be used to benefit other groups that have faced discrimination, like religious or sexual minorities.
Affirmative action isn't just about education and employment, either. It can also be used to increase representation in other areas, like government. For example, some countries have quotas requiring a certain percentage of politicians to be women, to ensure that women are adequately represented in decision-making processes.
The specifics of who benefits from affirmative action can vary widely depending on the specific policies in place, as well as the country and its specific history and context.
Asian students, in general, do not benefit from Affirmative Action. However, it could potentially benefit these underrepresented Asian communities like Hmong, Laotian, and Cambodian Americans.
Counter arguments against Affirmative Action:
Reverse discrimination: Some argue that affirmative action, by giving preferential treatment to certain groups, discriminates against other groups. For instance, critics claim that it's unfair for an individual to face a disadvantage in college admissions or job applications because of their race, even if their racial or ethnic group has historically been advantaged.
Meritocracy: Critics may argue that decisions should be based solely on individual merit, rather than taking into account an individual's race or other group membership. They argue that affirmative action undermines the principles of meritocracy.
Stigma and Stereotyping: There's a concern that affirmative action could lead to stigma or negative stereotyping. Individuals who benefit from affirmative action might be seen as less competent or less deserving, even when that isn't the case.
Focusing on symptoms, not causes: Some critics argue that affirmative action focuses on the symptoms of inequality (like disparities in education or employment), rather than the root causes (like poverty, lack of access to quality education, etc.). They believe that efforts should be focused on addressing these root causes instead.
It's a Band-Aid, not a solution: Critics often argue that affirmative action doesn't solve the deeper problems of systemic racism and sexism. They might say it's a quick, surface-level fix that doesn't lead to real, lasting change.
Meritocracy: Critics may argue that decisions should be based solely on individual merit, rather than taking into account an individual's race or other group membership. They argue that affirmative action undermines the principles of meritocracy.
Stigma and Stereotyping: There's a concern that affirmative action could lead to stigma or negative stereotyping. Individuals who benefit from affirmative action might be seen as less competent or less deserving, even when that isn't the case.
Focusing on symptoms, not causes: Some critics argue that affirmative action focuses on the symptoms of inequality (like disparities in education or employment), rather than the root causes (like poverty, lack of access to quality education, etc.). They believe that efforts should be focused on addressing these root causes instead.
It's a Band-Aid, not a solution: Critics often argue that affirmative action doesn't solve the deeper problems of systemic racism and sexism. They might say it's a quick, surface-level fix that doesn't lead to real, lasting change.