Is Math Racist?

I suggested to the Wizard that he comment on this in his 'ask me anything' show on youtube.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/info/announcements/33008-wizard-on-livestream/56/#post797681

Knowing that a direct answer would be delving into politics, I attempted to structure a question that wouldn't be so political. However, in the show Michael dismissed the idea of addressing this in any way. Assuming he read my post past the first couple of sentences, then I will say that he gave the answer, that this is purely a political question that cannot be distilled down into anything else ... so per Michael this is at least nonsense undeserving of comment no matter how the question is posed. 

You must know what I think. You can vote.

Will anyone say otherwise? Here is a video to help give you some help. Especially interesting spots in this video are at 7:55, 10:30, 13:40, 18:00, 24:44, 33:50, 41:42 ... I was unable to watch past this even though I was watching at double speed, sound off, using closed caption. 

OMG, what would it be like to be a student today?

7:55

"...Since we're operating with a, sort of, more nuanced definition of, 'racism.'"

This pretty much sets up our jumping off point right here for this entire thing. In general, I'm a fan of nuance, but using it as a catch-all term is tantamount to simply saying that, "Racism is whatever the hell we want to declare as racist."

"Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture in Mathematics":

---Perfectionism

-That's right, math is perfectionistic and that's because, in math, a solution to a problem (or the way you try to solve the problem) is either right or wrong. If you approach a problem the wrong way, then you will get the wrong answer. Unlike the concept of racism, which is often subjective anyway, math is generally an objective pursuit with objective rights and wrongs.

"Only One Right Way"

-That's not even true, it just depends on the problem. There are various mathematical methods that can often be used to arrive at the same answer to a mathematical question. As a result, this 'point,' is immediately nonsensical. Depending on what needs to be solved, there may only be one right answer but there are generally multiple ways of getting to that answer---especially when it comes to higher level math.

"Paternalism...those with power think they are capable of making decisions in the interest of those without power."

-What the hell does that mean in the context of math?

"Either/Or Thinking...as opposed to to the both/and thinking which essentially results in trying to simplify complex things."

-This is literally what math is supposed to do. You take a complex equation and you try to simplify it to a solution. Of course there is either/or thinking, because with the majority of mathematical problems, an answer is either correct or it is incorrect. Approaches to a question can also be correct or incorrect, but again, that doesn't mean that there cannot be multiple correct approaches.

If correct and incorrect are too strong of words for some, then they can use valid or invalid. Just like a logical process can result in a conclusion that is either valid or invalid, but doesn't necessarily have to be right or wrong.

"Objectivity...the belief that there is such a thing as being objective is white supremacy culture."

What?

I mean, even if math was not strictly objective, at a minimum, it still requires accepting certain things as true in order to function.

13:40

"I will not entertain counterexamples to racism in the mathematical sciences..because the fact that we're calling it a counter-example is probably racist."

And, with that, I am done with this video. You clearly have more patience than I do.

If someone is going to purport to educate me about something and is unwilling to present both sides of a position, then that person either sucks as an educator, or is an otherwise decent educator who has one particularly sucky lesson. That's especially true when the educator is attempting to provide a lesson on a concept that is foreign, novel and goes against beliefs that have already been generally accepted.

In fact, a good lesson (since we're clearly talking about an underlying matter of opinion anyway) would necessarily provide counterexamples and then demonstrate why those counterexamples are erroneous. In a sense, that would be attacking strawmen, (because we don't know what someone actually debating against her might say) but even attacking strawmen is better than stating, right off the bat, that you're going to disregard the opposite side of a position completely.

Not ONLY does she say she's going to disregard the other side of the argument completely, but she also derides any possible counterposition as, "Probably racist." By extension, she's saying that if you attempt to argue against her points at all, then you are probably making a racist counterargument. That's a nice little cocoon she's set up for herself there...but I thought that creating areas of comfort was also racist? I'm so confused.

Math racist????????????
WTF
Never used both words in the same sentence
Is the Blues racist - who knows, Black performers, white audience, interesting dynamic
Are the Royals racist - maybe
Is the Royal institution that employs thousands racist - absolutely
Does Candace Owens understand the racist one drop of black blood rule

Quote: terapined

Does Candace Owens understand the racist one drop of black blood rule

It seems to me the Left is now grasping on to that one drop rule, it would be disaster for them otherwise. Just as an example, they wouldn't be able to give so much money to Black farmers, too many would disqualify from being not, say, 55% Black or more.

Quote: Mission146

What the hell does that mean in the context of math?

She is trying to say the way it is *taught* is racist, the kind of distinction I was thinking the Wizard could discuss, but that idea was dismissed. Yeah, I'm a little disappointed with him, either math is right up your alley or it isnt, seems to me

Quote: odiousgambit

It seems to me the Left is now grasping on to that one drop rule, it would be disaster for them otherwise. Just as an example, they wouldn't be able to give so much money to Black farmers, too many would disqualify from being not, say, 55% Black or more.

The one drop of black blood rule is dumb and stupid
There is no Black blood
Its all red :-)

Quote: odiousgambit

She is trying to say the way it is *taught* is racist, the kind of distinction I was thinking the Wizard could discuss, but that idea was dismissed. Yeah, I'm a little disappointed with him, either math is right up your alley or it isnt, seems to me

Well, if the people who already know and understand math are, "Those with power," and the ones who don't are, "Those without power," then it stands to reason that, "Those with power," would be able to make a decision (how to attempt to try to teach the math) to "Those without power."

And, if, "Those without power," feel it's not being taught to them in a way they can grasp...perhaps they should just get a different teacher or a tutor who might try it with a different approach.

I know I'm going way out on a limb here, but I'm going to say that, in order to teach math---you must first know math.

Quote: Mission146

I know I'm going way out on a limb here, but I'm going to say that, in order to teach math---you must first know math.

They keep changing the way they teach it to worse results. When I was i1st grade the adults were talking about how I was learning "new math" whatever that was. In high school we had a sub in a smaller class who was chatting with us and I asked about it. She said that my new math was "2 or 3 'new maths' ago."

But they seem to keep missing the basics. The best way to know fast calculations is to know long division. It is impossible to know that if you do not memorize your times tables. But we have teachers crying that "we are just teaching memorization!" and some new "new math" is invented so the kids do not have to do boring times tables memorization.

I miss the abacus
When I visited Taiwan long long long time ago
They were everywhere
I was mesmerized by them

Quote: AZDuffman

They keep changing the way they teach it to worse results. When I was i1st grade the adults were talking about how I was learning "new math" whatever that was. In high school we had a sub in a smaller class who was chatting with us and I asked about it. She said that my new math was "2 or 3 'new maths' ago."

But they seem to keep missing the basics. The best way to know fast calculations is to know long division. It is impossible to know that if you do not memorize your times tables. But we have teachers crying that "we are just teaching memorization!" and some new "new math" is invented so the kids do not have to do boring times tables memorization.

I can do reasonable long division in my head and learned basic math by way of, "Base ten," which is a method that I like for teaching math.

Wizard has even commented that I'm one of the more adept people that's he's seen when it comes to doing math mentally and I tend to think it should be just as easy for anyone else as it is for me, provided they practice. There are all kinds of fun things that math can do for you.

One of my favorites is to be able to look at the fuel gauge, determine how many gallons of gas I would need to, "Top off," or at least fill the bar...have a Fuel Perks discount on gas, subtract that from the price per gallon, multiply by the number of gallons needed, make other purchases and then ask for an amount in gas that results in the total being a whole dollar amount whilst still being enough to get the bar on the gauge to be completely full without going over and having to go in for change.

All mentally, of course. That's fun! How can anybody not think that's fun?