The Sum of Us audiobook cover - What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

The Sum of Us

What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

Heather McGhee

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The Sum of Us
The Zero-Sum Lie+
The Cost to Public Goods+
The Threat to Democracy+
Weakening Labor & Unions+
Climate Change Inaction+
The Harm of Segregation+
Targeted Solutions & Solidarity+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9
What is the 'zero-sum paradigm' described in the book?
  • A. The belief that economic growth must be balanced by environmental conservation.
  • B. The idea that gains made by Black people come at a direct cost to white people.
  • C. The political strategy of balancing the federal budget by cutting social services.
  • D. The psychological phenomenon where voters refuse to support any political compromise.
Question 2 of 9
Why were public swimming pools in places like Montgomery, Alabama, filled with dirt in the 1950s?
  • A. City budgets were drastically cut due to an economic recession.
  • B. The land was sold to private real estate developers to build luxury housing.
  • C. Health concerns over the spread of polio led to nationwide pool closures.
  • D. Officials chose to destroy the public pool system entirely rather than desegregate it.
Question 3 of 9
How did policies like redlining affect the benefits of the New Deal?
  • A. They systematically excluded Black Americans from accessing state-subsidized mortgages and building wealth.
  • B. They ensured that public programs were distributed equally among all income levels.
  • C. They restricted environmental protections to wealthy, predominantly white neighborhoods.
  • D. They forced conservative politicians to adopt more progressive economic policies in the South.
Question 4 of 9
What does the book suggest is a modern-day equivalent of historical voter suppression tactics like poll taxes?
  • A. Requiring voters to pass a civics test before participating in federal elections.
  • B. Allowing gun permits as valid voter ID while rejecting college student IDs.
  • C. Transitioning all voting to mail-in ballots to confuse elderly voters.
  • D. Charging a small administrative fee to register to vote online.
Question 5 of 9
Why did white workers at the Nissan plant in Canton, Mississippi, vote against forming a union?
  • A. They were satisfied with the existing minimum wage and healthcare benefits.
  • B. They believed union dues would bankrupt the company and cost them their jobs.
  • C. They feared that equalizing working conditions would cost them the preferential treatment they received over Black workers.
  • D. They were promised significant stock options by management if they rejected the union.
Question 6 of 9
According to the text, what is the relationship between racial resentment and climate change?
  • A. People who express racial resentment are much more likely to be climate change denialists.
  • B. Climate change policies are generally supported equally across all racial demographics.
  • C. Racial resentment has led to the overfunding of green energy initiatives in white neighborhoods.
  • D. Climate change activists often use racial resentment to recruit conservative voters.
Question 7 of 9
Aside from escaping police oppression, how does racial segregation actually harm white communities, according to the book?
  • A. It forces white communities to pay significantly higher federal income taxes.
  • B. It isolates white children, depriving them of cultural competency and better critical thinking skills.
  • C. It prevents white families from accessing the benefits of the Homestead Act.
  • D. It causes white neighborhoods to become the primary locations for industrial 'sacrifice zones.'
Question 8 of 9
Why does the author argue against 'color blind' policies when trying to fix structural racism?
  • A. They are unconstitutional under the Fifteenth Amendment.
  • B. They tend to be overly complicated and difficult to implement at the state level.
  • C. They often end up privileging the already wealthy rather than redressing specific historical harms.
  • D. They alienate multiracial activist groups who prefer to focus solely on class issues.
Question 9 of 9
What does the story of Lewiston, Maine, illustrate about the 'solidarity dividend'?
  • A. That integrating communities and welcoming immigrants can revitalize struggling local economies.
  • B. That paying reparations directly to minority groups stimulates national economic growth.
  • C. That corporate tax cuts are necessary to bring overseas factory jobs back to the US.
  • D. That strict zoning laws protect the property values of long-term residents.

The Sum of Us — Full Chapter Overview

The Sum of Us Summary & Overview

The Sum of Us (2021) is a searing analysis of how white supremacy has devastated the American middle class. Public services have been decimated, millions of Americans have no healthcare, and lobbyists control political decision-making. But white Americans keep voting for politicians who make things worse while blaming immigrants and people of color for the nation’s problems. Only by tackling racism head-on can we begin to fight for economic equality for all Americans.

Who Should Listen to The Sum of Us?

  • White people wanting to educate themselves about the real costs of racism
  • Activists looking for inspiration about how to create powerful multiracial coalitions
  • Anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of US history and how it affects politics today

About the Author: Heather McGhee

Heather McGhee is the former president of Demos – a think tank focusing on inequality. She’s helped to draft legislation, testified before Congress, and advised presidential candidates. She’s also a regular contributor to news programs like NBC’s Meet the Press, and the chair of Color of Change, the nation’s largest online organization devoted to racial justice.

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