patrick.net

Reality says

So long as the admission standards are tilted, it's also reasonable for employers to assume that White and Asian graduates are more competent than Black graduates.

Yes!

I've always wondered if the very programs meant to help certain classes of people actually harm them more (in other ways).

Lets say an employer hires based purely on merit, and applies the same standards to hiring regardless of color. Now, lets say that they end up with 2.5% black, but they want to get to 5%, so they lower their standards slightly just for black people.

So, compared to the other employees who were hired based on an objective merit standard, 2.5% of the black employees aren't up to standard, and likely to under perform. I think this will lead to other employees seeing this under performance, and developing biases that blacks in general under perform (because, after all, that is truly their personal experience). These people then carry that negative bias with them for a period of time, maybe their whole life, and its breeds the "silent racist".

On the other hand, I think no/less bias would manifest if they stuck to pure merit, because then the employee experience's would have been "my black coworkers perform just as well".

I think this effect happens in software jobs with women - not a ton of female applicants, but employers seem to strive in the direction of hiring equal male / female numbers (although, they don't usually get quite that far). And, this lowered average competence negatively affects the women who are truly great.

I also think this effect happens in college due to race based admissions / affirmative action.

goat says

The concept & definition of white privilege has nothing to do with excuse making.

Okay, so what is it?

If Oprah runs for President, she can give everyone a car.

goat says

So, compared to the other employees who were hired based on an objective merit standard, 2.5% of the black employees aren't up to standard, and likely to under perform. I think this will lead to other employees seeing this under performance, and developing biases that blacks in general under perform (because, after all, that is truly their personal experience). These people then carry that negative bias with them for a period of time, maybe their whole life

This makes perfect sense in both directions (for Asians in other direction). Also, getting rid of an incompetent black female is impossible; incompetent white/Asian male is comparatively easy to fire. Which also makes one think if they should hire that female unless they are absolutely sure she is competent.