Why Forrest Should Intentionally Read more Diverse Authors and less White Males

My more formal response to Forrest, a white male who reads mostly white male authors.

Writing is a profession of super privilege. You need lots of time to do nothing productive for yourself, family, or society while you sit to finish a book, plus all that time sitting getting good enough to make money off that finished book. Before I get off topic, equality isn't my main point. The perspectives that diverse authors offer is why Forrest should read less white males.

I cannot speak from experience, but women and people of color experience the world differently than white males. Everyone experiences racism or sexism differently. Women, people of color, and or minorities are shaped by these experiences. It affects the way they learn and understand science, data, philosophy, history, and or economics.

These experiences might make diverse authors more likely to questions certain ideas. Ideas that white males, readers and authors, wouldn't or might be less likely to consider. They may see history, experiments, relationships, etc pointing to other findings or conclusions. They have a unique or unlikely hypothesis that could end up being useful to a field of study. I'm getting more towards research, but you get the point. The way different people see and experience the world affects their learning and writing.

Diverse voices offer insights that white males cannot or may not.

It is important for white males to read more diverse authors, but diverse readers also need to read diverse authors. Diverse readers will be able to connect more with authors who share closer

experiences and cultural backgrounds. So it is important for everyone to read diverse authors.

Here is the best selling books of 2019 for nonfiction paperbacks. It is a lot more diverse than I expected. So that is good

Back to Forrest, Forrest mostly, over 90%, reads white males. It partly has to do with his interests. Which have far fewer options for non white male authors. So what should he do?

I'll admit that biology affects people and personality, so disparities in author's sex for certain topics could be biological. How much? Who knows because society and culture influences us too. I will admit that biological factors could influence different sexes to be more or less interested in fields of studies and therefore less women authors in some topics. Otherwise, there is no reason why other races wouldn't be interested other than culture. So culture is obviously the major blame in the imbalance of diverse authors Forrest wants to read.

So what should Forrest read?

Forrest should read more diverse authors even if he ignores or delays books he wants to read. I have two more anecdotal reasons.

Ann Morgan decided to read a book from every country in one year and it changed her life, She gave a TED Talk. Here is her reading list and what she did. Watch her TED Talk or check out her website. It is a very cool story.

I had a similar experience, but no where near as cool outcome. No TED Talk, no website, just a limited recommendations list and a blog post.

It started from an argument with a friend. I claimed my friend was closed minded because he only read white male Christian authors. After calling him out, I compiled a list of all the books I recently read. To my surprise, I also had few woman, even less people of color, and overwhelmingly white males.

I was a student at the time, so I decided I wouldn't read or listen to any book by white males unless it was required for school. I kept this up for over a year. I gained a ton from this. First, I read books I wouldn't have and found perspectives and information I wouldn't have accessed otherwise. Like a book about sex; or a book about how animal diseases can teach us about human diseases; or a book about Russian women in WWII.

I found that most of my favorite novels were women writers. Women can write, understand, and create male characters better than men can women (I'd say a lot better). I'd say the same for race: people of color write/understand white people better than white people understand people of color.

Besides finding better fiction and new ideas, I started to understand women and other cultures more. This helped me understand and communicate with people in my life. And most important, I see the world more complete. I'm more likely to notice subtle sexism and racism. I'm more likely to call out friends, like Forrest, or my family when they say, "I'm not sexist, but...". I'm more likely to explain what feminism is. Or share a diverse perspective I read. I definitely advocate for people more, probably not enough, but more.

I still read white males, and I still seek out white male alternatives for no other reason then to mix it up. I still can do better. It is easy to find women. African American poetry and fiction is abundant. Social sciences aren't as bad either. Philosophy, economics, certain history topics, and hard sciences are more difficult.

If you want to study Alexander the Great (which I did), you have to read a lot of white men, but you can balance those white men with other genres or topics. Read about an Asian or African historical figure, or go read random historical fiction. 

Go buy or read a non white author you normally wouldn't buy or read!

“Alexander vs Diogenes”

With ambitions as a rider, Alexander the Great conquered more than his known world. He acquired more wealth and power than any man in Europe or Asia Minor. Being a student of Aristotle, Alexander thirsted for knowledge and wisdom to accompany his physical strength and military superiority. Alexander wanted to meet Diogenes, the notorious cynic philosopher. On a break from conquering, Alexander sent a servant and carriage to invite Diogenes for a talk.

Diogenes refused Alexander’s invitation. Rumors and speculation spread. Everyone in Alexander’s Kingdom, even Diogenes, knew of Alexander’s dispute of Cleitus the Black. Cleitus, a friend and general of Alexander’s, refused command over a second rate army and criticized Alexander for adopting Persian customs. The quarrel ended with Alexander throwing a javelin through Cleitus’ heart. When Alexander received the news, he mounted Bucephalus, his famed horse, and rode to Diogenes. A great crowd gathered to witness the altercation between the two great men. Many in the crowd expected Diogenes would suffer a similar fate as Cleitus.

Diogenes laid on the ground sunbathing. He wore rags. His last possession, a worn cup, he discarded after observing a child drinking water with her hands.

Alexander arrived and dismounted Bucephalus. The young, robust king stood over the old, feeble ascetic. Alexander was prepared to expose the cynic.

“Be joyful Master," Alexander said. Diogenes nodded politely.

"I wish to show a sign of my respect. I offer you anything you desire.”

“Anything?” Diogenes said.

“Anything you desire. I will have my servants deliver it promptly.”

“I have one desire.”

“Yes sir?”

“One thing you could do.”

Alexander nodded.

“Could you step to the side? You’re blocking the sunlight.”

The crowd burst, followed by immediate silence. The spectators awaited Alexander’s response. Alexander towered over Diogenes. Alexander’s plan to test the old cynic appeared to backfired. Instead, Diogenes put Alexander to the test. All Alexander’s wealth and power, the fruits of his intellect and ambition, amounted to nothing in this exchange. The weak, wise man possessing nothing possessed everything.

Alexander smiled and stepped aside. He said, “Were I not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes.”

“Were I not Diogenes, I would wish to be Alexander.”

The crowd was in awe. They admired each man’s ambition: one to achieve all his desires, and the other to desire nothing.

The men exchanged the proper pleasantries. As Alexander mounted Bucephalus, Diogenes called out, “For what do you desire?”

“To conquer all of Greece.”

“And then what?”

“To conquer Asia Minor.”

“And then what?”

“To conquer the world.”

“And then what?”

“And then... And then I would like to relax and sunbathe.”

The crowd erupted with laughter.

“Perhaps it might be easier to relax and sunbathe now.”

Both men returned to their ambitions. Alexander conquered and established one of the largest empires of ancient or modern history. Diogenes established a school of philosophy for living in virtue with nature.

The witnesses never forgot the day Alexander the Great met Diogenes. Later generations bragged about knowing someone present. Everyone who knew the story, remembered it with their own sway, recalling Alexander or Diogenes with more wit or wisdom, glorifying either the pursuit of wealth and power or the denunciation of possessions and titles.

Both men were, in the words of Homer, “Ever to be best and stand far above all others.”




The End