Staff Reports
The short version: Jacob Savage says DEI and identity-based hiring crushed a generation of white men, and Glenn Beck gave him a megaphone. The longer version is messier. Savage’s story taps into real anger about jobs, fairness, and a frayed belief in merit. But while his essay and the BlazeTV segment are stirring, we should separate what’s true, what’s anecdote, and what’s headline bait.
What Savage and Glenn Beck Are Claiming
On Glenn Beck’s program, Jacob Savage — the Compact Magazine author behind “The Lost Generation” — tells a personal story about losing a staff-writing chance because “we can’t because you’re a white guy.” That anecdote and his broader claim — that DEI and identity-focused hiring displaced many white male millennials in media, entertainment, and academe — hit a nerve. The clip and essay argue that identity-based hiring has eroded trust in meritocracy and pushed many young men toward political alienation. That’s the thesis conservatives should listen to, because if Americans feel the system is rigged, they’ll stop playing by the rules.
Separate the Data From the Drama
But facts matter. Industry reports, including Writers Guild analysis and trade coverage, show real increases in BIPOC representation in TV writing. Yes, the share of white writers has fallen — but not quite the “erased generation” numbers Savage cites. The total number of jobs in some sectors shrank too, thanks to market shifts, streaming chaos, and layoffs. So we’re looking at three overlapping forces: diversity gains, fewer total positions, and economic churn. Blaming DEI alone ignores that messy mix. Conservatives can criticize bad policy without pretending every loss is malicious discrimination.
Policy Changes and the Bigger Picture
Politics has already responded. The federal government under President Donald Trump issued orders and guidance to scale back many federal DEI initiatives, and several states have limited campus or agency diversity programs. Lawsuits and EEOC scrutiny are active, and institutions are changing hiring practices because of both politics and fear of litigation. Meanwhile, polls show young people have declining trust in institutions — but that distrust comes from many things: stagnant wages, social media, and economic anxiety as much as hiring policies. If you want to fix the problem, don’t just rage at DEI; fix the economic and cultural causes that make so many feel left behind.
Conclusion: Demand Fairness, Not Victimhood
Savage and Beck have tapped a real grievance: people feel unfairly shut out. Conservatives should amplify calls for true merit and transparency in hiring while acknowledging the nuance. Push for accountable, color‑blind opportunity where talent wins — and stop pretending every shift in diversity is a spiteful plot. If we want a stable society, rebuild trust with clear rules, more jobs, and honest debate, not sneering or mockery from either side. The job market didn’t die overnight, but if we don’t address both policy and market realities, more Americans will keep believing the system is rigged — and that belief will be worse for everyone.
