The Rage of the Angry White Male Continues Its Battle Against Equality

tovenar
I'm in my late 40's, and most of the "white male privilege" disappeared before I entered the workforce in the late 80s

My whole working life has taken place with

-affirmative action for minorities in college and career
-more SBA loans for minorities
-preferential contracts for minority owned businesses.
-since the mid-nineties, women my age out-earning men in white-collar jobs.
-after Anita Hill, the suspicion that males ARE harassing females in the work place

There is a new white privilege coming on over the last decade though. White Males are more respected as voices of authority that they were before. Because these days, you know that the world is biased against us enough; so that if a WM has a position, he has definitely EARNED it. If he is a WM CEO, he was hired over some tokens that would have helped the company's HR compliance. If he is a professor, he has a good enough publication history that the faculty decided they could meet their race and gender quotas elsewhere.

In other words, a white male cannot get a job guarding the photocopier, or being VP of human resources. If he is still drawing a check, it's because he adds value to the bottom line. If he gets tenure, it's because he will be the "flower pot" that provides a place for all the minority flowers to bloom and grow.

IF there is a greater degree of white male rage, you'll find it in the working class, where the economics have ruined his family, and his job has migrated permanently overseas just went extinct.

Most of that rage is focused at the government, though; not at minorities.

The halls of government are still dominated by white males. The boards of directors of major coporations are donimated by white males. Academia is still largely dominated (anyway those on tenture tracks) by white males. Most of the wealth is held by white males. Affirmative Action hasn't done a thing about white male privilege.

intrepid
reply to post by seeker1963

 

I'll say it slower then. The OP, and the author by extension, claim that white men are angry because they are disadvantaged by minorities and women. That this is supported by white males UP the food chain, not down.

Need to read the article before claiming understanding and that is not what is said by the author - read it again.

OneManArmy

intrepid
reply to post by seeker1963

 

I'll say it slower then. The OP, and the author by extension, claim that white men are angry because they are disadvantaged by minorities and women. That this is supported by white males UP the food chain, not down.

The reason it is a sentiment expressed by white males up the food chain, is simply because dividing everyone below them secures their position up the food chain at the expense of everyone else.
I think it is a means as to self justify their own greed. I see it a lot in right wingers and the so called middle classes.

Thank you for noting the 'downstream' acting out of this anger. That is the nature of unconscous dominance.

badgerprints
White male here.

It gets real old being constantly told what an evil no-good bastard I am because I'm a white male.

Fed up with it really.

Why be fair and realistic when I'm always going to be the excuse for everyone else's issues?

I wasn't angry for most of my life.
Getting a bit testy now.

Not talking about you. White males in general. I know a few who are aware and don't act out their angry on lower status people. But I always worry in these types of discussions when someone reacts "I'm not like that" and therefore the premise is incorrect. You can't disprove a general rule with a specific instance of the rule being invalid.

Sorry you are testy (perhaps from the word testes). You're entitled just look at why this subject triggers 'testiness'.

OneManArmy

HanzHenry
do you know Much of the labor movement? do you know what a picket line was all about?

Yes I know very well what a picket line is, I have lost 2 jobs for speaking out and standing up for my work colleagues even if they wouldnt do the same for me.
And during a labour dispute, the scabs were the ones that broke the picket line and carried on working. It had nothing to do with their nationality.

Sorry to jump in, I want to show how this reflects the authors point and please pardon any misreading of your comment of my part.

You've lost two jobs during strikes. Why do you blames the 'scabs' (downstream) rather then the bosses who hire them (upstream and the rational but unsubmissive cause of your job loss. Or, even further upstream, blame Ronald Reagan for breaking the Air Traffic Controllers strike with scabs against law and tradition in this country and around the world. Why blame the 'scabs' who just want to provide for their families just like you do.

I'm getting off topic but we are all conditioned by (and I include all cultures I know of) culture to direct blame to those less powerful and often the actual blame or cause of a situation lies with those of more status/power.

HanzHenry

OneManArmy

HanzHenry
do you know Much of the labor movement? do you know what a picket line was all about?

Maybe if the "natives" werent so lazy, constantly bitching and moaning and claiming "Im not working for that sort of money" then they wouldnt have lost out to immigrants at all.
So who is to blame?

If Im honest, I dont truly believe the rhetoric of that last statement. But blame is an easy thing to lay at the feet of anybody, but the question remains is it truly their fault? Or are they a convenient scapegoat?

You still have not disputed a single statement I have made.

The immigrants are moving here to take a PART of our American lifestyle.

and in doing so.. they lower the pay (tptb win), increase housing costs (tptb win)

Not talking about immigrants

FyreByrd

HanzHenry

OneManArmy

HanzHenry
do you know Much of the labor movement? do you know what a picket line was all about?

Maybe if the "natives" werent so lazy, constantly bitching and moaning and claiming "Im not working for that sort of money" then they wouldnt have lost out to immigrants at all.
So who is to blame?

If Im honest, I dont truly believe the rhetoric of that last statement. But blame is an easy thing to lay at the feet of anybody, but the question remains is it truly their fault? Or are they a convenient scapegoat?

You still have not disputed a single statement I have made.

The immigrants are moving here to take a PART of our American lifestyle.

and in doing so.. they lower the pay (tptb win), increase housing costs (tptb win)

Not talking about immigrants

IMMIGRATION and the detrimental effects -------> ARE a HUGE CAUSE of the RAGE!

Or didn't you get the point yet?

kimish

HanzHenry
reply to post by OneManArmy

 

personally, you have benefitted from immigration so your views are suspect on it. You know inside that the better life was a takeaway from an American.
Maybe it is my Native part, but if someone has an immigrant parent or grandparent, they are not a real American to me. And 200 years lineage should be required before full right and benefits.

Unless one's family has served 3 straight generations in the military then THEY OWE ME and ALL Americans. I have lost MANY branches from a family tree, and today have a massive shortage of family. Yet the immigrant, whose ancestors didn't 'git'r done' at home was able to have a large family and NEVER PAID THE PRICE TO BE HERE.

So, my family dies in wars forever, and then immigrants can come here and outnumber me?

I think you should specify "undocumented" immigrants. Because I know that my ancestors were documented in order to become hard working citizens to make a better life for their families. They didn't get here illegally and shuttle money back to their homeland. When they could afford it, they used their hard earned, legal money to move their families back here to the U.S. to become legal, tax paying citizens.

Illegal or LEGAL ----> DOES NOT MATTER!

STILL your family should NOT be HERE!

I wish all immigrants over last 200 years would either LEAVE, or be second class until 200 years.

Why should MY ANCESTORS have fought for a BETTER LIFE FOR US.... to have a bunch of people choose to :

1. freeload off MY ANCESTORS TOIL
2. EVERY IMMIGRANT ---->STOLE their job from a REAL AMERICAN
3. Why is it OK for one needy person to STEAL something from one MORE ENTITLED?

Someone who has ancestors here forever should not have tp see his country OVER RUN with people that PAID ------> NO PRICE !!!

FyreByrd

terriblyvexed
If you're considered a minority by race, sex, sexuality, or religion, so on and so forth, you are off limits to anything negative, period.

That's the whole point, white males are not (in the US as a whole) going to be in a majority very long - simple demographics (in California I believe the Hispanics are the majority already).

That fact, along with the vanishing of good blue collar jobs, is creating a terrible existenial fear. And because white males in particular can't show or express fear openly, it's being expressed more and more in aggression, respression and violence (verbal and otherwise) toward those 'perceived' as being of lower status.

Simple Facts --- Hispanic males should have NEVER been allowed to over run California. A state that was built by the white Americans..

Hispanics chose to STEAL MY ANCESTORS STATE... much easier to STEAL what one group built than to build your own.,.

AND NOW< the white guy gets picked on and discriminated against by FOREIGN INVADERS!

I WISH AMERICA would have been for those whose ANCESTORS built it.

not a anymore... the white male WON all the battles over the last 500 years. WHy should those that couldn't FIX THEIR OWN LANDS!! ---- have been ALLOWED to turn southern California into a BIG TIJUANA?!?!?

I HATE YOU of you are not a real AMerican (200 years here)

HanzHenry
Hispanics chose to STEAL MY ANCESTORS STATE... much easier to STEAL what one group built than to build your own.,.

Not much of a history buff are you? The US took California off of the Mexicans over 150 years ago.

FyreByrd

OneManArmy

HanzHenry
do you know Much of the labor movement? do you know what a picket line was all about?

Yes I know very well what a picket line is, I have lost 2 jobs for speaking out and standing up for my work colleagues even if they wouldnt do the same for me.
And during a labour dispute, the scabs were the ones that broke the picket line and carried on working. It had nothing to do with their nationality.

Sorry to jump in, I want to show how this reflects the authors point and please pardon any misreading of your comment of my part.

You've lost two jobs during strikes. Why do you blames the 'scabs' (downstream) rather then the bosses who hire them (upstream and the rational but unsubmissive cause of your job loss. Or, even further upstream, blame Ronald Reagan for breaking the Air Traffic Controllers strike with scabs against law and tradition in this country and around the world. Why blame the 'scabs' who just want to provide for their families just like you do.

I'm getting off topic but we are all conditioned by (and I include all cultures I know of) culture to direct blame to those less powerful and often the actual blame or cause of a situation lies with those of more status/power.

edit on 24-11-2013 by FyreByrd because: (no reason given)

Let me clarify, it would appear I didnt explain myself properly, sorry for the misunderstanding.
I was explaining my understanding of the Labour movement and strikes.
I didnt lose my jobs during strikes, 1 job(warehouse manager) I walked away from because of the way the upper management was treating us all with contempt, I argued the case of the staff(we had no union), and our concerns were not addressed, I felt I had no option but to stand up for my beliefs and walk away. Another job, I was very vocal(due to stress of oppressive working practices), I went ballistic and was threatening court action over unfair practices, the next morning I was tested for drugs, which I failed being an active smoker of weed(which was common knowledge), and I was bang to rights and didnt have a leg to stand on. In that case the weight that was lifted from my shoulders having lost my job, I was just happy to be out of there. I was involved in the union there, but as a result of my termination circumstances, didnt pursue it further.
My use of the word scab to describe "the workers that broke the picket line" is not MY description, but it is the name given by strikers.
I would never personally call a fellow workmate a scab, I understand that some people simply cannot afford to strike and would not victimize them for doing so.
I hope that makes things a little clearer.

intrepid

HanzHenry
Hispanics chose to STEAL MY ANCESTORS STATE... much easier to STEAL what one group built than to build your own.,.

Not much of a history buff are you? The US took California off of the Mexicans over 150 years ago.

Racists generally arent partial to the facts.
Only hate, and victimization of those lower down the food chain.
And if we go back far enough, the whole continent of the americas was stolen by the european colonists.

intrepid

HanzHenry
Hispanics chose to STEAL MY ANCESTORS STATE... much easier to STEAL what one group built than to build your own.,.

Not much of a history buff are you? The US took California off of the Mexicans over 150 years ago.

that was after a WAR.. the winner won the land.

And it was a useless crap hole before... The American BUILT it from nothing! look at Mexico!

why would ANYONE want to be ANYTHING like MEXICO in any way?

the only way to avoid looking like Mexico, is to keep ALL MEXICANS OUT..

Look around, the more Mexicans here, the MORE IT TURNS INTO MEXICO!!

OneManArmy

intrepid

HanzHenry
Hispanics chose to STEAL MY ANCESTORS STATE... much easier to STEAL what one group built than to build your own.,.

Not much of a history buff are you? The US took California off of the Mexicans over 150 years ago.

Racists generally arent partial to the facts.
Only hate, and victimization of those lower down the food chain.
And if we go back far enough, the whole continent of the americas was stolen by the european colonists.

what History? America WON the battles and took the land.

Mexico did NOT make California great --->look at Mexico ffs!

Americans built California from a desert nothing into a great place... until the Mexicans invaded..

unfortunately in this invasion, the Americans were not allowed to keep killing them until they left.

Point is, as time goes on Mexico is still a crap hole... and more of their people choose to freeload than fix their own..

always the easy way out huh?

Well, I'll keep discussing this with rational people. I can see this pretty clearly due to my age. I saw it go from, "Woman, get supper ready" to "You're screwed dude" to where we are today. I won't even go into minorities. Just watch any early episode of All in the Family and you'll get an idea how nasty that was. To where we are today.

HanzHenry

OneManArmy

intrepid

HanzHenry
Hispanics chose to STEAL MY ANCESTORS STATE... much easier to STEAL what one group built than to build your own.,.

Not much of a history buff are you? The US took California off of the Mexicans over 150 years ago.

Racists generally arent partial to the facts.
Only hate, and victimization of those lower down the food chain.
And if we go back far enough, the whole continent of the americas was stolen by the european colonists.

what History? America WON the battles and took the land.

Mexico did NOT make California great --->look at Mexico ffs!

Americans built California from a desert nothing into a great place... until the Mexicans invaded..

unfortunately in this invasion, the Americans were not allowed to keep killing them until they left.

Point is, as time goes on Mexico is still a crap hole... and more of their people choose to freeload than fix their own..

always the easy way out huh?

If you would like to see a crap hole there is one on your face, look in the mirror, I see a lot of crap coming from your mouth.
Blaming the less fortunate than yourself is the very definition of "the easy way out".

reply to post by FyreByrd


Possibly your premise is correct, I didn't bother to read the link. You've explained half of the problem. The other half is the greater hatred of the non-whites (in the Western world at least). And the virtually instant growth of the non-white hatred in those that immigrate to those countries. All natural aspects of the human animal that relates to old species self-identification.

The real problem is that whites seem fairly well adapted to the new way of thinking that every one is about equal. They allow a mixing by allowing immigration.) I say "about" because the other side tends to have different ideas from their societies and cultures about how to handle their hatred and their actions reflect back on how they are viewed. Even the non-whites relatively native to Western cultures tend to think differently and act out accordingly to a deeper hatred than anything that whites display as a general rule. Hence, the problem, the non-white's own stumbling block to better relations among the races (and cultures).

The PC people are finally realizing that "we are not all equal" in a host of different ways. That is why the new chant is Diversity. But there is no happy medium in diversity because allowing it allows different points of view, sometimes murderous which always gets more attention than the benign.

FyreByrd

SasquatchHunter
You know who tells truth Mike Tyson he is the empirical case study of black rage. He came from the hood and is the product of that environment. He had a body of steel and a mind of pure rage. He doesn't pull any punches either hakakaka he enjoyed hurting people. Money, fame, women, houses cars none of that could quell the culture that was so ingrained in him. Its taken him almost 50 years to become a passive and emotionally stable person.

How many men just like Mike minus the fame and fortune does the hood churn out? How many does society give them 50 years to let go of that anger?

All the while profiteers of the urban culture get rich off the things that hold minorities back. Jay Z, Russell Simmons, Al Sharpton, Obama!

Not about black, yellow, brown, red or black men. You are avoiding looking at the issue as stated or trying to divert from it, or any of many psychological defence tactics.

I'm not diverting from anything the article is alleging some sort of class warfare. I gave my opinion of of the social economic problems this country faces, I gave real world examples to support my opinions.

Where are all the raging Swedish guys? Norwegians?

If you don't think the urban culture and its profiteers are holding minorities back promoting a bad lifestyle, I don't know what else can be said for you.

intrepid
Well, I'll keep discussing this with rational people. I can see this pretty clearly due to my age. I saw it go from, "Woman, get supper ready" to "You're screwed dude" to where we are today. I won't even go into minorities. Just watch any early episode of All in the Family and you'll get an idea how nasty that was. To where we are today.

I would agree with you, it would seem the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction.
The issues of womens rights and the rights of minorities has become too PC.
It is a simple case of "political correctness gone mad".
Whats really needed is balance and rationality. We dont seem to have either.

FyreByrd

intrepid
reply to post by seeker1963

 

I'll say it slower then. The OP, and the author by extension, claim that white men are angry because they are disadvantaged by minorities and women. That this is supported by white males UP the food chain, not down.

Need to read the article before claiming understanding and that is not what is said by the author - read it again.

I'll do one better. I'll quote the source in your OP:

You dissect "The Rage of the American Working Man" in Chapter Six. Of course, the inevitable question is why is so much of that rage aimed at minorities instead of upward at primarily other white males who are exploiting them?

Good question, I ask myself this all the time. Sometimes, in my interviews, I felt like I was listening to a gendered version of Thomas Frank's book, What's the Matter with Kansas? as I listened to men blame those below them on the socioeconomic ladder for problems that were caused by those far above them. Such misdirection is massaged and manipulated.