Isabel’s Kindle Notes & Highlights

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson

In the American caste system, the signal of rank is what we call race, the division of humans on the basis of their appearance. In America, race is the primary tool and the visible decoy, the front man, for caste.

Every caste system uses a means of determining rank in its hierarchy -- religion, language, color, place of origin or other, often immutable, characteristics. As Americans, we're accustomed to race as the primary means of division, the historic basis for establishing rank in the hierarchy. Here, I'm describing the interplay between the phenomena of caste and race in our society. How is one used in the service of the other?

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26 Feb 21 · Flag

Bryant Evans

Race is the "primary means of division" but not the only one. I think that's the point. Others surely suffer but today, it is people of color who suffer most.

05 Mar 21 · Flag

Angela Wood

Caste is everywhere. In the beginning only men who owned land could vote. 6% of the population voted for George Washington. Sufferage timeline I feel is a good example to your question