White Privilege: Documentary Analysis

Privilege is defined as “a special advantage or authority possessed by a particular person or group” in the Cambridge Dictionary. Globally, white individuals are often granted privileges than minority groups do not receive. While white privilege often goes unnoticed by white individuals, it causes many disadvantages for people of color and effects how they see themselves. Furthermore, Affirmative Action attempts to equal the playing field for minorities but is faced with contention by many white people.

Growing up in the United States, racism is an issue one cannot help but hear about at one point or another. Racial inequality and discrimination is a topic that comes up every February with Black History Month, and is often talked about in high school history classes around the country. But that is what it is considered to the majority of people: history. Most students are taught that, while there are still and will always be individual cases of racial discrimination and racism, nationally the problem ended with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. People of color, however, will often tell you differently. At least that is what they told Tim Wise,

Imagine if everyone in our society carried all of their privileges somehow. Imagine if everyone carried a knapsack. This knapsack carries all of our privileges, whether it is our gender, religion, or even simply our ability to breathe without an oxygen tank. Every knapsack that everyone carries is different; however, the only way we could know what’s in a knapsack, you have to be willing to ask and look for your answers. Peggy McIntosh exploits this concept of a “knapsack”, as she pulls apart what’s in her own sack in her article, “White Privilege:

Wise’s examination of the inconspicuous character of racism 2.0 dovetails fittingly with our course’s recurring theme of institutionalized racism. In class lectures we have defined institutionalized racism as the discriminatory practices that have become regularized and routinized by state agencies, organizations, industries, or anywhere else in society. Although such practices might not be intentionally racist, they end up being racist nevertheless as consequence of the systematized and unspoken biases that have become increasingly convoluted and entrenched within society over time. It also doesn’t help white people to recognize these discriminatory practices considering they have been unconsciously tailored to be consistent with white perspective and mentality. In her article, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Peggy McIntosh examines not only how white folks often consider themselves to be a normative figure within society, but also how they are carefully taught not to recognize the advantages they gain from the disadvantages that impair people of color. In the article, McIntosh acknowledges the reality of her own white privilege and expresses, “In my class and place, I did not see myself as a racist because I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth” (McIntosh 4). In fact, even if white folks do not believe themselves to

This purpose of this paper is to synthesize this writer 's three key revelations from this semester which are, (1) white privilege, (2) curriculum corruption and inadequate United States history education in K-12 public schools, and (3) United States legislation which disadvantages the minor races as a means for the dominate race to maintain power and control. Thus, this exploration organizes each area of significant course discovery, which a hybrid of class sources and readings relating to each area of learning supports. Additionally, this synthesis includes a summary of this writer 's social location as well as the course material’s impact on the understanding and interpretation of these themes. Finally, this paper ends with a conclusion and presents final thoughts about the concepts we 've discussed in the Sociology 321 - Race and Ethnicity course throughout the spring 2016 semester.

According to Peggy McIntosh, an American feminist and anti-racism activist, whites are convinced that they carry an “invisible knapsack”, which allow them several privileges that African American or other ethnicities don’t have. In her article “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” McIntosh describe a long list of white privileges such as, ”When I go shopping, store detectives don’t follow me” and “…people of my race are positively presented on television or papers”. They believe that the fact of being whites automatically makes them less suspicious of wrongdoing (McIntosh, 152). The American philosopher John Berteaux, a specialist in social ethics and philosophy of race agree with McIntosh about the wrong believe that whites have about some privileges embedded in the race, “Most white people don’t question their race or it’s privileges; they simple take them for granted” (Rosenstand, 373). In other words, whites believe that the skin color is what makes a race better that the other, giving some people more rights that to the others.

Many white Americans are living with the fear that they didn't really deserve their success, and that maybe luck and privilege had more to do with it, than brains and hard work. There are numerous reasons for the widespread discrimination at all levels, but the main reason for the existence of discrimination is a privilege to certain groups of people, and widespread social prejudice towards certain groups of people. Differences between people have always existed, but they gain in importance only when are different importance given to certain differences, so it creates privileges. People who are privileged in one society are often not aware of their privilege. It is very easy to be oblivious to the privilege. The problem of discrimination

The social construction of race allows “whiteness” to be regarded as the default race or the normal race. This normalization is apparent when white people ask people of color the quintessential question of “where are you from”. An attitude of alienation and “otherness” is placed on minority groups because, quite frankly, being American means being white. Throughout Peggy McIntosh’s essay, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, she discusses the unscathed and unacknowledged effects of white privilege that are rampant in America’s society today. A hierarchical structure revolving around meritocracy is practically entrenched into our society, and those who are at the apex of this structure are able to do a myriad of things at the

Shannon Sullivan reveals what white privilege looks like from someone who deals with it on a daily basis, a white woman. Sullivan discusses how white privilege in this day and age can be an invisible and sometimes unquestioned norm in our lives in America. Sullivan speaks up about her own race and the ways it has affected her life. The book discusses the delicate effects white supremacy has had on America. Sullivan also prompts white people to start standing up to the podium and discussing the issues they see when it comes to race. In Sullivan’s writing, she states how white privilege is not discussed much amongst white people and that she wants them to own up to their privilege and to go against the norms of their environments that allow these activities to happen.

-The one that caught my eye was #20 “I can easily buy posters,post-cards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.”

The sad reality is White privilege is very prevalent in the United States and has been for the past hundreds of years not to say that there has not been improvement. This is a very touchy subject where emotions runs deep many people who do not see it as an issue do not believe that White privilege exists. I do not think it is always done purposely the way society is set up many do not realize what they are doing or some may not even care. When watching the video about the resume experience it was sad to hear the same resume with different names the jobs called back the less ethnic name and how it was estimated that it would take five weeks longer for the person to find a job that was not white. Additionally saying a person who has an ethnic

The article White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack written by Peggy McIntosh discusses the power that systemic white privilege, unearned privileges given to people with white skin, holds over the society as a whole (McIntosh, 1988). The author takes an interesting stance is suggesting that those who are the most damaged by this are the oppressors, not those who are oppressed and that the society itself is damaged (McIntosh, 1988). McIntosh then goes on to show this through her explanation of men in the school system contrasted by women in the school system. The author draws parallels between male privilege and white privilege to show not only the similarities between them, but also the extent to which our society is in fact “damaged” (McIntosh, 1988). She uses daily life experiences to bring about the question “ […] whether we will choose to use unearned advantage to weaken invisible privilege system and whether we will use any of our arbitrarily awarded power to try to reconstruct power systems on a broader base” (McIntosh, 1988)

White privilege is the concept that white people such as those in the United States have not only more rights, but more opportunities in their lives that will make them more successful throughout their lives. In the United States you will find that in some job markets whites are more likely to get hired than other minority groups. Also you will find that on average white employees may be paid more on average than their minority colliges.

When discussing the issue between African-American and Caucasian the claim of is white skin privilege a myth can be debatable. Paul Kivel claims yes, from White Benefits, Middle-Class Privilege. Tim Wise claim No, from “The Absurdity (and Consistency) of White Denial: What Kind of Card Is Race?” Paul Kivel and Tim Wise both agree that African American and Caucasian have received different treatment. However, Paul Kivel states, “Privileges are the economic extras that those of us who are middle-class and wealthy gain at the expense of poor and working class people of all race.” Tim Wise believes that Caucasian is in denial that discrimination is a real problem. After reviewing both claims I believe Tim Wise made a more valid point. Wise states,

“White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack” by Peggy McIntosh is about the dominant white race having societal advantages over the minority race. White privileges are known for having favorable advancements to white people and particularly men in that category. For those who receive benefits due to their origins of the white race refuse to acknowledge the power they have over the minority race. Instead, whites see all races having the same opportunity to become successful. Due to their obliviousness individuals categorized in the dominant race does not intentionally allow racism to play a role in their society. Peggy discusses her own life experiences to show instances where she herself has been oblivious to this unearned