When the word “race” arises in a conversation, most people in general automatically think skin color, then ethnicity, culture and traditions, but sadly never one before the other. Society is to blame for the reason being, due to lack of educating unity between individuals and developing the non-discriminatory environment and state of mind. In the Oxford dictionaries, the definition of privilege is a “special right, advantage, or immunity granted”, whilst Peggy McIntosh, an associate director of the Wellesley College center for research on women, argues in her essay titled “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” is “an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was meant to remain …show more content…
In addition, it means that the whites are the one with the advantage versus the rest. It is easy for me to be treated the way I want to be treated in my culture, politeness and respect. In my experiences as a child being of Middle Eastern descent growing up in the United Arab Emirates, I cannot recollect any time when I felt that I was not being treated similarly to my classmates and friends, white, black, and others. I had friends and classmates of Caucasian, Indian, African, South East Asian, and Asian backgrounds. Growing up in Dubai was one of the most diverse cities in the world and most welcoming cities I have ever been to, though the media are always showing how racist people can be towards Arabs. For example, a British Muslim family that heading to Disneyland was barred from boarding a flight to Los Angeles by US authorities. The US homeland security had no answers or comments to respond. Another is when Donald J. Trump dared to “ban all Muslims” from the US. It was no surprise when he received so much hatred and disgust since half of this world’s population is Muslim. But as a result, this stirs more hatred and Paranoia brings out the fears in people. Not too long ago my sister was telling me about how she saw people dressing up in the traditional Arabic garment called a “Kandura” for Halloween in her high school. We found it offensive and disrespectful. However on a …show more content…
Moreover, her argument relates to the historical events of US imperialism and to the term White Supremacy, the belief of superiority of the white race over others. History has also shaped the idea of discrimination, from the trade of African American slaves between European slave owners to Martin Luther Kings stand against racism. For instance, in the 1940s, psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark designed and conducted a series of experiments known as “the doll tests” to study the psychological effects of segregation on African-American children ("Brown At 60: The Doll Test"). In today’s world, social media became a source for controversial topics such as racism. As I was scrolling through the Facebook platform I landed a video that went viral when a white mother captured her daughters’ reaction on receiving black dolls as gifts for Christmas. The older one politely tries to accept it while the little one throws it aside and cries uncontrollably. I was questioning the parents’ motives because they were laughing and taking it as a joke. It frankly proves that some parents do not know how to inculcate their children on viewing people equally. It makes one question whether or not racially colorblind people
In her article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” Peggy McIntosh writes about the privilege white individuals get without noticing it. McIntosh talks about how whites are taught to not recognize their privilege. McIntosh having a background in Women’s Studies, she also talks about how men have more privileges than women, yet they rarely recognize it. In the article McIntosh claims that “After I realized the extent to which men work from a base of unacknowledged privilege, I understood that much of their oppressiveness was unconscious.”
In May 2014, Time.com published an article that would soon become the source of no small amount of social contention (1). In the article, “Dear Privileged-at-Princeton: You. Are. Privileged. And Meritocracy Is a Myth,” author Briana Payton lashes out at classmate Tal Fortgang for an article he wrote a month prior (1). Payton, a freshman studying sociology at Princeton University and the political antithesis of Fortgang, takes issue with her classmates’ definition of the word “privilege” (1). She argues that, because Fortgang is white, society inherently affords him “privilege” (Payton 1). Payton’s main flaw is her tone — her condescending, demeaning, and arrogant rhetoric distracts from her content and diminishes her credibility. Conversely,
Growing up as an African-American you are always taught to be twice as good. Twice as good as the white people to receive the same treatment as them. I grew up hearing this same phrase constantly but never really understood exactly what it meant until I got old enough to actually see the kind of world we are living in. The author of the article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” Peggy Mclntosh, took as step into shoes of black America and found that white privilege not only exist, but many whites are blind to it. She gives a clear argument about how white privilege is harmful to our society and how we can work together to fix this.
The two articles that had a profound impact to my understanding of race, class and gender in the United States was White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh and Imagine a Country by Holly Sklar. McIntosh explains the keys aspects of unearned advantage (a privilege that one group hold over another) as well as conferred dominance (the act of voluntarily giving another group power) and the relationship that these factors hold when determine power of a social group. Additionally, the purpose of McIntosh’s article was to demonstrate the privilege that certain individuals carry and how that translates to the social structures of our society. Furthermore, conferred dominance also contributes to the power of the dominant group
In Days of Destruction Days of Revolt by Chris Hedges Chapter 2, he shows that the minority is fully aware that White privilege is there, in a quote saying “I had urged [the minority] to have faith in America and in white society” (Hedges 2012: 60). In this quote, he shows symbolic interactionism by using the Labeling Theory. The labeling theory is when a label is being put onto something to describe it. And in that instance, it was put onto society and it was the word “white.” It was being put there to show the minority that had to hope in society, but mainly in white society because he feels that the majority of our society is controlled by white people. Coming from Schaeffer, he says that Blacks are discriminated against because they are inferior to whites (Schaeffer 2012:62). This is important because when related to Symbolic interactionism it is labeling Blacks as inferior and Whites as superior and coming from Lipsitz, “‘Americans’ means ‘whites’”(Lipsitz 1998: 67). It symbolizes that blacks think that they are not Americans and making them less a part of our country. This explains why white people are unaware of their superiority and how black people are aware of that they are inferior to Whites. This should
notice people of different backgrounds. The part that is most surprising is the statement about people of unlike races are becoming clearly defined as being lesser than. Although some white people are stereotyped, most people view whites as being greater for no clear reason. First, we can see the cruel cycle of how American culture reveals ethnic stereotypes, and how society has such negative thoughts about minorities because of the way other races are described on television, movies, music, sports, books, magazines, media, etc. Omi continues to disapprove on popular culture and explain how
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,
Dr. Peggy McIntosh looks at white privilege, by “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” She describes white privilege as almost a special check or coin that she gets to cash in on. Dr. McIntosh tells that white privilege has been a taboo and repressed subject – and that many white people are taught not to see or recognize it. However, she is granted privileges (McIntosh 30). Dr. McIntosh goes on to describe twenty-six ways in which her skin-color grants her certain privileges. In example twenty, she describes how she can buy “…posters, postcards, picture books…” and other items that “…feature people of my race” (32). Additionally, in her first example, she talks about being able to be in the “company of people of my race most of the time” (McIntosh 31). Instances in which a privilege person would not even recognize unless they were looking, show evidence for white privilege. People take these advantages for granted because they simply expect them. Due to the lack of melatonin in her skin, she was granted privileges and her skin served as an asset to her. Dr. McIntosh conveys how her privilege is not only a “favored state,” but also a power over other
In her 16 January 2016 The Washington Post editorial, “What is White Privilege?”, Christine Emba asserts white privilege is a societal advantage inherent in people who are white, irrespective of their “wealth, gender, or other factors.” According to Emba, white privilege makes life smoother and is an entity that is hidden or unknown until the privilege is taken away. Although racism is still a rampant issue in society today, white privilege is a concept created by the progressive left in order to brand whites as a scapegoat for issues and adversities that non-whites face. This concept of privilege ultimately causes further dissension between whites and non-whites.
Prior to beginning my readings on white racial identity, I did not pay much attention to my white race. If someone had asked me to describe my appearance I would have said short blond hair, blue eyes, average stature, etc. One of the last things I would have noted was the color of my skin. Growing up in overwhelmingly white communities, I never thought to use the color of my skin to differentiate myself from others. Over the course of this dialogue I have learned that my white racial identity is one of the most defining aspects of my appearance in this society. There is a certain level of privilege that I am afforded based solely on the color of my skin. According to Peggy McIntosh, “White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks” (71). All these objects listed by McIntosh are things I have access to and certainly take for granted. Due to a history of non-white racial oppression, which transformed into decades of racial discrimination that still lingers today, the white race has dominated our society in terms of resources and prosperity. The ideas of wealth, higher-level education and ambition to succeed are all traits commonly linked to people of the white race that collectively define privilege. The aspect of privilege can also produce disadvantages for people of the white race as well. In the book Promoting Diversity and Justice, the author D. Goodman notes that people of advantage groups develop a sense of superiority, which will sometimes lead them to wonder if, “their achievements were based on privilege or merit” (107). Along with a diminished sense of accomplishment, the cost ...
With all of these facts, the author tries to prove that racial differences and privileges appear exaggerated and unrealistic. The privileged and less privileged exist at all levels of society. Duke wants white people to understand that they are in the same position as all other races. The awareness of “white privilege” is only a fallacy that causes feel of guilt without foundation.
To completely understand white privilege you first need to understand what white privilege is. White privilege is defined as a set of advantages and/or immunities that white people benefit from on a daily basis beyond those common to all others. White privilege can exist without white people 's conscious knowledge of its presence and it helps to maintain the racial hierarchy in this country.(mtholyoke.edu) There are many examples of white privilege. They range from people’s thoughts to people 's court cases, to actions. Basically to sum that up you have more privileges and fewer assumptions get made because you 're white. These privileges are not a conscious bias and do not make the person a racist.
“White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks” (McIntosh, 172). White privilege is all around us, but society has been carefully taught
Race as a “…social and historical idea, not biological” (Palaita, Lecture 1/25/18), only works because according to Social Construction Theory, “…these categories work because our complacency allows us to presume that the identities are natural and a group’s social status relies on biology, rather than social/cultural circumstances” (Palaita, Lecture 1/25/18). Our unwillingness to challenge these identities has allowed these categories to be used to determine who will be on the advantageous side of the inequality we face here in the United States. If we no longer accepted these conditions, and change the way social groups are viewed and treated, we may create a new norm and close the inequality gap between social
Whiteness is a term that has been discussed throughout history and through scholarly authors. Whiteness is defined in many ways, according to Kress “pervasive non- presence, its invisibility. Whiteness seems at times to be everywhere and nowhere, even present throughout U.S history, and yest having no definable history of its own. Whiteness as a historically rooted cultural practice is then enacted on the unconscious level. Knowledge the is created from the vantage point of Whiteness thus transforms into “common sense,” while practices or behaviors that are enacted based on the unspoken norms of Whiteness become the only acceptable way of being” (Kress, 2008, pg 43). This definition for example, whiteness has become into hegemony. I define it as racial ideologies that have been established throughout history. Which has formed racial segregation between white and non-whites, and has led to discrimination and injustice. White privilege has also been a factor in whiteness; it’s the privilege that white color people get better benefits