"The first, and perhaps most crucial, fear is that of facing the fact that some of what we white people have is unearned. It's a truism that we don't really make it on our own; we all have plenty of help to achieve whatever we achieve." (Jensen, 1) When reflecting on this statement you start to see that what Jensen is telling us is very true. Since born, and while growing up, many white people have been "handed" everything needed to succeed and receive the necessary tools and help to achieve anything. We don't realize this because many of us are continually congratulated on the success actually fostered through the people who love and care for us. What people need to realize is that there are people who are not born into these situations, and are continually fighting to get away from their abusive families that do not support them. "A second fear is crasser: White people's fear of losing what we have -- literally the fear of losing things we own if at some point the economic. political, and social systems in which we live become more just and equitable." (Jensen, 1) Everyone fears losing something that they are accustomed to, whether it be material goods, social status, or power. People are often affected psychologically when they lose something, and for whites, it would make them feel less superior than other races if they did lose something. Some whites feel that they lose power when other races break through barriers and become more powerful than they are. Jensen reaffirms the idea that people are born into a society where "affluence" and "material comfort" will obviously affect how someone feels and reacts to losing whatever they have lost. "A third fear involves a slightly different scenario -- a world in which ... ... middle of paper ... ...enating to people of color: people of color's identities, experiences, and ways of communicating are often outside the very restricted language and the very limited representations of people like them in the stories they read." (Marrero, 10) Marrero brings up a very interesting point when showing the reader that people are sometimes limited in ways of communicating because of the classroom setting they are surrounded with. When you reflect on how many teachers use "dominant paradigms" in their teachings, you begin to realize that students voices are inherently constrained. You then begin to ask yourself the scary questions of "how many people have already been restricted from using their own voice and how many continue to be in this situation today?" People are unable to develop a broader world view unless we are able to listen to how other people communicate.
Since they lacked certain physical and/or cultural characteristics needed to belong in the American nation, they were not considered worthy enough to receive the same rights and privileges they deserve. Therefore, Takaki hopes that with his book, people would acknowledge how America developed a society centered to benefit only white people with the creation of laws hindering these racial groups from receiving the same and equal rights they deserve.
In today’s society, the dominant ethnic group continues to be the white race, as it has been for the past few centuries. Whites can ignore what is occurring in the world since the majority of the time it does not specifically affect them. The Caucasian race is very privileged, yet they are unaware of this fact, and it is, therefore, invisible to them. There are many reasons as to why this fact is true, some of which is explained in Roxane Gay’s novel “Bad Feminist,” she outlines her views on this subject and writes about what knowledge people should have about their privilege and how they can change their perceptions. People being unable to acknowledge their privilege becomes a worldwide issue and affects the lives of many individuals worldwide.
This power keeps the behavior of the oppressed well within the set guidelines of the oppressor (Freire, 2000, pg. 47). Critical Race Theory outlines this system of oppression as it relates to white and non-white races. By using the critical race theory coupled with the system of oppression described by Freire (2000), I propose that within the system of oppression, the oppressor must keep its own members in line with the prescribed guidelines by reinforcing the social norms from birth. Freire (2000) suggest that the interest of the oppressors lie in “changing the consciousness of the oppressed not the system” (pg.34). Identifying as white, therefore, starts at birth when members of the white class work to reinforce social norms that began with our founding fathers at Plymouth Rock. This long history of white privilege was taught to me and I continue to teach it to my children. As an educator of white affluent high school students, I believe we provide college and career counseling based on this white privilege system of oppression as well. Here, I journey even closer to unraveling the myth of white privilege as I encounter the intersection of an affluent white student choosing a career after high
Power and privilege may be challenging and trigger defensiveness from white counterparts. However, it is important to recognize the systemic privilege that whites have over those who come from disadvantaged groups. Prior, to the readings I had a little knowledge of the power and privilege but I did not know the avenues that privileged people do to ensure that their children enroll in the top universities and colleges. As a result, whites have greater access to certain higher social status and income levels that will position them to have greater control over decision-making. This privilege reinforces the imbalance of privilege that whites have over racialized groups.
Both authors have taken the deliberative to uncover the unconscious phenomenon that controls and affects how people interact, make perceptions, assumptions and even decisions in life. Most of these biases that people tend to have against other races are shaped and reinforced by one’s surroundings and experiences. It is therefore important expose these biases so as to grow as a society and extinguish the white privileges. Unless America is ready to face the truth about the existing biases, racial tensions and incidences will continue to
White privilege is a term used to refer to societal privileges granted to people identified as white in western countries. These privileges are beyond what is experienced by non-white or people of color living under the same economic, political and social environments. These privileges could be obvious or less obvious that white people may not realize they have. These include cultural affirmations of one 's own worth, presumed greater social status, and the freedom to move, buy, work, play, and speak freely (McIntosh, 1990). The effects of these privileges can also be seen in personal, educational and professional contexts. In both Tim Wise’s, ‘White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son’ and Ta-Nehisi
McIntosh, Peggy. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," in Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.
Jensen states that in order to solve the issue of racism is that white people to need to feel
White privilege is a concept that many people are unfamiliar with, but not because they do not benefit from it. In the paper “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh argues that white people have an advantage over those of other races, though most are completely unaware of it or simply take it for granted. Her recognition of white privilege came from the concept of male privilege. She says that she looked at that concept and realized there was certainly something similar to it in regards to race (McIntosh, 1988, 11). This paper has great importance to the function of society. Because many white people do not recognize their unfair and disproportionate advantage in society, racial tensions can rise even more because there is a major wall blocking people from fixing the current issues.
The myth that “all men are equal” has created false hopes for the people of color, who continually seek opportunities to excel, that just aren’t there. They have been led to believe that intelligence and ambitions are key contributors to one’s success. Even if they do possess ambition and intelligence, the dominant majority of the white population oppresses them. This type of oppression points out that new methods of struggle are needed, such as whose employed by Martin Luther King, Jr., Franz Fanon and W.E.B. Du Bois.
In relation to the Critical Race Theory, the idea of the “gap between law, politics, economics, and sociological reality of racialized lives” (Critical Race Theory slides). The critical race theory gives us a guide to analyze privileges and hardships that comes across different races and gender. For example, analyzing how and why a “black” or “indigenous” woman may experience more hardships versus not only a “white” man, but a “white”
White privilege is institutionalized when the practices and policies of an institution systematically benefit whites at the expense of other racial groups. Peggy McIntosh published an article entitled “White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack”, which names in very clear ways, how everyday, having white skin confers privileges that white people don’t often realize they receive. By illuminating the many forms that white privilege takes, Peggy McIntosh urges readers to exercise a sociological imagination. She asks us to consider how our individual life experiences are connected to and situated within large-scale patterns and trends in society. She includes a “white privileges” checklist which include answering yes or no to statements. For example, can Chad Aiken confidently say “I can be pulled over by a police cruiser and not have to worry about it being about my race”, or “I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the “person in charge”, I will be facing a person of my race”. White people are generally free from this systemic bias, suspicion and low expectations that racialized people must endure everyday because it is built into our culture. When a criminal has white skin, his actions are never connected to his race, while a criminal perceived as a brown-skinned Muslim might inspire hatred and suspicion of other
Both points serve McIntosh’s objective of making clear that the notion of white privilege is not a myth. Due to the socially constructed and arbitrary nature of ideologies concerning race (a biological, phenotypic/ (physical) expression of human features) the highly immoral and nonsensical practice [whether recognized or not] of white supr...
Peggy McIntosh wrote this article to identify how her white privilege effects her life. Each statement is written as a privilege that Ms. McIntosh does not need to consider or fear as a white woman. From financial credibility to national heritage, this article makes a valid point regarding the way white people can be arrogant and naïve when the same treatment is not being given to their neighbors, coworkers, and peers. There can be two responses when reading this. The first would be a person of color. They will appreciate the attempt at realization of what white people take for granted. The second would be the reality that smacks the white people in the face when they realize how true all 50 statements are. Once this begins to sink in, many will start to broaden their competence realizing the unfair treatment of the people in this world. Moving down the timeline, we can see how the acknowledgement can mend broken relationships. Owning the reality and doing something to change it can give the people of different races the treatment they deserve (McIntosh,
In Claudia Rankine’s article ‘The Condition of Black Life Is One of Mourning”, she describes systemic racism as “Vulnerability, fear, recognition, and an absurd stuckness.” Living in America as a white person is completely different than if you were black. If you are black, you