"White Boy Privilege" Goes viral.

[Harry Guerrilla]

Realistically of course, Mann (the boy) obviously knows there's a good chance that a woman will soon hold the most influential office in the world, and undoubtedly knows some or most of those Coyote mentioned earlier: Carly Fiorina (Republican nominee and former CEO of HP), Margaret Thatcher (Britain's Ronald Reagan), Queen Elizabeth (monarch since the stone age or something) and Dilma Rousseff (President being impeached just before the Olympics)... I'll admit I don't know who 'Bures' is and apparently Google doesn't either. Obviously saying that "We just don’t give them the chance to" "run a country, own a company, and throw a nasty curve ball" is one (of 2 or 3) literally false statements. And yet it's equally obvious that this is hyperbole, not deception or delusion.

The fact is that while women make up over 50% of the population in most countries, fewer than 20% of folk in the US Congress are women and only 4% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. The argument that men just want it more only goes so far.

Claims of bias based on gender or ethnicity are often overdrawn (and in the case of gender, actual biological differences sometimes ignored); but it is a proven fact that otherwise identical resumes with obviously male/female or clearly European/non-European names at the top do result in different interview/hiring practices. Interestingly, for some roles - most notably childcare, receptionists, and probably wait staff - that bias is in favour of women; and even female recruiters are less likely to interview/hire women for male-dominated roles. So we're not necessarily talking about racist or sexist attitudes here, so much as association and expectation.


If most or all the people you've seen doing a job are women, you'll associate that job with women. It's only natural. Again, it needn't be racist or sexist, but it's an unconscious bias tendency which for now does still exist and which works against women and most minority groups for most higher paying jobs. And the only way to reduce unconscious bias is to recognise and confront it.

As far as privilege goes, to my mind the hierarchy goes something like
1 > Non-abusive parents, no serious illness, no great tragedies or disasters
2 or 3 > Loving parents, good role models
2 or 3 > Economic status, better education, resources and contacts (which in fairness can be strongly correlated with ethnicity)
4 > Being straight and cisgender
5 > Being male
6 > Being white

So what I don't like about the poem is that it basically puts the bottom two up front and centre (mentioning economic status in passing, at least).

But all these unsubstantiated emotional over-reactions that Mann is "indoctrinated" or "a serious head case" or "hating himself because he is white" seem to miss the point altogether... at best.

While some of that is valid, I'd disagree with the expectations of women necessarily being CEO's or representatives in government.
If there are less women pursuing those things, you can't make women run for those things.

The issue is that there is this selective belief in gender job parity (ie, things must be 50/50).
The odd thing about that though, is this parity is usually only demanded in jobs that pay very well, are high prestige and are high power.

You aren't going to see a parity demand for roofers, a job that can suck giant balls.

 

[Mithrae]

While some of that is valid, I'd disagree with the expectations of women necessarily being CEO's or representatives in government.
If there are less women pursuing those things, you can't make women run for those things.

The issue is that there is this selective belief in gender job parity (ie, things must be 50/50).
The odd thing about that though, is this parity is usually only demanded in jobs that pay very well, are high prestige and are high power.

You aren't going to see a parity demand for roofers, a job that can suck giant balls.

You wouldn't expect a lot of women to want to be roofers. Maybe men don't either, but odds are women don't want it more :lol: Likewise, it's unsurprising if more women are drawn to carer roles (though there certainly is a demand for more men especially in certain nursing and dementia care roles). But wealth and power is attractive to everyone. Like I said, maybe men do want them a bit more, and I can't imagine there'd be many people saying there's an issue if it were 60/40 in men's favour (some still would, of course; there's special people at all ends). But we're not talking about 60/40 or even 70/30... hell, in the case of CEOs we're talking about 96/4!

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

You wouldn't expect a lot of women to want to be roofers. Maybe men don't either, but odds are women don't want it more :lol: Likewise, it's unsurprising if more women are drawn to carer roles (though there certainly is a demand for more men especially in certain nursing and dementia care roles). But wealth and power is attractive to everyone. Like I said, maybe men do want them a bit more, and I can't imagine there'd be many people saying there's an issue if it were 60/40 in men's favour (some still would, of course; there's special people at all ends). But we're not talking about 60/40 or even 70/30... hell, in the case of CEOs we're talking about 96/4!

I really don't find that unsurprising.
I know a lot of people think that CEO or representative is an easy street job, but it often isn't.
It's like the extreme opposite of a carer position.

There isn't a lot of free time because you're the face of the company, as well as, being held responsible for failures.

The race issue in employment is or can be even worse.
My boss had two fire 2 black guys and 1 quit.
All 3 complained that he was being racist and/or showing racial favoritism.
He wasn't, but they assumed he was.

When you know, you're hiring someone with an ethnic name, why employ them when you can potentially lose your job over accusations like that.

 

[eohrnberger]

The kid is a serious head case. I wonder what his parents think about it all?

I'd wager not much, or they think it's perfectly appropriate, after all, it seems as if they are the source of his whole schtick.

 

[coyotedelmar]

Re: "White Boy Privilege" Goes viral.

I grew up not to far from where that kid lives/goes to school.
Druid Hills has some very high end housing and considering that he goes to a $22k a year private school, where the enrollment doesn't come anywhere near to matching the actual surrounding community.
It's a crock of crap to suggest this kid actually understands privilege, compared to most other White people.

These people want their kids to be taught "privilege" but not experience it like regular people would.
(ie, that it's more complicated than what they know)

22k a year and I know more world leaders from a 5 second google search then this kid? Jesus. Though, you do have to love it as a shining example of what race/gender studies is about. From the poem sounds like the kid is being taught all minorities and poor and hated by everyone and women can't do anything because "Patriarchy."



And yet they always say rich people are good with money xD.




On my phone so mutli-quoting is a pain, but to Mithrae, Bures is part of the 3 person temporary leadership of Austria (til the next election, since they couldn't form a majority government) if I recall correctly. More of a co-leader then leader but still.

 

[TaterTots]

I love that white people are automatically privileged. I'm white, life hasn't been easy for me at all. I've been on food stamps, unemployed for a long period of time, pulled over, abused. Yes, I've had it so easy.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

22k a year and I know more world leaders from a 5 second google search then this kid? Jesus. Though, you do have to love it as a shining example of what race/gender studies is about. From the poem sounds like the kid is being taught all minorities and poor and hated by everyone and women can't do anything because "Patriarchy."

And yet they always say rich people are good with money xD.

I find that these arguments around privilege almost categorically come from wealthy, white people, cloistered away from the rest of the world, real people live in.
It's a sort of projection.

In my state, (the same as his) the demographics are much different from his school and the community he likely interacts with.

 

[Jack Hays]

I am indifferent to the little twerp's rant.

 

[Goshin]

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF POEM

Dear women, I'm sorry.

Dear black people, I'm sorry.

Dear Asian-Americans, dear Native Americans, dear immigrants who come here seeking a better life, I'm sorry.

Dear everyone who isn't a middle or upper-class white boy, I'm sorry.

I have started life in the top of the ladder while you were born on the first rung.

I say now that I would change places with you in an instant, but if given the opportunity, would I?

Probably not.

Because to be honest, being privileged is awesome. I'm not saying that you and me on different rungs of the ladder is how I want it to stay.

I'm not saying that any part of me has for a moment even liked it that way....

Read: 'White Boy Privilege' Poem Full Transcript

Dear and fluffy Martin Luther King Jr, what utter drivel.


Poem? It's about as poetic as a grocery list.


The author can fold his poem into all sharp corners and then insert it in suppository form.


He acts like no white boy was ever born into poverty, or fell into poverty despite a privileged upbringing. Not only does that happen, it happens LOTS.

He also acts like no white boy ever had to actually WORK for anything... most people I know who have more than average work VERY hard indeed, and getting where they got to wasn't easy for them, nor was it "written".


This sort of drivel may even be purposefully crafted to maximize the divisiveness in this nation, for those who exploit racial tensions.

 

[SheWolf]

Most fancy restaurants don't have silverware worth stealing. Some of the linens are nice, though. Stealing stuff like a tablecloth is usually problematic. I think Sandy Berger found that out. It didn't go well. Figures. White boy. Old white boy, but white boy anyway. If he'd have asked me, I'd have told him. He didn't ask.

Some people are so poor they will steal your version of ****ty silver ware. I used to work at a hair salon (and if you are wondering, it was in a ****ty part of town ran by black women), and we used to lock the toilet paper rolls down so nobody would steal them. Pawn shops and businesses had bars on the windows. You obviously have clue how some people live in the same country as yourself.

 

[SheWolf]

You call apologizing when you did nothing wrong empathy. :shrug:

I didn't hear an apology. I didn't like a lot of his poem, but I agreed with the bit that everybody should have the same rights, equity shouldn't be scary, and his peers should make a difference.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

I didn't hear an apology. I didn't like a lot of his poem, but I agreed with the bit that everybody should have the same rights, equity shouldn't be scary, and his peers should make a difference.

His poem has literal apologies in it.
No one doesn't have the same rights, in the people he listed.
It's done already.

Again though, I always tend to hear these positions from wealthy, white people, who are completely out of touch with what it's like to be your average White, Black, Brown, etc. person.

 

[SheWolf]

His poem has literal apologies in it.
No one doesn't have the same rights, in the people he listed.
It's done already.

Again though, I always tend to hear these positions from wealthy, white people, who are completely out of touch with what it's like to be your average White, Black, Brown, etc. person.

A lot of middle class people are ignorant about urban poverty as well. They tend to not think it's as bad as it is. If you live in rural America and you're poor, it's not the same as living with the violence and poverty of inner cities. Not all poverty is the same.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

A lot of middle class people are ignorant about urban poverty as well. They tend to not think it's as bad as it is. If you live in rural America and you're poor, it's not the same as living with the violence and poverty of inner cities. Not all poverty is the same.

That's often just garbage.
Have you experienced rural poverty?
It's just a rank and horrid as urban poverty.

I've had the luxury of living in both Atlanta and in rural Georgia.
While there are differences, usually in race, the results are the same.

Generational poverty, criminality, drug abuse, etc. continues in both, it's just that very, very few White people make excuses or have excuses for Whites in rural poverty.
When you swap races, there's always this boogeymen of systemic racism, lack of school funding, cops, etc.

This primary reason for these things tends to be localized cultural practices.
Lack of two parent households, lack of jobs, etc.

 

[SheWolf]

That's often just garbage.
Have you experienced rural poverty?
It's just a rank and horrid as urban poverty.

I've had the luxury of living in both Atlanta and in rural Georgia.
While there are differences, usually in race, the results are the same.

Generational poverty, criminality, drug abuse, etc. continues in both, it's just that very, very few White people make excuses or have excuses for Whites in rural poverty.
When you swap races, there's always this boogeymen man of systemic racism, lack of school funding, cops, etc.

This primary reason for these things tends to be localized cultural practices.
Lack of two parent households, lack of jobs, etc.

It's not the same. Inner cities have way more violence than small towns and townships. The entire social experience is different. I went to school in an inner city for years, then graduated from a small town high school.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

It's not the same. Inner cities have way more violence than small towns and townships. The entire social experience is different. I went to school in an inner city for years, then graduated from a small town high school.

When you have a greater population, you'll have a higher number.
That doesn't change the fact that the situations are the same.

One thing, most striking I noticed about all this is a friend who lived in one of the West Atlanta Ghettos (now torn down).
His parents were still married and he told me the other residents thought it was weird that he had a job.
When I'd drop him off after work, early in the morning, there would be about 30 adult men, standing at the front of the complex at 1am,2am,3am.
That isn't normal anywhere else.

It is definitely an internal social problem the primarily effects the general Black population.
It's sad and depressing, but railing against cops en mass, won't fix it.
Having Whites admit "privilege" won't fix it.
Only they, in their communities can fix it.

I predict, in about a 2-3 generations, that Hispanics will be grouped into White, because they do all the things that are "White" with the different flair of culture.
While, unless there is a dramatic shift in culture, Black people will be in the same mess.

 

[ksu_aviator]

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF POEM

Dear women, I'm sorry.

Dear black people, I'm sorry.

Dear Asian-Americans, dear Native Americans, dear immigrants who come here seeking a better life, I'm sorry.

Dear everyone who isn't a middle or upper-class white boy, I'm sorry.

I have started life in the top of the ladder while you were born on the first rung.

I say now that I would change places with you in an instant, but if given the opportunity, would I?

Probably not.

Because to be honest, being privileged is awesome. I'm not saying that you and me on different rungs of the ladder is how I want it to stay.

I'm not saying that any part of me has for a moment even liked it that way....

Read: 'White Boy Privilege' Poem Full Transcript

So the moral of the story is that white people don't deserve anything they have. Do I have that right?

 

[SheWolf]

When you have a greater population, you'll have a higher number.
That doesn't change the fact that the situations are the same.

One thing, most striking I noticed about all this is a friend who lived in one of the West Atlanta Ghettos (now torn down).
His parents were still married and he told me the other residents thought it was weird that he had a job.
When I'd drop him off after work, early in the morning, there would be about 30 adult men, standing at the front of the complex at 1am,2am,3am.
That isn't normal anywhere else.

It is definitely an internal social problem the primarily effects the general Black population.
It's sad and depressing, but railing against cops en mass, won't fix it.
Having Whites admit "privilege" won't fix it.
Only they, in their communities can fix it.

I predict, in about a 2-3 generations, that Hispanics will be grouped into White, because they do all the things that are "White" with the different flair of culture.
While, unless there is a dramatic shift in culture, Black people will be in the same mess.

We will probably never agree. But I still think inner city is worse than rural poverty. It's louder, it's more crime ridden, and it feels hopeless to know you're around hundreds of people everyday who are suffering in their own ways and almost none of them give a crap about you. In the school system, you're lost. You're just another body. At least in a rural school, the teacher's know your name and face.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

We will probably never agree. But I still think inner city is worse than rural poverty. It's louder, it's more crime ridden, and it feels hopeless to know you're around hundreds of people everyday who are suffering in their own ways and almost none of them give a crap about you. In the school system, you're lost. You're just another body. At least in a rural school, the teacher's know your name and face.

The school can't fix what the parents don't care about.
Again, I remember the Black kids in my elementary school.
The kids who turned into respectable adults fall into the "Uncle Tom" category, the kids who turned into bad adults were not.
That's an internal problem.

 

[katzgar]

When you have a greater population, you'll have a higher number.
That doesn't change the fact that the situations are the same.

One thing, most striking I noticed about all this is a friend who lived in one of the West Atlanta Ghettos (now torn down).
His parents were still married and he told me the other residents thought it was weird that he had a job.
When I'd drop him off after work, early in the morning, there would be about 30 adult men, standing at the front of the complex at 1am,2am,3am.
That isn't normal anywhere else.

It is definitely an internal social problem the primarily effects the general Black population.
It's sad and depressing, but railing against cops en mass, won't fix it.
Having Whites admit "privilege" won't fix it.
Only they, in their communities can fix it.

I predict, in about a 2-3 generations, that Hispanics will be grouped into White, because they do all the things that are "White" with the different flair of culture.
While, unless there is a dramatic shift in culture, Black people will be in the same mess.

Half of blacks are middle class or better. You dont know what you are talking about.

 

[Mithrae]

So the moral of the story is that white people don't deserve anything they have. Do I have that right?

More that everyone deserves the same opportunities.

 

[ksu_aviator]

More that everyone deserves the same opportunities.

Assuming that your presumption of inequality of opportunity does exist, how do we get to that ideal situation?

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

Half of blacks are middle class or better. You dont know what you are talking about.

That's rather arguable based on locality.
With that said, there number of Black families struggling, with single parent households in the near 70% range, they're one emergency away from falling right back into poverty.

 

[TheGoverness]

I would think he would do at least a cursory fact check before calling it His.

Or at least he could write an actual poem.

 

[Absentglare]

I didn't get very far in before i realized that this poem is not worth my attention.