> It treats persons as merely means to an end, giving primacy to a statistic over the individuality of a human being

If you had told me even five years ago that this statement would actually be not just controversial but controversial enough to trigger a disinvitation I would have accused you of being a conspiracy theorist.

He said: "treating people as members of a group rather than as individuals" is bad.

Does anyone actually believe that it's better to treat someone as a member of a group instead of as an individual? Why is this controversial? Isn't treating someone as a member of a group the essence of racism?

Ironic that "we do not live in a meritocracy" is said by the same people advocating for DEI programs (which, as implemented currently in university admissions, are objectively anti-meritocratic).

I used to have some respect for MIT.

Everything to cause division among the populace. If you’re looking at the standpoints, you’re mistaking the player for the ball.

> the opinion piece, Abbot and professor Ivan Marinovic criticized diversity, equity and inclusion standards as "treating people as members of a group rather than as individuals, repeating the mistake that made possible the atrocities of the 20th century."

> "It treats persons as merely means to an end, giving primacy to a statistic over the individuality of a human being," they wrote in the opinion piece.

> His position over college diversity efforts sparked pushback from many academics on social media who said his rhetoric harms people of color in colleges and academia, some criticizing him for saying Nazi Germany also "drove scholars out" as "an ideological regime obsessed with race."

I don’t see how this view is so bad that it warrants cancelling a lecture. I could understand if he was saying hate speech. I can see why his view is misguided because he doesn’t understand that individual measurements like IQ are biased. But really? This seems more far-left than MIT.

Honestly if you really think his views are wrong you could try explaining to him. He seems like a decent person you can actually talk to.

Welcome groupthink. You are only allowed to teach assuming you don't hold your own views on things.