White Privilege; Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
By: Peggy McIntosh
“I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of
meanness, not invisible systems conferring dominance on my group.”
I think this is a very important point made by McIntosh,
which is why I think she introduces the piece with this quote. For me this
quote is incredibly relatable and hits home. I was born and raised in a
middle-upper class, mainly white community, I had a mom and a dad, a little
sister and a dog. My family had 2 cars, and we were always friendly with our
neighbors. These are the things I was taught were normal, these are the things
I was taught everybody should have, and if they didn’t have them they should
want them. I was in no way taught that by being part of this group gave me
advantage, but it did. I had, and still have, advantages that other people my
age don’t have just because my skin is white and theirs is not. This quote
almost summarizes the article because it is really her central point
throughout. That some people are taught racism is something done on purpose,
out of hatred, and is not something that can be done through taking advantage
of privileges you may not realize you have. This obliviousness is one thing
McIntosh thinks needs to stop.
“White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of
special provisions, maps, passports, code books, visas, clothes, tools and
blank checks.”
I think this is a very relevant point that I forget a lot in
my day-to-day life. I think that because I am white I forget I have white
privilege; I was born with it and will always have it. What McIntosh says in
important is that we remember white people in today’s society have all these
tools and resources available to them. She also says acknowledging the racism
and privilege is important and the first step to moving past the racism.
“…it is an open question whether we will choose to use
unearned advantage to weaken hidden system of advantage, and whether we will
use any of our arbitrarily awarded power to try to reconstruct power systems on
a broader base .”
I think she wants to end her piece by leaving the readers
questioning their own lives. She wants those who do have privilege and power to
acknowledge that fact, as she believes that that is the first step in fixing
the problem and redistributing the power. I think that not using your white
privilege is very difficult and sometimes impossible, because part of white
privilege is the way people treat you based on your race. This, obviously,
cannot be changed regardless of personal actions. However I think McIntosh has
a good point in that acknowledgement is the first step. I think those with
privilege and power must know and be willing to admit it before any progress
can be made.
Question for class: Do you think that we are starting to
break down white privilege and afford more opportunities to people of all
races? Or are we, as a society in 2013, still failing to acknowledge its existence?
McIntosh's article is certainly interesting because it brings a new perspective of racism to light regarding privilege. I agree with you that it is unlikely someone will not use their white privilege. This is true because privilege is the norm for them. However, it is possible that once people recognize their privilege, they can monitor how they use it to benefit themselves and if it affects others. I think people are mostly unaware that they are privileged because they have not experienced a lack of. Even if these people are told about the underprivileged, they will not be able to truly have understanding. Today I learned in Social Work 240 that saying "I understand" to someone is not always adequate, specifically if the person has not shared the same experience. Still, once they become aware of their privileges, these people must guide those who are in need. That way, their privilege become a selfless "tool" rather than part of a cloistered system.
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