In the McIntosh article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” my overview of this article for the reading assignment is that “white privilege,” as McIntosh states, is “an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was meant to remain oblivious.” This revelation came as she was writing an observation article on white male privilege in America. Her reviews in this area began in her discoveries of men’s unwillingness to recognize their over-advantage status, however they would concede the impediment condition of women. These denials protected male privilege from being acknowledged, diminished, or abridged. Her findings concerning unattended white privilege may be key to bigotry. She understood that while she was under the dominance of white men, she had predominance over ladies of another ethnic background, such as women of color. White privilege is seen as an unacknowledged and standard norm of the majority, however it is within this “unseen norm” that outlines the racial divides of this country. From …show more content…
Without a doubt, it will take more than enough effort and endurance to help fix the racial divides of this country. Also, males hold a strong position and status in this country; especially white men because of their race and gender they can control almost everything without touching it. For reading the article, there were “aha” moments and moments where issues of white privilege and male dominance were not surprising to me because of the media representations and the ongoing experiences I face when witnessing either one of these ordeals. I think I would like to learn more about white privilege in more details and surprising facts about it, then what I perceive it to
As a result of her comprehensive definition on white privilege and endorsement to her academic background, McIntosh begins to persuade her audience that unearned white privilege does exist. The first couple of paragraphs of her essay she gives to define white privilege, so it is recognizable that this definition is necessary for her essay and her argument.
This week we were assigned to read to different articles. The first article was written by Peggy McIntosh titled, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”. Throughout the article, Peggy showed the readers what it means to have white privilege. She showed the readers 50 different types of “advantages” that whites get over other races, such as African Americans. This is the biggest theme throughout her entire piece.
The “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” McIntosh begins her essay portraying the unwillingness of men to admit that they are over privileged. Even those who are willing to admit that women are at a disadvantage have a problem admitting their privilege. McIntosh realizes that this denial of privilege does not only apply to gender but to race as well. She realizes that white people including herself are thought to view racism as something that puts others at a disadvantage but have never had to considered an aspect of racism that befits them; white privilege. Although being a woman puts McIntosh at a disadvantage she realizes that by not acknowledging her privilege she is unintentionally oppressing others as well.
The primary source being analyzed in this article is an article/excerpt posted in a 1988 book. It is called "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack". It was written by Peggy McIntosh. The author is a white female who has lived a fairly gifted and accomplished life. She wrote this article because of her realization that her skin color and gender have both played major roles in the way she's been brought up and treated by others.
America is a diverse melting pot of various ethnicities and heritages all blended together to create the American society. As beautiful as that is, America as a population is mired in fear of addressing issues such as white privilege which is the product of discrimination and racism. White privilege is viewed by those opposed to it that those who are privilege received unwarranted success as a result of status, luck and privilege rather than putting in hard work or using their brain to earn their success. The existence of discrimination from white privilege comes from the privilege attained by a certain as well as oppression and social prejudice facing certain other groups or races. Individuals who are privileged in one society seldomly are unaware of their privilege, not because of their own doing, but simply because it is very easy to be oblivious to the privilege when you have never seen its adverse effect from the other side.
“Behind every success, large or small, there is a story, and it isn't always told by sex or skin color” (page 2, par. 15), Fortgang, T (2014). Some people base their success on their racial background. “Checking My Privilege” by Tal Fotrtgang was written in an effort to voice his opinion on this matter. In his essay, Tal Fortgang says, “I actually went and checked the origins of my privileged existence, to empathize with those whose underdog stories I can’t possibly comprehend. I have unearthed some examples of the privilege with which my family was blessed, and now I think I better understand those who assure me that skin color allowed my family and I to flourish today”
Time Wise has started the conversation about race inequality and white privilege with his lecture “Baltimore and Beyond: Race Racism and White Privilege.” It is always a hard conversation to have since most people try to be political correct and do not want to offend anyone. Wise had made some good points that I believe anyone could understand and he also made some points that some people would be against. The first point he made that I found had a huge impact was the fact that Americans memorialize other countries’ hardships rather than our own. Wise used the example of a Holocaust Memorial that he saw.
White Privilege is a right or an advantage give to white people that do not apply to people of other races. An example of White Privilege is never having to worry about being interrogated by the police or authorities due to the solemn fact of your skin color. Christian Hegemony is the dominance of particular Christian ideas, beliefs, and traditions in a society where there are both Christians and Non-Christians present. An example of Christian Hegemony is when society only celebrates the most popular Christian traditions, such as Christmas, and keeps other religious holidays such as Kwanza and Hanukkah more discrete and less well known.
White Privileges: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack In the article, White Privileges: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Peggy McIntosh explores the power of white privilege. White privilege, as McIntosh puts it, is an advantage enjoyed by white people beyond the common advantage of other races. The article begins with the author reflecting upon male privilege,, and then transitions into her own reflection on privileges involving race. To prove this, she lists the effect of white privilege in daily life.
Over the past decade the term white privilege has emerged in our American history. White privilege is the concept that one particular group is benefited which is typically identified as white people. Most of the victims experiencing harsh conditions are non-white people under the same social, political, or economic circumstances of mistreatment. A conversation took place with a few people about white privilege whose race is identified as white. An interviewer started that “the belief that being white comes with unearned advantages and everyday perks”.
As a summer long intern, team members couldn’t reject me because they were under my authority. As an adult, the kids couldn’t decide to get picked up by another van or choose someone else to walk them to the bathroom. I don’t think I fully realized the extent of this privilege while I was there, but after reading “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” a new set of privileges came to me that I didn’t realize before. Those were the privileges to not think about or not worry about things other people had to. This summer, because of the power from my race, and my position in the organization, I didn’t have to think about
Racial oppression takes a shot at an institutional and between individual level. Its definitive objective is securing more assets, power, openings, and benefits—material. Racial domination is a racial belief system that attempts to keep up class inequality. White individuals as a gathering get a lopsidedness measure of open guide and
1. How did English settlement of colonial America impact on the making of an American nation, society and culture? According to history, the English culture ruled our society and a lot of the things that we practice came from them. For example, the English language, religion, Christianity, and Catholicism.
Peggy McIntosh puts my young dilemma best when she says, “I was taught to see racism only individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance of my group.” I now realize that as a white person, I carry what McIntosh refers to as an “Invisible Knapsack.” Reading her article on white privilege was a huge eye opener. It was true that I have never been asked to speak for all the people of my racial group. It was true that if I get pulled over I can be sure the that have not been singled out by my race.
Since the beginning of American culture, it has been tradition for rich white men to oppress and dominate in order to gain and maintain power and control. This oppression began with the conquering of the United States and continued on for centuries. In the modern world, these men, many generations ahead, seem to be similarly programmed, and are still hungry for the things that fuel their ego: A healthy appearance, powerful social status, superior educational background, and a high-powered profession. These things are key ingredients for modern social superiority, a kind of superiority that seems to be the key for success in American society. And a kind superiority is something that the most power-driven men would kill for.