General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Poll re white privilege [View all]Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)One of the most important things anyone can do is to simply know that white privilege exists. To make yourself consciously aware of this helps immensely in identifying the little moments when you're given an advantage. And, at least what I've found, this consciousness causes you to become aware of privilege when you would have ignored it in the past.
Once you become aware of these little advantageous interactions, you can work to resist. Although, this only allows you to resist your advantage if you're white.
It is like sticking your hand into a stream. You can feel the current running around your fingers, pressing them, trying to carry you along. But once you pull your hand out, you cease to experience the flow even though it continues regardless of your awareness. How can one person possibly leave a lasting impression on such a thing? I don't have definite answers but I suppose the best way I can think of it is incrementally. Resist it whenever you have these micro-encounters and hope, even against reason, that you've done something just differently enough to affect permanent change even if it is a tiny difference.