On "White Male Privilege"

(I will be using very general terms)

On "White Male Privilege"

According to gender-studies, social justice and the pomp of conventional academe, if you are typically male and/or typically light skinned, you have certain privileges built into the societal structures of our dear dear civilization. Your whiteness and your maleness afford you advantages in the realm of society that non-maleness and non-whiteness are supposedly unable to acquire—not because of some inability mind you, but because the privileges they want have already been handed out long ago, to…well…you and people who look like you. By the simple and radical act of existing, you oppress others.

Such a notion is ridiculous. Hell, it’s oppressive. The insinuation that one is born with certain advantages based on the color of his skin and/or the genitalia he keeps, are by definition sexist and racist. One cannot be born with privilege anymore than one can be born with a trophy in his hand. Privilege is always granted, and it needs to be granted from living beings to other living beings.

Nonetheless, the notion of white male privilege is tossed about so often, and so haphazardly, that despite its sexist and racist implications, it is found in the contradictory mouths and lips of those who think they are opposing sexism and racism. But as we know, many governments and institutions employ “positive discrimination” or “affirmative action”, which is mere euphemism for racism and sexism, given that they exclude entire races and entire genders on principle.

For example,according to a coalition representing Asian American students, many kids are excluded entry into Harvard because of their ethnicity, even though Asian applicants have the highest test scores and take their schooling more seriously on average. Harvard holds “diversity” to a higher regard than achievement, which in practice means full-blown racism. Forced diversity for the purpose of “representing” other ethnicities, no matter the individual merit, is a racist obscenity. It is robbery. It is dehumanizing to both the victim and the beneficiary. But I suppose these students should shut up and check their privilege. This case has since been dismissed.

Yes, “check” your privilege. This is the go to instruction that the privileged must follow, lest we end up on the end of their pitchforks. What I think this means is to get out of the way and shut up; your voice, your body, and your very presence is oppressive to other’s bodies and voices. You’ll notice the irony here. Of course, you might wonder what it is they are talking about when they order your to check your privilege, because as you check and search around your person for such advantages, what won’t you find?

If you have read Peggy McIntosh’s list of "White Privilege", and rummaged around her “invisible knapsack” (invisible because it doesn’t exist), you might have also noticed the fallacy. Obviously she provides no evidence outside of her personal anecdotes and experience, which is interpreted through the lens, assumptions, and nomenclature of gender studies and her own projections.

In her examples, she imagines herself in areas and situations where she is a visible majority, but refuses to imagine herself in situations where she is a visible minority, as to do so would refute her premise. According to her, the reasons why men and whites do not acknowledge their privilege is because they are taught not to, likely by the patriarchy, but not of course because McIntosh has utterly failed at proving anything. In other words, whites and men are programmed, because they couldn’t possibly be capable of forming their own valid opinions. White men are automata, while others like herself are able to hack out of their programming in some way to reach these conclusions. She has assumed what she has yet to prove, and expect others to assume the same, which, sadly, they often do. Either way, the thesis that one oppresses others on account of his simply existing, is one so racist and sexist and dehumanizing as to require more nonsense and self-loathing to merely keep it afloat.

For instance, her paper fails to mention a fundamental aspect of privilege. Where does this privilege come from? Which white monocled aristocrat is handing out gift-bags of privilege to every white male newborn leaving the hospital? Isn’t he the one we should be silencing?

If the reader is able, imagine a person granting privilege, power and supremacy on account of skin color and gender as opposed to individual merit, and you will be imagining a racist sexist. And this is exactly why McIntosh refused to acknowledge whom this divine purveyor of privilege was. It was her this whole time.

Thank you for reading,

LesMis

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Thank you for reading

No,
Thank you for posting!

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

www.urbandictionary.com...

White Privilege:

The racist idea that simply being white benefits people in some unexplainable way, and that discriminating against white people is not only okay, but enlightened and necessary.

One of these days blacks will get tired of hearing they are not smart enough to compete with whites.

White privilege was definitely true
at least it was for a long time. then civil rights came
and it was still true, it takes awhile for mindsets to change, so counters were put in place. Affimative action, racial crime laws, etc. it was a necessary step to equal out past actions and integration.

I think it stopped being necessary around the early 90s..a tapering off should have occured.

I dont believe white privilege is a thing anymore and we need to refocus back on meritocracy

I see it as a fire. when a fire starts, you use water to put it out.
the fire has gone out, the wounds have healed...the water is now just serving to drown people and needs to be cut off

a reply to: LesMisanthrope
How do you define "privilege?"

originally posted by: Bluntone22
One of these days blacks will get tired of hearing they are not smart enough to compete with whites.

Many already have. the liberals need to get on board verses cling to racial lines and demand racism (must) still exist institutionally.
sure, people still think backwards..but laws refusing service are in place, and nobody wants to be known as the business that wont hire "insert color/gender/preference"...laws should remain there for actively rejecting applicants based on that stuff, but quotas over qualifications serves only to keep racism alive

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

We live in a world constructed largely by those who control the language of the "agenda". Thus, if they say that "white male privilege exists, then....it exists and its very existence has become the Cornerstone, the Cornerstone mind you of an entire industry! People are making millions writing articles and books about White Privilege; they're making the speaking circuits of symposiums and conferences across the nation making presentations about White Privilege. It has become part of the core of "Social Justice" movement.

And for all your erudite exercise of mental masturbation, there's no logical counter to the assertion of "White Privilege" because, as usual, it isn't about "logic" it's about "victimization"! Its now considered "Racist" to argue against the obvious existence of the notion of White Privilege. It's sexist and racist to argue against the notion of "White Male Privilege". And really, what is it all about?

Its about exclusion! Without the presence of the "Whites" there would be no victims of White Privilege. So....Yale for example should severely restrict the number of whites it admits each year such that the Whites are such an insignificant minority that they don't present a micro-aggression to other races.

Will they succeed? Yes, of course they will! Demographics is destiny and with open borders, the "White" population will slowly fade into insignificance and what will the ultimate result be?

UTOPIA!

originally posted by: SaturnFX
White privilege was definitely true

Is there Asian privilege in Japan or China?

A black friend of mine with a college education was pulled over one night. The first thing the white officer said to him before anything else -- literally the first thing that was said was, "What kind of education do you have?"

When he told me this I was in shock. He told me he replied, "Um...I've got a college degree from [insert local college] officer?"

It's not like my friends car is in disrepair or "ugly". We both think it was an odd question, and it was clearly motivated by his race. I've never been asked that by the local police here.

I was talking to a few of my friends not long ago about this "white privilege" thing. We were playing video games and chatting over headsets to one another. One said it to me like this:

"Yeah, I guess you can think of it like this game. Being a white male is like starting the game on an easier setting".

I thought that was an interesting way of putting it.

originally posted by: TheBulk

originally posted by: SaturnFX
White privilege was definitely true

Is there Asian privilege in Japan or China?

no clue,I'm not there, and my knowledge of far east history is pretty non existent.

I could google it, but its irrelevant to the topic at hand (assuming here that ops is discussing western civilization..aka west europe and north america)

originally posted by: TheBulk

originally posted by: SaturnFX
White privilege was definitely true

Is there Asian privilege in Japan or China?

actually white privilege is alive and well in Japan

This post is a testament to what white privilege looks like.
Congrats.

-Toy the Bear

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Well my black friend told me that your black friend was lying! Who am I supposed to believe?

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Louis C.K has a pretty good bit on it too.

Says given the choice he would re up every year, doubt many would disagree there.

The more accurate term I think would be majority privilege, where as being part of the majority is always going to be helpful.

We know that in certain countries, especially USA and UK, that being both White and Male gives you some privileges.

Life is easier for you. That's just the way it is. If you say you're a Christian, then it gets still easier.

You get paid more, you get less police harassment, you get more and better job offers etc.

To say that this is not true is the height of ignorance.

The only white males who don't think they have an advantage in life, are the ones that are Lazy and prefer to play the victim card and lack personal responsibility. Granted, this advantage can be big or small but it's definitely there and can also be combined with family name and wealth, location of birth etc.

whenever someone says "check your privilege", I just mentally transform that into "count your blessings"..that seems more relevant. yeah, I am blessed with certain starting factors. 2 arms, 2 legs, 1st world birth, etc...I hope to always keep in mind other people have it crappier than I do and to not take too much uber pride in luck of the draw birth situation.

in saying that, I will not apologise for eating mexican food, enjoying western culture (and finding it superior to other cultures), etc....and I absolutely dismiss "cultural appropration" complaints..I laugh at them, I change those complaints into what it sounds more like..which is "eww, your doing weird foreign stuff..that ain't 'Murican!"

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yes. Discrimination on the basis of skin color is racism.

Your "easy setting" is a testament to your wealth and standing, not your race.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yes. Discrimination on the basis of skin color is racism.

Your "easy setting" is a testament to your wealth and standing, not your race.

Race helps provide that easy setting. It was really put into play during the colonial era when White Males basically ruled the world. Some of that power is still in place, but things are slowly changing.

originally posted by: amazing
We know that in certain countries, especially USA and UK, that being both White and Male gives you some privileges.

like the privilege of being arrested in a domestic regardless of who started it, or the privilege of having your genitals mutiliated as a baby without prosecution
or we discussing the privilege of being the overwhelming loser in custody battles simply based on gender norms?

Life is easier for you. That's just the way it is. If you say you're a Christian, then it gets still easier.

easy meaning having to work hard, almost never get drinks at bars purchased for you, alimony almost always going in favor of the exwife regardless of reasons, gender specific scholarship rewarding everyone but you, etc...
no...its certainly not easier.

You get paid more, you get less police harassment, you get more and better job offers etc.

Listen, all we are saying is why dont we pay women less, then hire all men anyhow.
...your logic fails. the wage gap is debunked through facts, statistics, and even if you cant be bothered with all that nonsense, just a half second of logical consideration

To say that this is not true is the height of ignorance.

ITS NOT TRUE
and you just said "if nobody believes me, then your a dumdum!".
research this..get past talking points and go to neutral sources, find legal rights men/whites have that women/PoC dont, find how they got the statistics of women and men pay differences and how they equate. its a bit of a slog, but you will see manipulation for a narrative.
there is a reason..there is a huge billion dollar industry relying on this false information.

The only white males who don't think they have an advantage in life,

My advantages came with loving parents introducing me to sci-fi and computers..that I appreciate and got me stimulated into going into IT.
I also was born into advantage being born into the west in general. this I appreciate
as far as being on the easiest level...that would be me born as a woman..I see how they get preferencial treatment being hired in IT, being purchased stuff, given stuff online, scholarships, programs, outreach, etc.
it wasn't always this way. if this was the 50s, they most certainly were subjegated.
not anymore.
PoC need to stop being told they are unfortunate victims..because they aren't. they are people equal to everyone else

are the ones that are Lazy and prefer to play the victim card and lack personal responsibility. Granted, this advantage can be big or small but it's definitely there and can also be combined with family name and wealth, location of birth etc.

I say stop thinking for PoC and just listen to them instead

Done. a black man isn't a black man..its just a man. a black woman isnt a black woman, just a woman.

lets stop being 'pro"gressives and instead start being liberals. individuality verses collectivism