The Myth of White Privilege

White privilege is used to describe the different outcomes that seem to plague our society.

Since LBJs great society in the early 1960s the government has been trying to even the gaps between minorities and whites.

Look at high school test scores. White kids do significantly better than under represented minorities, even though we've spent billions of dollars to try to even up the outcomes.

So, academia invented White Privilege to explain the differential outcomes.

reply to post by Misoir


Brilliant as usual Misoir, you summed it all up, there's nothing more to add really, you even got the history with the Frankfurt school, if only I could star you more than once.

The Myth of White Privilege ?
The fact is white privilege exists.
The Myth is that, all Whites are Privileged.

When I hear people say "white privilege" or something akin to it, I cringe a little. Why? Simply because I never had it, yet the opportunities offered to me throughout childhood up to now were countless.

My parents have constantly worked hard since they left school. They put me through nursery school and taught me to read, write and count before primary school. They put myself and my brothers through a load of extra-curricular programs.

Because of the head starts I had in a couple of subjects, teachers at school took more of an interest. Bursaries and scholarships for instrument lessons, shortlists for trips abroad, and great references for jobs/university. Then again, this was a pretty good state school... some of us got flying lessons in the Cadet Force!

Now here's the thing. My parents aren't white. They're black, and so am I. They've never relied on benefits or the Equal Opportunities Act (UK affirmative action bill) to help themselves or their children. What they did do was work hard and work us hard. They're not even rich - my mum's a secretary and my dad's a bus driver.

We're a family of hard workers, and not just in the UK. So even if there was such a thing as white privilege, it wouldn't matter if you're willing to put in the hard graft - as all people should. Nothing in this life is free.

In any case, I'd be more inclined to say that in terms of financial gain and employment opportunities, it's a myth in many places. The white working class in the UK is in the same state that low-income ethnic minorities are.


EDIT: Sorry for the necro!