The resurgence of eugenics on the American right
In recent times, the pseudoscience of eugenics has experienced a resurgence among the American right. In a remarkable revelation, Richard Hanania, an academic and Substack writer known as “Richard Hoste,” was exposed by HuffPost reporter Christopher Mathias for his writings supporting white supremacism, advocating for the sterilization of individuals with a low IQ, promoting the deportation of non-white migrants, and expressing misogynistic views. Hanania’s shift from such extreme views to his current position is questionable, evidenced by his controversial statement on Twitter regarding the Black district attorney of Manhattan.
While it’s understandable that Hanania would prefer to present himself as a mainstream intellectual rather than a controversial figure, it’s puzzling that some of his allies readily accepted his apology or turned a blind eye to his past. Hanania’s beliefs, characterized by genetic determinism, resonate with wealthy individuals in Silicon Valley, as evidenced by the blurbs on his upcoming book.
Examining Hanania’s response, it becomes apparent that his ideological project is revealed in his attempt to frame the conflict as a liberal aversion to acknowledging statistical differences between races. However, recognizing such differences is not a contentious idea on the left; in fact, it is integral to the egalitarianism that Hanania opposes. His vague repudiation of his previous beliefs serves as a facade to uphold his mainstream credibility.
One plausible explanation for the resurgence of scientific racism is the financial support it receives. Unknown benefactors have funneled significant amounts of money into a think tank run by Hanania, indicating a direct connection between wealth and the promotion of such ideas. These scientific racists seek an unassailable explanation for their social and economic status, reflecting a historical trend among the rich and powerful.
The concept of race as a social reality has engendered enduring disparities in education, wealth, and other indicators. Contemporary believers in racial pseudoscience attribute these disparities to genetics, aligning with 18th-century folk categories that solidified racial hierarchies. However, this perspective amounts to little more than astrology for racists.
Race is not a biological category but a sociopolitical one. Geneticists have consistently debunked the claims of race scientists, but the latter maintain their relevance by framing objections as liberal censorship. By doing so, they exploit the inability of most people to differentiate between pseudoscience and actual scientific evidence, leveraging political sympathies to propagate their falsehoods.
The resurgence of eugenics is closely tied to three key political developments: the election of Barack Obama, the rise of Bernie Sanders, and the election of Donald Trump. These events have triggered emotional and ideological responses, creating a justificatory framework for contemporary racial and economic hierarchies. Such theories provide a defense for existing power structures and a common enemy to rally against, ultimately perpetuating bigotry masquerading as ideology.
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