If you’ve been following the writing career of Ken
Wytsma, you’ll note that he’s been tackling such lightweight subjects as the
pursuit of Justice and the practical nature of paradox. All kidding aside,
Wytsma brings a warmth and intelligence to his material that is both accessible
and respectable at the same time. Falling down on either side is not good, so
this is important. A book that errs on being too accessible often dumbs down
research and salient points. A book that errs on respectability can become
laborious and too narrow. And this is especially important in his newest book
entitled The Myth of Equality.
Immediately, the word ‘equality’ needs to be set in
context and in a world super charged with angry tweets and social media rants,
a book that tackles subjects like white privilege, equality, racial tension,
and power structures must be both accessible and respectable. After all, this
is what we all want in adult conversations about serious subjects and let me
say from the start that this is the best way to read this book. I don’t think
books on justice or equality accomplish much in an era overloaded with blog
posts and web based information. My initial comment on Wytsma’s new book is
that this should be read with another person or in a small group. In fact, I
think it’s hard to grow in this subject area without allowing someone else to
ask questions of you in real time and over a period of time
And I am giving away the most impactful undercurrent in
Wytsma’s book. He frames it this way in chapter eleven: “Listening isn’t just
about content but also about whose voice carries it.” Listening, then, is more
than information and involves context and involves language, tone, non-verbal
communication, and culture. Later on, Wytsma talks about the “texture to truth
that comes from experiencing something directly,” and there is about a three
hour coffee shop conversation that could stem from those two ideas alone.
The beginning of the book is an effort to set “white
privilege” in a historical context and it’s an overview that references Downton
Abbey, aristocracy, and European influence quite a bit. While this is important
and to be commended, I felt like this overview in the first few chapters fought
against the experiential aspects described in later chapters. For this reason,
I feel Wytsma, like his book Pursuing
Justice is writing an introduction to a subject that deserves further
treatment.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday last year, I read Bryan
Stephenson’s powerful book Just Mercy
and I was glad to see Wytsma also highly recommend it. Stephenson’s book also
gets the point across, but in the experiential, direct, and textured way that
seems more focused and fervent.
Let me be clear. I think The Myth of Equality is clear-headed, accessible, respectable, and
an important contribution to a discussion that is textured and layered with
historical context rich in individual and collective nuances. At twelve
chapters, Wytsma’s book is approachable and readable. What happens, though, if
Wytsma’s subject gets the narrative voice of Stephenson’s Just Mercy?
In the end, this is an introduction to not only a subject
that carries weight and baggage, but also a posture that carries the burden of
listening and learning. Shame is the enemy of authentic relationship, so Wytsma
is right to tread carefully through this topic. If you’re willing to have an
adult discussion, Ken Wytsma could be a helpful guide and the world could use a
few more adult conversations about things that matter.
(Royalties from sales of this book will go to helping leaders of color get published through
The VOICES Project. )
