An interesting question concerning White privilege.

[Curious George]

Now I understand that some of you think of privilege as something concrete an individual has. But for the purposes of this discussion privilege is a statistical advantage that is found in a group.

I was wondering if it is a white privilege not to feel a push, by people of the same racial make up, towards favoring someone of the same race, based on their race.

Thoughts?

 

[bobhikes]

Now I understand that some of you think of privilege as something concrete an individual has. But for the purposes of this discussion privilege is a statistical advantage that is found in a group.

I was wondering if it is a white privilege not to feel a push, by people of the same racial make up, towards favoring someone of the same race, based on their race.

Thoughts?

There is just one race of humans with many variables. What people see as race is just a hue of skin color and cultural differences. The best word is ethnicity.

 

[Curious George]

There is just one race of humans with many variables. What people see as race is just a hue of skin color and cultural differences. The best word is ethnicity.

I think you have a valid point. There may be no race scientifically, however there most definitely is a social construct called race which consequently has statistical trends with regard to social interaction.

That race based on appearance and ancestry is a group that we need to consider is unfortunate. But to ignore this categorical approach is to ignore the discrimination used by those who do not ignore it, and choose to discriminate by it.

 

[Nakosis]

Now I understand that some of you think of privilege as something concrete an individual has. But for the purposes of this discussion privilege is a statistical advantage that is found in a group.

I was wondering if it is a white privilege not to feel a push, by people of the same racial make up, towards favoring someone of the same race, based on their race.

Thoughts?

I don't think many would consider it as a problem to address. I'd suspect more the opposite is often assumed with White privilege.

 

[YmirGF]

Like many other words, race has two main connotations. One is a scientific term and the other a more common colloquial term. It doesn't really matter if you replace the word with ethnicity as the two, in common speech, are interchangeable. The simple fact, in general terms, is that people tend to congregate along ethnic lines. It's almost a self-imposed segregation. (This is assuming there is not government enforced segregation like in America prior to the 1960's and in South Africa under Apartheid.)

When no government policy is in effect that curtails free movement of the population, economic factors play a large role in where people live. Regardless of race, you live where you can afford to live. As far as white privilege goes, my guess it applies to any ethnic group, put in a position where one is in a distinct minority position, especially so if one is economically challenged. For example, a multimillionaire white person would have a far different experience in Beijing than would a person of modest or low financial standing. Likewise, a wealthy black person in a white majority area, these days, can pretty well do whatever they want with little to no backlash. So, in short, I think the idea of white privilege is over-blown by several orders due to serious mitigating circumstances that muddy the waters.

I don't think many would consider it as a problem to address. I'd suspect more the opposite is often assumed with White privilege.

Yes, the canard being floated is that if you deny white privilege, for any reason, it just demonstrates your lack of empathy for people of colour. Heaven forbid that the idea itself is on shaky ground to begin with.

 

[Curious George]

I don't think many would consider it as a problem to address. I'd suspect more the opposite is often assumed with White privilege.

What exactly do you think the opposite is?

Do you think it is a problem to address?

 

[Curious George]

Like many other words, race has two main connotations. One is a scientific term and the other a more common colloquial term. It doesn't really matter if you replace the word with ethnicity as the two, in common speech, are interchangeable. The simple fact, in general terms, is that people tend to congregate along ethnic lines. It's almost a self-imposed segregation. (This is assuming there is not government enforced segregation like in America prior to the 1960's and in South Africa under Apartheid.)

When no government policy is in effect that curtails free movement of the population, economic factors play a large role in where people live. Regardless of race, you live where you can afford to live. As far as white privilege goes, my guess it applies to any ethnic group, put in a position where one is in a distinct minority position, especially so if one is economically challenged. For example, a multimillionaire white person would have a far different experience in Beijing than would a person of modest or low financial standing. Likewise, a wealthy black person in a white majority area, these days, can pretty well do whatever they want with little to no backlash. So, in short, I think the idea of white privilege is over-blown by several orders due to serious mitigating circumstances that muddy the waters.


Yes, the canard being floated is that if you deny white privilege, for any reason, it just demonstrates your lack of empathy for people of colour. Heaven forbid that the idea itself is on shaky ground to begin with.

I looked it over twice. I saw no answer. Are you trying to say that statistical advantages do not exist along racial lines? Or that they do, but we shouldn't care?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

There is just one race of humans with many variables. What people see as race is just a hue of skin color and cultural differences. The best word is ethnicity.

To tell you honestly since I live with such a majority who are white, black, blue, and green I see it more as cultural differences rather than skin color. For example, I'm dark skinned (never called myself black; didn't viewpoint) but grew up in a white locality. I moved here and people of African american descent or they say black tell me, "you're not from here are you?" and we go into a conversation of my not being raised in Black Culture (lack of better words). There is a different language, customs, beliefs, and way of life shared by one locality than another. South Eastern U.S. totally different, yet we all have the same skin tone and we "get it." Probably because of history...

Another reason black is better than ethnicity say African american to many people is the differentiation between community and culture and politically correct terms the "white" people gave us. I mean, I looked on my family genealogy and on their birth certificate, they have negro.

A lot of what makes black and white people different is the language, culture, and customs. However, we have similar history but because of our roles and family family roles, unless we are militants, travel, or raised elsewhere, there's a sense of them vs. they. A lot of times black and white are used many of us don't even know where we came from specifically.

Political issues more than anything else.

 

[Nakosis]

What exactly do you think the opposite is?

Do you think it is a problem to address?

Assuming a push for favoring people of the same race is part of White privilege.

I think White privilege has become an unintended tool for identity politics. It's more a anthropological phenomenon than racism. It's misunderstanding perhaps has become a problem to address.

 

[YmirGF]

I looked it over twice. I saw no answer. Are you trying to say that statistical advantages do not exist along racial lines? Or that they do, but we shouldn't care?

I see it more along economic lines. Ethnicity CAN be a factor, but it is only one factor. A poor white person simply does not enjoy much in the way of privilege. It's almost ridiculous to claim they do. Education is also another very important factor, as well as the ability to find work that one is qualified for.

I'm not saying that privilege does not exist, I just don't think it is all about ethnicity, about a system rigged against a particular group for the betterment of the dominant group.

Regarding the "statistical advantages". Depending on what things are considered and what things are ignored in the analysis, you can pretty well make statistic say whatever you want them to say. Statistically, Hillary had the Presidential race locked up, with Trump given the probability in the low double digit to single digit range.

 

[Curious George]

Assuming a push for favoring people of the same race is part of White privilege.

I think White privilege has become an unintended tool for identity politics. It's more a anthropological phenomenon than racism. It's misunderstanding perhaps has become a problem to address.

Is there a push by others of the same race to do this though?

We can find disparity in renting for instance. If the majority of landlords are white and say 1 in 5 white people would prefer not to rent to black people we will see disparity. It is a game by the numbers. But how prevalent is the encouragement to discriminate? Certainly it was more prevalent in the past. But are there social pressures for white people to give other white people a "leg up"? If so, are those statistically greater or smaller than people of color encouraging other people of color to give people of color a "leg up"?

 

[Curious George]

I see it more along economic lines. Ethnicity CAN be a factor, but it is only one factor. A poor white person simply does not enjoy much in the way of privilege. It's almost ridiculous to claim they do. Education is also another very important factor, as well as the ability to find work that one is qualified for.

I'm not saying that privilege does not exist, I just don't think it is all about ethnicity, about a system rigged against a particular group for the betterment of the dominant group.

Regarding the "statistical advantages". Depending on what things are considered and what things are ignored in the analysis, you can pretty well make statistic say whatever you want them to say. Statistically, Hillary had the Presidential race locked up, with Trump given the probability in the low double digit to single digit range.

And that is great you want add other variables. I get that you are into intersectionality, and I respect that.

I am just asking a simple question.

 

[YmirGF]

And that is great you want add other variables. I get that you are into intersectionality, and I respect that.

I am just asking a simple question.

Hehe. My response is "What privilege does a poor, uneducated, white, "Trailer Trash" type enjoy?"

Please don't say, "One got to the White House!" LOL. It's a serious question.

 

[Curious George]

Hehe. My response is "What privilege does a poor, uneducated, white, "Trailer Trash" type enjoy?"

Please don't say, "One got to the White House!" LOL. It's a serious question.

Are we talking about individuals? It doesn't apply. Are we talking about as an intersectional group? Well, I am not so sure how to read "trailer trash" in a statistical context.

And in what region are we discussing?

Fairly little privilege I imagine as the socioeconomic factors would negate most statistical advantages. But, if we thought hard enough we could come up with advantages nonetheless. Whether those would be valuable advantages is questionable, but they would be advantages that the group statistically possessed over other groups.

 

[sun rise]

Maximum privilege has been given to white male Protestants from Northern Europe. This can be illustrated by the number of times people have said something on the order of "they" are inferior the "they" being blacks, women but historically also orientals.

This is slowly disappearing but it's taking too long to go.

 

[Nakosis]

Is there a push by others of the same race to do this though?

We can find disparity in renting for instance. If the majority of landlords are white and say 1 in 5 white people would prefer not to rent to black people we will see disparity. It is a game by the numbers. But how prevalent is the encouragement to discriminate? Certainly it was more prevalent in the past. But are there social pressures for white people to give other white people a "leg up"? If so, are those statistically greater or smaller than people of color encouraging other people of color to give people of color a "leg up"?

I've never experienced it as such, but my experience is anecdotal. I've always been a minority in my life. What I have experience is a favoring among non-Whites for White folk.

White folks, in my experience, don't care about other Whites. There's no push for White identity. I know groups exist that are the exception, I've just personally never run into any.

However I've often have seen, since I am white, blue eyed, non-Whites see me as more trustworthy than people of their own ethnicity. So perhaps there is a need for non-Whites to deal with the stigma of White privilege.

 

[YmirGF]

Are we talking about individuals? It doesn't apply. Are we talking about as an intersectional group? Well, I am not so sure how to read "trailer trash" in a statistical context.

And in what region are we discussing?

Fairly little privilege I imagine as the socioeconomic factors would negate most statistical advantages. But, if we thought hard enough we could come up with advantages nonetheless. Whether those would be valuable advantages is questionable, but they would be advantages that the group statistically possessed over other groups.

I'm out. Enjoy.

 

[Curious George]

I've never experienced it as such, but my experience is anecdotal. I've always been a minority in my life. What I have experience is a favoring among non-Whites for White folk.

White folks, in my experience, don't care about other Whites. There's no push for White identity. I know groups exist that are the exception, I've just personally never run into any.

However I've often have seen, since I am white, blue eyed, non-Whites see me as more trustworthy than people of their own ethnicity. So perhaps there is a need for non-Whites to deal with the stigma of White privilege.

So the concept about which I am talking is totally foreign to you?

Let us ask this question? Do you remember when Barack Obama ran for office the first time? Who do you imagine, (obviously imagining isn't actual data, but maybe it is helpful to the discussion) would be statistically more likely to get grief, by people of the same race, for not supporting a candidate based on race, a black person voting for McCain, or a white person voting for Obama?

 

[Curious George]

I'm out. Enjoy.

Why is that? Did I not answer your question fairly?

 

[Orbit]

Now I understand that some of you think of privilege as something concrete an individual has. But for the purposes of this discussion privilege is a statistical advantage that is found in a group.

I was wondering if it is a white privilege not to feel a push, by people of the same racial make up, towards favoring someone of the same race, based on their race.

Thoughts?

To the privileged, equality feels like diminishment - you often hear white people complain about affirmative action in colleges for example, when in fact most colleges accept anyone, and the ones that are selective practice affirmative action in admitting athletes and legacies (children of alumni) who are less qualified than others. White people are very sensitive about any other group getting ahead, and tend to ignore the history that made the policies necessary. It is very rare that a less qualified person of color gets the goodies at the expense of a well-qualified white person, but that's how it works in their heads.