This book investigates the core question of whether human subjects are born as unblemished entities or if they are inherently marked by qualitative associations of value and race. J. Reid Miller draws upon critical theory and sociological frameworks to argue that human value is not an objective constant but is instead inheritable and mediated through the lens of race. The author posits that all forms of representation are fundamentally evaluative, shaping how individuals perceive worth and identity within a racialized society.

Readers frequently note the dense, academic prose style that characterizes Miller's philosophical arguments. Scholars in the field of critical race theory highlight this work as a challenging contribution to the ongoing discourse on how identity is constructed through representation.