Thursday 28 January 2016

The wrong kind of diversity

In recent weeks we have had discussions on the amount of diversity (or lack of) in the beer world in the spheres of race and class. And it’s long been a source of complaint in terms of female representation. But is there another aspect of diversity we’re missing?

The great (and black) American economist and philosopher Thomas Sowell once said: “The next time some academics tell you how important diversity is, ask how many Republicans there are in their sociology department.”

Which could easily be paraphrased as “The next time some craft brewers tell you how important diversity is, ask how many Tories and Kippers there are amongst their number”.

And the growth of microbreweries and craft beer in recent decades could be seen as a perfect example of individual enterprise and free markets in action.

For a recent example of the limits of diversity, look no further than here.

10 comments:

  1. Damn, you wrote this before I had time to reply to your comment on my piece.

    Class wasn't the main driver behind my piece but I suppose I can't get away from that now.

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  2. Sadly people with shit politics aren't a minority group.

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  3. It came across as a piece primarily about class. Cookie and I are bears of little brain and don't do subtlety ;-)

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  4. Eh, don't be grouping Tories in with the kippers.

    There's winners and losers, pal.

    Therefore the kippers are in with the Corbynites among the loser nutcase brigade ;)

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  5. I did consider using a pic of Nige with a pint (there are plenty to choose from) but eventually plumped for your mate Cast Iron Dave.

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  6. I reckon a lot of Craft Brewers are secret Tories, but they keep it quiet as a lot of their buying demographic wouldn't like it.

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  7. I'm sure stopping the duty escalator won some kraft beer fans. But knowing the memory of a crafty they have probably forgotten about it by now.

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  8. At the time, a lot of people moaned "1p off a pint - what's the point of that?" without realising that, if the escalator had remained in place, it would have been 10p on a pint across the bar. Ditto for the next two years.

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  9. What? people running companies in the private sector not voting for the party of public service workers but voting for the party of private enterprise?

    Don't be daft.

    ReplyDelete

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