The Student Room Group

Why do some white people have a hard time understanding white privilege?

I've said SOME not ALL, obviously
Almost everything time I mention this issue on this forum, it seems that some user (most likely white) is going to "attack" me on how dumb, outdated and racist this concept is.
Racism is a pyramidal construct that goes from microagressions to full blown genocides:

Now, I agree that generally, we find ourselves in the lower strates of the pyramid (but that depends on the country: look at the USA) but that doesn't mean that racism or the concept of white privilege is completely outdated and stupid. That's just trying to ignore reality lol
I've based myself on the essay by Peggy McIntosh (she's white by the way) entitled "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack". She gives a list of all the privileges that white people enjoy in American society, but I'm sure that a lot of people would recognise themselves in these:
1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
2. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
4. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
5. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
8. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.
9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
10. Whether I checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
11. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
12. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
13. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
14. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
15. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
16. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
17. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
18. 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.
19. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
20. I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazine featuring people of my race.
21. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, or feared.
22. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of race.
23. I can choose public accommodation without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.
24. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
25. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has racial overtones.
26. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.


I added a new one: When traveling to a country, I don't think my race will be a disadvantage


I'm genuinely trying to understand some people just can't get this. And please, no rude comments.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 2
No.26 made me lol
White privilege is definitely real, but fortunately its status is gradually decreasing in the West as we move nearer equality.
Original post by aaliya96
No.26 made me lol


It may seem very ridiculous at first, but it means that most products are catered towards white customers
Original post by jedanselemyia
It may seem very ridiculous at first, but it means that most products are catered towards white customers


To be fair, this isn't too surprising if done in a nation where the majority of people are white.
Original post by Retired_Messiah


Not every white person is better off than any non white person, that's not the point of the concept
I have had a lot of debates about this with many different people. Some people that I have spoken to refuse to acknowledge white privilege at all, instead they accredit meritocracy as the basis for success. Personally, I think it's because some people don't see themselves being privileged because they are a particular race. They think because its 2015, modern era and all that equality is everywhere. White privilege and gentrification are shoved under the carpet, I wish they were addressed more.
Original post by EdmundWoodstock
To be fair, this isn't too surprising if done in a nation where the majority of people are white.


At first thought, yeah.
But why should it be like that?
Original post by alis-volatpropriis
I have had a lot of debates about this with many different people. Some people that I have spoken to refuse to acknowledge white privilege at all, instead they accredit meritocracy as the basis for success. Personally, I think it's because some people don't see themselves being privileged because they are a particular race. They think because its 2015, modern era and all that equality is everywhere. White privilege and gentrification are shoved under the carpet, I wish they were addressed more.


Well, a lot of white people are totally oblivious to this since they don't see why their skin colour is an asset in Western society! I don't they're taught to be ethnically aware if that makes sense?
Definitely! I wish it was addressed more in France for example.
Thank you for your input :h:
Original post by Poldork
Try being a Witch in the eighteenth century...


They weren't hunted because they were white?
Original post by jedanselemyia
At first thought, yeah.
But why should it be like that?


I guess ultimately this particular example is based on a business driven by profit. If more white people are going to be buying products, then it makes commercial sense for the majority of products to cater for that demand, thus increasing sales and profit.
Original post by jedanselemyia
Not every white person is better off than any non white person, that's not the point of the concept


Alright, let's break this down:
1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.


If your race is the majority in the place you're in, then yes. If you were black and went to africa you could hang with people of your colour too.

2. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.


So could any minority. If they have the money then they can purchase the house they can afford and want to live in.

3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.

Same for everybody unless you live in an area of high racial tension. But then why would you have wanted to move there as a minority?

4. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.

I've got a friend of Sri Lankan descent that seems to be able to go shopping alone with no problems.

5. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.

Again, that'll be more to do with the fact that they're the majority demographic. Go watch the news in Ghana, you will find a lot of the chaps are Ghanan.

6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.

Because they were the majority demographic. Except in the case of the Americas where white people just shot everybody, but as a white person I'm not particularly proud of that heritage.

7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.

I don't even know what this means. But in my GCSE Maths papers I see weird ass foreign names in about half of the questions, that's a pretty good minority race coverage there.

8. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.

This piece on white privilege is atrocious, no publisher would be willing to print it.

9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.

Any race can do any of those things. I've seen plenty of rice for sale in morrisons, hairdressers are trained to be able to cut just about any hair, and there's plenty of successful racial minority music artists.

10. Whether I checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.

What type of clothing you're wearing has more to do with that, if a black fella pays for something wearing expensive clothes nobody's going to question that he has money.

I'm going to stop here because this is utterly ridiculous and I hope you're a troll.

Spoiler

Original post by jedanselemyia
They weren't hunted because they were white?



They were hunted because people didn't understand.

They were drowned in lakes and burned at the stake.
Original post by EdmundWoodstock
I guess ultimately this particular example is based on a business driven by profit. If more white people are going to be buying products, then it makes commercial sense for the majority of products to cater for that demand, thus increasing sales and profit.


You're very right. This is an other reason as to why white rappers like Eminem and Macklemore have more success than their PoC counterparts in the US, for example
Reply 15
Original post by Retired_Messiah


Reply 16
Original post by jedanselemyia
I've said SOME not ALL, obviously
Almost everything time I mention this issue on this forum, it seems that some user (most likely white) is going to "attack" me on how dumb, outdated and racist this concept is.
Racism is a pyramidal construct that goes from microagressions to full blown genocides:

Now, I agree that generally, we find ourselves in the lower strates of the pyramid (but that depends on the country: look at the USA) but that doesn't mean that racism or the concept of white privilege is completely outdated and stupid. That's just trying to ignore reality lol
I've based myself on the essay by Peggy McIntosh (she's white by the way) entitled "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack". She gives a list of all the privileges that white people enjoy in American society, but I'm sure that a lot of people would recognise themselves in these:
1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
2. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
4. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
5. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
8. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.
9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
10. Whether I checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
11. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
12. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
13. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
14. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
15. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
16. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
17. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
18. 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.
19. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
20. I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazine featuring people of my race.
21. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, or feared.
22. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of race.
23. I can choose public accommodation without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.
24. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
25. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has racial overtones.
26. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.


I added a new one: When traveling to a country, I don't think my race will be a disadvantage


I'm genuinely trying to understand some people just can't get this. And please, no rude comments.


Your original post is on point. White privilege does exist and it is real but the first reply in this thread is a perfect demonstration of dismissive unsympathetic attitudes by trying to use a specific example of disadvantage rather than generally trying to understand the concept.

Usually white people cannot see things from any other perspective but their own so they find it hard to believe there is any benefit to their skin colour even when the evidence is staring them in their face.

The people who really believe we live in a post-racial society are the funny ones.
Original post by jedanselemyia


1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
2. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
4. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
5. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
8. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.
9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
10. Whether I checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
11. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
12. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
13. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
14. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
15. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
16. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
17. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
18. 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.
19. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
20. I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazine featuring people of my race.
21. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, or feared.
22. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of race.
23. I can choose public accommodation without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.
24. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
25. If my day, week, or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has racial overtones.
26. I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skin.



I'm brown and every single one of these, with the exception of 6, apply to me.
You seem extremely paranoid and entitled tbh, some of these points are just pathetic (like no.26). Even if you can't find a plaster that matches your skin colour, which I really doubt, why the **** does that even matter? More importantly, why doesn't someone of that colour get off their arse and do something about it?

Honestly, people like you actually sicken me. **** you.
Reply 18
Original post by Retired_Messiah
Or it could be that Eminem doesn't rhyme n*gga with n*gga half the time.

Just a thought.


This is ridiculous.

Damn people are ignorant.
Rather than arguing over who has the extra ounce of privilege, perhaps people should start focusing on those that have bucket loads of it.

The media constantly deceives us into pointing at one other, when in fact we have a common enemy that is actively working against us.

Whether or not white privilege exists is irrelevant as long as "CEO of Bank" privilege exists.

I don't see an ordinary white person having regular meetings with the PM of our country. I also don't see ordinary white people being bailed out whenever they take HUGE risks.

Quick Reply

Latest