Taj Mahal is playing a show in Germany. After a few country blues tunes on the guitar, he transitions to a barrelhouse blues on the piano with a big back beat.
The crowd starts to clap along. After about six bars, he stops playing.
You're on the wrong beat, he says. You're clapping on the one and three, which is fine for classical music. But for blues, you clap on the two and the four.
One and two and three and four, he instructs them, and then resumes the song. Taught, they clap along on the two and four.
Do you ever feel that way doing DEI work? You're grooving to the beat on the two and four, and the people in charge, the people you need approval from, the people with no fluency, the people running the budget – they're clapping on the one and three.
And they're clapping loudly: one!!!! and two and three!!!! and four. No rhythm. Eyes closed. Totally clueless.
But unlike Taj's audience, they don't change their clapping when you tell them they're off beat and ruining the song.
No, they don't listen to you. They just clap louder, more defiantly: one!!!!!!! and two and three!!!!!!! and four.
Clapping right in your face. A clamorous cacophony of dissonant pandemonium that makes your eardrums bleed.
And then when things go wrong, they accuse you of playing the wrong chord.