The Student Room Group

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

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Original post by TheWoke
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.


Thank you :smile:
You seem to be very aware of this issue as well! :h:

I know right? Those who say "We're all one race, we're all equal, I don't see skin colour..."
Reply 21
Original post by jedanselemyia
Or, it could be that white people would rather buy a CD based on the artist's skin colour rather than on the quality of his craft. Not that I think Eminem is crap, quite the contrary in fact.
Your statement proves you have poor knowledge of rap music :smile:


I admire you for trying to enlighten these people but they seem to be ignorant and proud such a discussion seems redundant.
Reply 22
There is clear white privilege in the western society you must be blind if you can't see it. In the USA, a Black man with a graduate degree as the same chance of finding a job as a White High School dropout.
Reply 23
Original post by jedanselemyia
Thank you :smile:
You seem to be very aware of this issue as well! :h:

I know right? Those who say "We're all one race, we're all equal, I don't see skin colour..."


Yep!
White people really have no idea the discrimination people of colour go through, especially black people, so to them they are like 'What privilege'

Look at the flippant satirical racist remark that was made in reply to this thread 'I am aware white people are better looking' they think this is a joke and it is honestly disgraceful.
Original post by Xin Xang
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.


I get what you're saying!
But what is the most likely skin colour for this CEO of Bank?
Original post by jedanselemyia
At first thought, yeah.
But why should it be like that?


First of all, white privilege as a concept is an opinion which you hold, not a fact so don't speak as some kind of authority on the subject please. I personally think its an utter nonsense.

Secondly, if you have such strong views for social justice, can you clarify if you feel equally strongly about the black privilege prevailing in Zimbabwe, and to a lesser extent South Africa?

The widespread murder/rape of white farmers, some calling it close to a genocide, resulting in most white land being stolen by the government, and most of the white population being forced out of the country (zimbabwe).
South Africa now has an openly racist party winning widespread popular support (EFF) and has started implementing white farm/property seizures based on skin colour.

I look forward to you registering your outcry on these matters in a similar or perhaps more pronounced way given the gravity of the dire situation in these overtly racist states.
Original post by jedanselemyia
I get what you're saying!
But what is the most likely skin colour for this CEO of Bank?


:rolleyes:

No wonder why they find it so easy to deceive us.
Reply 27
Original post by Xin Xang
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.



This capitalist and inequality of wealth is important but so is racial bias and systematic oppression. Can't just dismiss the gravity of that.
Original post by Zargabaath
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.


I didn't make these up btw, Peggy McIntosh did.
You can read a previous comment I've made on 26.
Don't you think they do lol? Everyone is sitting on their bums doing jack but you're the only active one? And you're calling me entitled?
Seek counselling. No need to insult me like you just did.
Original post by Xin Xang
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.


somebody speaks sense.
Reply 30
Original post by Xin Xang
:rolleyes:

No wonder why they find it so easy to deceive us.


Are you deliberately trying to be difficult. Social class and Race is often interlinked, she is right. The CEO is more likely to be white.

Do you truly believe we live in a meritocratic society? How can they tell us to just work hard and we will achieve the same level of success if we are not all beginning from the same starting line and some runners have various hurdles in front of us.
Original post by jedanselemyia
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.

Generally it easier to find ones own staple and cultural foods in their own country. A Chinese person will have no trouble finding Chinese food in China, but might have trouble in Poland. And vice versa, a Polish will have no trouble finding Polish food in Poland, but might have trouble finding Polish food in China.


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

It has advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages is that sometimes people think that white people are a walking ATM machine. But there are also many positives that undoubtedly can be gained from being white when travelling. But more advantages come from also being a native English speaker. Why not also talk of English language privilege? I can go anywhere in the world and find someone who talks my language. I can always find newspapers, books, films etc... in English. Many signs in other countries have English translations. International businesses tend to conduct work in English etc...
Reply 32
Original post by Zargabaath
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.


lol you are even swearing at her for no reason when she is trying to shed light on an issue. You have been conditioned well.
Original post by TheWoke
Are you deliberately trying to be difficult. Social class and Race is often interlinked, she is right. The CEO is more likely to be white.

Do you truly believe we live in a meritocratic society? How can they tell us to just work hard and we will achieve the same level of success if we are not all beginning from the same starting line and some runners have various hurdles in front of us.


Governments will only act in the peoples interest once we remove the overbearing grip that various corporations have over parliament.

Institutional bias will only be removed through the democratic process, and as long as that process is not functioning, we will have no change.
Original post by jedanselemyia
I didn't make these up btw, Peggy McIntosh did.
You can read a previous comment I've made on 26.
Don't you think they do lol? Everyone is sitting on their bums doing jack but you're the only active one? And you're calling me entitled?
Seek counselling. No need to insult me like you just did.


Then Peggy McIntosh is a ****ing retard. That doesn't excuse your stupidity for believing this crap. There really is a need to insult you, if enough people condemn this idiocy, maybe we can weed it out of society.

Btw if people are making bandages for different skin tones, what's the problem? Why is it on the list?
Original post by TheWoke
lol you are even swearing at her for no reason when she is trying to shed light on an issue. You have been conditioned well.


Shed light on a non-issue yeah. If by conditioned you mean I'm not a self-entitled paranoid douche-bag with a victim complex, then yeah I suppose I am. (And I'm grateful for that too)
Reply 36
Original post by Xin Xang
Governments will only act in the peoples interest once we remove the overbearing grip that various corporations have over parliament.

Institutional bias will only be removed through the democratic process, and as long as that process is not functioning, we will have no change.


That is a good point however do you suggest we just ignore institutional racism in the meantime?

The fact that a lot of people are so ignorant that they deny there is any bias is worrying. Maybe the proportion of shootings of unarmed black men across America is just coincidence.
I don't see racism as widespread anymore in my hometown, except among the uneducated, but I know and it saddens me that this is not the same everywhere and still exists in many subtle ways. Without reading the bullet points yet, my own prejudices mostly extend to the fact that I'm afraid to associate with you because I find a lot of you attractive and thus fetishise you, which would be difficult to get over in the face of rejection [dat black/brown/yellow fever]. I would hope that's fairly far down the pyramid, although my apologies for still basically being a little unintentionally racist :shrugs:

Your points are relevant, where I think white people get annoyed at white privilege is that it has become a form of feminist shaming tactic. As a white cis (in particular white cis male) it does not matter how **** your life is, you will still be told to shut up and check your privilege. It's an effective way to get your experiences dismissed as lesser based off the fact that a rich, good-looking or high-status white cis 'alpha male' is actually at the top of the pyramid. The homeless guy gif is very real, I had a feminist friend on Facebook tell a depressed homeless guy holding a placard on BBC Debate to 'man up and check your privilege' last year. Closely followed with a long 'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA what a deluded little man-child, get a grip'
Because it massively generalises a very large and heterogeneous group of people based on their skin colour. In all other circumstances, this is known as racism by the progressive left, yet when directed at those who are white it is not. There is a huge disparity between countries of a majority white population in terms of socio-economics, democracy, freedom, 'privilege'. You are generalising across all these groups without any real facts or evidence that what you are saying applies to them all.

It is like me concluding that all blacks commit crimes based solely on the actions of some and then applying that 'fact' as widely as possible. Interestingly, if I sought to make that conclusion, I would be accused of racism.

You do not combat racism and discrimination through racism and discrimination. You combat it through acceptance, openness, and tolerance. So many fourth-wave feminists and 'social justice warriors' (I dislike the term but it makes it clear who I am referring to) are among the most authoritarian people I have ever had the displeasure of coming into contact with. What made it even more ironic is that they are mostly white and from very well off, established backgrounds, yet have the nerve to tell me I, as someone from a very poor working class background, is privileged. Quite honestly, you can go **** yourself.
Original post by Oschene23
First of all, white privilege as a concept is an opinion which you hold, not a fact so don't speak as some kind of authority on the subject please. I personally think its an utter nonsense.

Secondly, if you have such strong views for social justice, can you clarify if you feel equally strongly about the black privilege prevailing in Zimbabwe, and to a lesser extent South Africa?

The widespread murder/rape of white farmers, some calling it close to a genocide, resulting in most white land being stolen by the government, and most of the white population being forced out of the country (zimbabwe).
South Africa now has an openly racist party winning widespread popular support (EFF) and has started implementing white farm/property seizures based on skin colour.

I look forward to you registering your outcry on these matters in a similar or perhaps more pronounced way given the gravity of the dire situation in these overtly racist states.


I knew someone would post something about this.
White privilege isn't denial of racism against white people. The concept of white privilege is applicable to Western society and to nowhere else due to the specific heritage of scientific, academic racism and colonialism, genocide that white countries applied on their colonies and slaves. However, it does dismiss the concept of reverse racism in Western society because white people are the majority and haven't been abused in history as other PoCs have.
Now, this doesn't mean that white people can't be discriminated against in certain countries. Zimbabwe is a very good example (notice how it's not in the Western world...) and it is absolutely revolting. Learning about it did challenge my views on oppression and racism. I think that the same can't be said for South Africa, though.
Also, please don't tell me to not "speak as some kind of authority" because I'm not. That's just rude and arrogant

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