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    In "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together", Heather McGhee uses the metaphor of the public swimming pool to explain her thesis.

    In the mid-20th century, thousands of public swimming pools were built across the United States for community enjoyment. These pools were often funded by tax dollars and were large, resort-style pools that families could enjoy. However, the vast majority of these public pools were segregated, barring people of color, specifically Black people, from access.

    When the Civil Rights Act passed in 1964, ending segregation, many white communities didn't respond by integrating these pools; instead, they drained the pools completely. Some went as far as filling the pool with dirt or concrete, or letting them fall into disrepair. It was a drastic measure ensuring that if they couldn't have the pool to themselves, no one could use it.

    McGhee uses this metaphor as a representative example of the zero-sum game mindset, the idea that any gain for the Black community is seen as a loss for the white community. It also highlights the cost of racism: communities chose to lose a valuable public resource (the public swimming pool) rather than share it equitably.

    The public swimming pool narrative is a recurrent theme in the book. It illustrates how racism harms everyone, not just those being discriminated against. It's an example of the societal and communal self-sabotage that occurs when racism drives decision-making, showing that racism doesn't just hurt the targeted group but deprives everyone of shared public resources and opportunities.