Author Question: Why are other races aware of white privilege, but white Americans are not? (Read 1430 times)

Melanie · **on:** Jul 15, 2013

This is a question on my sociology homework, not quite sure of the answer though. Was wondering if anyone could help me out with it

ricki · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 15, 2013

I think people talk about this too much... its like going back to the trash can and trying to sell it to someone else... its not going to get better if people keep making big deals about it.. have pride in your race everyone is equal and if someone doesn't think that they are immature. Its sad that people still struggle with it . And with the whole white american ... I think its phrased wrong .. white Americans do know and feel perhaps more entitled to it. Frankly as long as your a legal citizen you have the same rights as anyone else

camila · **Reply #2 on:** Jul 15, 2013

Plenty of white US Americans are aware that they benefit from privileges others don't have equal access to.

Those white people who do not seem aware of it or who do not believe it exists probably have not seen how the lives of non-white people go up close & personal enough to understand it, to really have it sink in, to see the realities truly 'in their face' to 'get it.' Privilege insulates, in many cases. If they don't want to know, or if they just don't think about it, they won't see it.

If they only know a few non-white people who are in their same socio-economic level, or if they only know minority people on a surface level, or if they listen to right-wing talk radio & think all minority people have less because they are lazy & want everything given to them free by the gov't or some other idiotic idea, they won't ever understand.

federox · **Reply #3 on:** Jul 15, 2013

The grass is greener on the other side. What other races see as privilege, the white race just see as a normal thing. For instance, someone who is 70 years old might say that you have so much potential because you know how to use the computer and internet but you just don't see that potential. Internet is just a normal thing that everyone your age already knows how to use. So therefore this concept is not limited to race but can also be seen in age, gender, culture, religion, height, size, beauty, area, etc. The list goes on.

formula1 · **Reply #4 on:** Jul 15, 2013

I agree with all the answers above.
It's a combination of alot of reasons.

-When you have always had something and it is a way of life for you then it's hard to see the "greatness" that lies within it. (for example, running water. Almost all Americans have running water...no big deal right? But in some countries most of the population does not. See what I mean?)

-It also has to do with ignorance (and I don't mean that negatively speaking). It's hard to understand the differences between people if you do not have some "real" understanding of other people and their lives.

-Also, I think that alot of people have the whole "you can do ANYTHING" in America attitude. While it certainly not a false assumption but we are a free country. But the statement unjustly implies that everyone is born with equal opportunites and that is just simply not true. Some peole are born into better and more secure family which already puts them well ahead of everyone else.

Hawke · **Reply #5 on:** Jul 15, 2013

Its human nature too feel like your always getting screwed.
Look at siblings...they all think the others kids get everything and they get nothing.
A few yrs ago there was a lot of animosity between blacks and jews.
The black people were saying that slavery was worse than the Holocaust while the jewish people were saying the Holocaust was worse than slavery.
Both parties were trying to grab as much of the limited sympathy as they could.
There were actually a few physical confrontations in New York city in the 80s