I like the general framing but I think what this model misses is that in the modern era so called identity politics aren't being primarily pushed by the group that directly benefits from them.
In fact, what's really going on is that support for diversity/DEI/etc is actually serving as a means of signalling success by those who are mostly harmed by said preferences. In other words, it's elite whites signalling they are so successful they aren't threatened by giving benefits to groups who are unlike them.
In itself that's not such a bad thing. We benefit from similar status signalling with charity generally. The problem comes because many other people who don't want to engage in this signalling (eg working class rural whites) feel dragged along.
I like the general framing but I think what this model misses is that in the modern era so called identity politics aren't being primarily pushed by the group that directly benefits from them.
In fact, what's really going on is that support for diversity/DEI/etc is actually serving as a means of signalling success by those who are mostly harmed by said preferences. In other words, it's elite whites signalling they are so successful they aren't threatened by giving benefits to groups who are unlike them.
In itself that's not such a bad thing. We benefit from similar status signalling with charity generally. The problem comes because many other people who don't want to engage in this signalling (eg working class rural whites) feel dragged along.