Podcast Summary: Kwame Anthony Appiah on the Complications of Identity

Podcast: The New Yorker Radio Hour
Host: David Remnick (WNYC Studios and The New Yorker)
Guest: Kwame Anthony Appiah
Date: September 11, 2018

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a thoughtful conversation with philosopher and NYU professor Kwame Anthony Appiah about the complexity and fluidity of identity. Drawing from his latest book, The Lies that Bind: Rethinking Identity, Appiah challenges prevailing notions about race, class, gender, and national identity, and suggests that our focus on group identities can both help and hinder human solidarity and societal progress. The discussion touches on Appiah’s personal background, the pitfalls and usefulness of identity politics, and the importance of universal values.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Appiah’s Personal Background and Family History (01:24–03:33)

• Appiah recounts his parents’ famous cross-cultural marriage (British mother, Ghanaian father), a union that garnered international attention and controversy.

  • His father, Joe Appiah, was a Ghanaian political leader and anti-colonial activist, connected to both traditional royalty and modern political movements.
  • His mother descended from prominent figures in British politics and the labor movement.

• The reaction to their marriage, especially in Britain, Ghana, and South Africa, was polarized and sometimes hostile, illustrating the persistence and power of identity categories.

  Notable Quote:
  “My mother got horrible letters mostly from white women around the empire and the world, telling her that she was letting the side down.”
  — Kwame Anthony Appiah [03:16]

2. Multiplicity and Fluidity of Identity (04:00–07:27)

• Appiah describes his personal identity as “an American citizen of Anglo-Ghanaian ancestry who’s gay,” highlighting that even seemingly straightforward identities are multilayered.

• He critiques the simplistic categorization of people (e.g., “white working class”), noting that everyone’s identity contains complexities that defy reductionist labels.

  Notable Quote:
  “If you’re trying to make a republic, we need to think about our fellow citizens, as it were, as they are. And what they are is complicated, not simple. And reducing them to anything, including a political identity, ... will get you in a mess.”
  — Appiah [05:32]

• Yet, he recognizes the pragmatic necessity of identity in mobilizing for social and economic reforms. For example, the creation of labor unions required workers to adopt a “working class” identity.

3. Identity, Politics, and Polarization in America (07:27–10:03)

• The episode examines the shifts in American political identity that enabled both Barack Obama’s and Donald Trump’s victories.

  • Many people’s party affiliation is rooted in habit as much as ideology.
  • Appiah believes Trump’s rise reflects anxieties over the perceived erosion of “privileged” identities (white, male).

  Notable Quote:
  “What’s happened is that a particular person has taken over the leadership of a particular identity group, namely people who identify as Republicans.”
  — Appiah [08:50]

  “If you start out with this precious possession of a privileged identity, it’s not nice for you. It’s hard. I understand that there’s a challenge here.”
  — Appiah [09:45]

4. Microaggressions, Malice, and Understanding (10:03–11:56)

• The conversation moves to the ethics of confronting microaggressions.

  • Appiah emphasizes distinguishing between ignorance and malice, advocating for patience rather than stigmatization when people make insensitive remarks.
  • He believes this approach makes constructive change possible.

  Notable Quote:
  “Maybe my deepest philosophical conviction is that it’s hard to get things right. Knowledge is usually ... a difficult achievement for us. So is leading a good life. And yes, people will screw up. That’s a feature of our nature and our situation.”
  — Appiah [11:01]

5. Universal Values and the Project of Enlightenment (11:56–13:38)

• Appiah advocates for universal values—liberty, tolerance, and rational inquiry—while warning that these are not exclusively “Western” and must be consciously chosen.

• He expresses concern that complacency within both academia and society at large has led to neglecting these ideals.

  Notable Quote:
  “I believe there is [a right answer in moral context]. And if there is one, then it doesn’t matter whether you’re Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu or atheist. That’s the answer.”
  — Appiah [12:37]

  “I really do believe in the beautiful and the good and the true.”
  — Appiah [13:08]

• He ends on a hopeful note, sensing renewed interest in seeking shared understanding and progress through reasoned dialogue.

  Notable Quote:
  “The sort of basic thought that we’ll be able to run the world much better if we agree that what we’re trying to do is to make sense of it together.”
  — Appiah [13:33]

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• [01:24] Appiah recounts his parents’ marriage and its global repercussions.
• [03:16] Describes racist backlash his mother faced.
• [04:00] Discusses the complexity of his own identity.
• [05:32] Argues against reducing people to a single identity.
• [07:27] Analyzes tribalism and political divisions post-Obama and Trump.
• [08:50] On political identity and party loyalty.
• [10:54] Explains why ignorance is different from malice in microaggressions.
• [12:37] Stresses the universality of moral answers.
• [13:33] Concludes with hope for renewed consensus around universal values.

Tone and Style

Throughout the episode, the conversation is erudite, warm, and reflective, blending philosophical rigor with practical examples and personal stories. Both Appiah and Remnick approach the subject matter thoughtfully, encouraging open-mindedness, empathy, and nuanced thinking.

Conclusion

Kwame Anthony Appiah challenges listeners to rethink identity as both a personal and collective project—recognizing its multiplicity, questioning its limits, and embracing universal values. He urges humility in our judgments, caution in our political labels, and optimism about our collective ability to make sense of—and improve—the world together.