White Privilege 1 WHITE PRIVILEGE AND HOW IT RELATES TO SOCIETY AND YOU Andrea White Anthropology 270 Professor Satterlund April 28, 2013 White Privilege 2 White privilege how it relates to society and you Introduction: Define Privilege White privilege refers to the unearned benefits that some enjoy simply by having “white” skin. This privilege is at the expense of people of color but white people cannot maintain this system of privilege without losing a part of their own humanity. The characteristics of the privileged group define the societal norm, often benefiting those in the privileged group. Second, privileged group members can rely on their privilege and avoid objecting to oppression (Wildman and Davis pg. 110).
The NAACP’s primary goal during Du Bois’ time was to invalidate the decision of Plessy v. Ferguson. He was fond of Booker T. Washington, mentioned earlier, and many of his own views surrounded the concept of double consciousness. Du Bois believed that as a result of Plessy v. Ferguson African Americans began to judge themselves based on white standards, ultimately leading to the internal acceptance of inferiority. He describes the state of double consciousness as, “a peculiar sensation this double consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others…” (143). In other words, black people have reached a state of double consciousness where they look at themselves in the way that white people look at them.
“Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack of White Privilege” In Peggy McIntosh’s essay, she addressed several issues that are considered to be very important ones. She speaks of how whites are given hidden privileges, yet they don’t even realize it. I believe that the purpose for her writing this, was to bring out in the open the issues of oppression with regards to the dominant race and their “unearned privileges” that they are so oblivious to. McIntosh compared this situation to how men are more privileged and advantaged, and women are at a more disadvantaged state. In comparison, she also stated that men do indeed admit to a woman’s disadvantage, yet a man will not agree to being more advantaged, because they too are oblivious to this fact.
Based on research I understand that White racial identity is frequently depicted as an avoidance racial category, which is considered to be an indistinguishable, but advantaged identity molded by years of repression of other nationalities other than whites. Being white has become equal with privilege and opportunity. Individuals who are white can really advantage in society. As young Americans we have not all been exposed to other races. I was raised in a predominantly African American surrounding, which only allowed me to be exposed to people of my own ethnicity.
Although these two are the most prominent, they are not the most important. The most important is the sociological concept primary socialization, but is not displayed until later. First Racism is introduced in the opening scenes through the use of derogatory terms. The main character, Derek Vineyard, begins to refer to African Americans and other minorities as parasites and problems in the United States. In this same scene he also shows views of white supremacy because he states that minorities come to America only to exploit it as opposed to establishing themselves as “model citizens”.
It is to the credit of White societies, that, this art is not only universalized but its social reproduction is also ensured. All the same, it is true that today, world over, the public is way ahead of its political establishment. Hence, it is not Obama, who will bring the social change, but the more purposive and peaceful Fergusons and Baltimores that will. Because some day, as someone has said, “Americans have to realize that they may not have arrived in the same boat, but now everyone is in the same
Reaction Paper There are many problems that people face on a day to day basis, whether they are personal, economic, or even moral. Some problems are applicable to a select few, but there are also problems that afflict many people across the nation, such as inequality and racism. Problems such as racism and inequality have been omnipotent in the United States for hundreds of years. The book, “Righteous Dopefiend,” helps to really shed some light on the problem of racism and how it affects everyone, causing rifts and distrust among the community, keeping people separated, and affecting people’s economic situations. The book “Righteous Dopefiend” is an ethnographic novel.
(of a person of black ancestry in a racially segregated society) to be accepted as white. In this novel there is a stratification of races: White being at the top, followed by Mexican and Asian at the very bottom. Because white people are considered superior they enjoy White Privilege. ” Kendall Clark states that White Privilege is “A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others; an exemption in many particular cases from certain burdens or liabilities”(1). In American Son by Brian Ascalon Roley Tomas and Gabe, who are two half Filipino-half German brothers, try to pass as different ethnicities than their own: Tomas as Mexican and Gabe as White; they do this is because they are ashamed of being Asian and believe that being White or Mexican is superior and empowering.
They were at one time only seen as workers and treated with no respect for the beginning of Americas history. It is sad to me to have that mark on the history of America but during those times it may have seemed normal to the dominat race being white. Things have come far and people are much differant now than back then, but somehow there seems that there will always be a presumption that "Whites" will always be more supperior than all other races. However wrong this concept may be, it has always been around and no matter how much another race struggles to be equal there is this feeling I have that it will never be quite equal as seen through "White" eyes. I hope Americas society does eventually change its views on this.
Racial segregation provides a means of maintaining the economic advantages and superior social status of the politically dominant group, and in recent times it has been employed primarily by white populations to maintain their ascendancy over other groups by means of legal and social color bars. Historically, however, various conquerors—among them Asian Mongols, African Bantu, and American Aztecs—have practiced discrimination involving the segregation of subject races. (Encyclopedia Britannica,