So you admit that finances plays a larger part in privilege (or influence in general) than race, yet you still posit that "power" is the deciding factor in whether someone can be racist? Either you have to accept that black people with power can be racist, while white people without power cannot, or you're gonna have to drop the idea that power decides whether a statement is racist or not. Or maybe a third interpretation that a larger portion of white people can be racist than black people, on account of them on average having more power.
I'm simply arguing a definition here, but personally I think this definition of privilege as being purely a racial thing (I know you're not saying this) is dangerous - I think we can work with racial issues without telling poor white people that they're actually super privileged, because they aren't. Them being slightly more privileged than a comparable black family is basically inconsequential, and it only helps to split the lower class into two groups; instead of uniting these people to vote for policies that fight poverty, you now turn one half against the other.
The whole concept of this definition of racism is mindbogglingly stupid to me. I mean, what "power" does a racist alt-righter for instance have over you? You are both just individuals. If you were to stretch the definition of power to difference of social status, if you are more well-off then him financially, chances are, you are the one who has power over him. This definition basically means that no two equal individuals can ever be racist towards each other, or that a "lower status" individual can be racist to someone "above him", which is just outright delusional. It basically only limits racism to affairs between social groups, completely disregarding the fact that beliefs and prejudices are held by individual people. It would maybe hold as a fringe opinion in an academic setting, but definitely doesn't work as a definition of racism for use in everyday life.
I'm sorry, I think my license for white magical powers might've expired or something. Being white isn't a ticket to an amazing life - the "power" that some white, homeless heroin addict holds is entirely theoretical, and in reality they have none.
Racism is
prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
Oppression is something else, and is absolutely no excuse for double standard bullshit. Don't mix up words, Racism is racism. A black guy espousing black supremacism is just as racist as a white person doing it. If you want people on your side, live up to your own standards first. There is no special license that allows you to be hateful and racist once you filled up the minus points quota on the privilege meter.
You do realize that Asian people generally hold the most power in the US. Holding most of the top positions in any field, and being in the highest wealth bracket on average.
This cultural appropriation thing is bullshit, as a half Indian/white dude I can tell you that nobody on my actual Indian side gives a shit about this stuff. In fact they love when they’re culture is used because it means people are appreciating it.
Hell my girlfriend was yelled and harassed by this white chick at college for having cornrows in the side of her head once. Her step mom is black and wanted to give her cornrows as a way to share her culture and bond with my girlfriend.
Aparntly not even thats onay anymore.
I'm not comparing that addict to Ben Carson, and never have. I explicitly only compared that addict to one with the same background, but black.
My point is do you believe that a black person, whose background is the same as another white person, will have a harder, easier, or just about the same experience as that white person?
I think you're forgetting what we're discussing here. Privilege exists, I haven't disputed that, so that should answer your question. Please read my post again, and explain how racism = prejudice + power, but at the same time, Ben Carson can't be racist, but the powerless white heroin addict can.
I'm sorry, how is it exactly that you can't be racist to white people? That comment seems racist in and of itself. If I were to say that about any other race it would 100% be deemed as racism but it isn't to white people because they're white? What kind of double standard is that?
I've never understood this argument.
Does this mean that I could go to China and start calling them chinks, or go to most parts of Africa and call them niggers? After all, it's not racist in that context since they hold the power there.
You should rethink this pretty badly
The poor redneck that is white who voted for Trump isn't getting any representation out of Trump
The rich ones are
Maybe there's something to power that's more about wealth than race?
I was having an argument about the definition of racism with my brother, and he thinks the "prejudice + power" definition is more valid because "language is evolving!!!!"
Sure, if you can consider a certain group of toxic people twisting the meaning of an already existing word language being evolved.
ive seen Rusty before and hes white, ignore him he shouldnt be talking about another race's issues like this he has no idea what its like
This is racist. Just FYI.
I miss the days when he used to make a goof out of people like SoFlo and cue ball guy.
Nobody ever said being white was a ticket to an amazing life, it just means you have more opportunity and advantages than people in a similar situation of a different skin color. This is a very poor understanding of how it works, of course Ben Carson has a better life than a white heroin addict; but a white heroin addict is less likely to be judged for it than a black heroin addict, a white heroin addict is less likely to be arrested than a black heroin addict.
There are issues that black middle class people have to deal with that white people class people don't. Consider how those dudes in the Starbucks in Philadelphia got arrested, how they might've been viewed as "troublemaking hoodlums" even though they were there for a business meeting. Ask yourself do you think them being black could have been a factor in them being unfairly targeted like that? If you imagine "troublemaking hooldlums", the first image that pops into your head reactively is likely a person with black skin if you're an American.
This is what the idea of racial privilege is meant to convey. It's not to say your problem's as a white person are non-existent or that they don't matter, it's to get you to consider how a given situation might be different for someone with another skin color and what difficulties they might face that are specific to their lives. It's about developing a sense of empathy for another race's struggles. Another way to frame it is "minority disadvantage". Asking to frame how "Ben Carson's life is worse than a white heroin addicts" is obtuse at best and maliciously misunderstanding at worst.
Race impacts people's lives in ways that negatively influence outcomes and gives them disadvantages and this is meant to be viewed on a fundamental societal scale of comparable situations.
I'll just quote my own first post about the academic part (though I'll still question how useful that definition is), and thanks for correcting yourself - getting misunderstood is kind of tiring.
Out of context the "white magical powers" looks pretty dumb, but what I was trying to convey is that white privilege isn't absolute - you don't hold absolute power as a white person, but of course it is, on average, an advantage. And yes, racism against white people is (or can be, at least) different, but the original post literally claimed you can't be racist towards white people, which is what I reacted to. I don't think we really disagree to any meaningful degree to be honest. Racism is a problem, and being white means you're on average gonna be more privileged than a black person. No question about that. Or well, geographic and local factors apply, but as a general rule.
i want more slam dunkin' grandma vids
I kinda hate how preachy and political H3H3 has gotten.
Just give us dumb memes and gawking at dumb internet personalities.
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