ipl-logo

Jeremy Dowsett's 'White Privilege'

1357 Words6 Pages

Jeremy Dowsett is determined in countering the racist arguments that are prevailing in the current world. He is not happy about the “white privilege” that the blacks and other non-whites direct to the white people in the society. The author does not like hearing another person telling him about "white privilege" because of his color. Dowsett uses the bicycle formula to explain how the blacks are the minority in a particular place such as the US, hence, perceiving most of the opportunities that the whites obtain as a result of “white privilege.” In his analogy, he recounts how drivers acted aggressively towards him whenever he tries to share the road with them. The metaphoric language is used to compare the blacks and the whites trying to live …show more content…

All these might be as a result of circumstances, but he remains firm in pointing out that the minority should not take such incidences as any form of racism. The fact that drivers use the main road while the bicyclists would like to use the same lane symbolizes the genesis of the “white privilege’ sentiments that the non-white communities try to refer to when addressing the whites. The mistreatment by car owners is a result of his determination to use the same road with them despite the different specifications. In real life situations, bikes have their designated paths that they would not be curtailed to use. When they try to compare themselves with the car drivers, they might end up disappointed because their class and machinery might not allow them to enjoy the same privileges. He indicates that the road users insult him, throw gravel, and show disrespect to him because they use the privileged perspective. Dowsett argued that “And so people in cars—nice, non-aggressive people— put me in danger all the time because they see the road from the privileged perspective.” (Dowsett, p.

Show More
Related
1147 Words | 5 Pages

As Neyyirah Waheed once stated, “Never trust anyone who says they do not see color. This means to them, you are invisible.” Neyyirah is explaining how at one time, when one’s self was little, one is taught not see color. But at the same time, one becomes more aware of the situation while being told to ignore it all at once. Peggy McIntosh’s White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack reflects on how she was taught how to deny the privilege she was born with as a white woman but also how to benefit from it.

Read More
1009 Words | 5 Pages

When prejudices expressed by the white majority are so deeply engaged for it to be depraved overnight, a more practical solution occurs. In what are the most memorable last lines from the essay, the author finds a way to not seem to be dangerous in other peoples’ eyes. The way he walks and the clothes he wears help him also not to seem hostile. He states, “I began to take precautions to make myself less threatening. I move about with care, particularly late in the evening.

Read More
193 Words | 1 Pages

The main idea of this entry is about the stereotypes that come along with racism. Also, Brent Staples wants his readers to realize how much colored people sacrifice from their normality in order to fit in with society, in hopes of not being attacked or offended. The author proves this in his entry by mentioning ‘innocent’ behaviors, such as singing Beethoven, that he did in public in order to relief those surrounding him from danger. Moreover, the author compared hikers to the country’s bears in order to provide readers with a valid connection between black and colored people. In addition to that, Brent Staples uses flashback as one of his techniques when sharing with us his encounters with white people, this gives readers an idea of how

Read More
600 Words | 3 Pages

One of the most strived for things in life is academic excellence however the path to it is never easy. Author Thompson Ford’s article “How To Understand Acting White” outlines Stuart Bucks arguments about the irony of desegregation in education. A separate essay written by, Alfred Lubrano, “The Shock of Education: How College Corrupts” has similar ironies about the average college student. If Ford was to read Lubrano’s essay, Ford would come to a more complex conclusion by incorporating arguments and concepts from Lubrano’s essay. Ford may utilize Lubrano’s essay to expand on certain concepts such as the proximity effect, socioeconomics, and the level of education in top tier schools to further explain the “acting white” phenomenon from his own article.

Read More
512 Words | 3 Pages

In the following journals “The agony of a racial Democracy by Christopher Lebron,” “Stuff white people know by Mark Reinhardt,” and Trayvon Martin, intersectionality and the politics of Disgust by Ange-Marie Hancock” was about the Trayvon Martin case which a young black male who was murdered by George Zimmerman who was a neighborhood watch volunteer. These journals were discussing the contemporary era of young black, black people and the country dealing with the basic freedom that black get due to the white supremacy that are in the laws, politics and the history of this country. How Trayvon Martin death was an example of prejudice, injustice, race bias, white privilege, racial profiling and the old story of this country. The reason why Trayvon Martin death is an example of these following words because his death

Read More
588 Words | 3 Pages

When examining “Crash” and “7 Seconds in the Bronx” we observe the injustice the injustice individuals face resulting in unforgivable offenses. When examining both stories it becomes apparent that between stereotypes, authoritative discrimination, and economic hierarchy, it is tough to be of a minority background. Stereotypes are an unfair representation that has been developed about a person or a race. In “Crash” we see the struggle of being a minority. We see this in the beginning of the story when Anthony and Peter, both young adults of colour, could see Jean clenched onto her husband and purse when passing them in the streets as she pre disclosed the assumption they

Read More
846 Words | 4 Pages

The major thesis in this book, are broken down into two components. The first is how we define racism, and the impact that definition has on how we see and understand racism. Dr. Beverly Tatum chooses to use the definition given by “David Wellman that defines racism as a system of advantages based on race” (1470). This definition of racism helps to establish Dr. Tatum’s theories of racial injustice and the advantages either willingly or unwillingly that white privilege plays in our society today. The second major thesis in this book is the significant role that a racial identity has in our society.

Read More
1817 Words | 8 Pages

White people, be it men or women, constantly exert their power over black people, taking their humanity piece by piece. During the 19th century, it was often found that black people did not have any rights; little, if any, were truly free. Those that were not free were forced to slave away at some plantation, owned by a white man that had complete power over them. Black people were forced to care for the children of the whites, they had to do strenuous field work, cook, clean, etc. Although white people seem to have a great deal of power during the 19th century, Octavia Butler's novel Kindred demonstrates that they depend utterly on the labor and bodies of black people because that is how they implement their power and superiority over them.

Read More
102 Words | 1 Pages

I sometimes get irritated when people don’t agree on the same ideas that I have or when the other person says something that I don’t agree with. The objective of this chapter made me comprehend that based on an individual’s experiences and viewpoints impacts the person’s behavior. Some experience may deal with the oppressions and privileges a person has, the article “Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person…” made me realize that I am more privilege than what I thought. The author didn’t think she was privilege until she read a book she got recommended and from her article she summarizes

Read More
181 Words | 1 Pages

Beneath the literal brutal violence the narrator is forced into is an overwhelmingly obvious display of severe racism. It is a figurative violence between the rich and powerful whites and the struggling oppressed blacks. The violence is

Read More
1085 Words | 5 Pages

The driver doesn’t see his passenger for who he or she is truly is, only his or her race. The driver doesn’t see people based on their individuality, he defines others only in groups such as African Americans and the poor

Read More
1422 Words | 6 Pages

White Privilege: Essay 1 White privilege is a systemic issue that has roots in our history as far back as the creators of our country. Searching back, we see our norms and values created into habits that have been woven into how we view and act around specific groups such as African Americans. This essay is going to explain how the average Caucasian individual experiences white privilege on a day to day basis and the solutions to insure that white privilege will stop and true equality can be handed out. This paper views the latter issues through symbolic interactionism, with supporting sub theories such as; labeling theory, looking glass self, and selective perception.

Read More
1161 Words | 5 Pages

For more than three decades, the black biker rally has followed the predominantly white Harley Week, two segregated motorcycle rallies along South Carolina’s conservative coast. In recent years Black Bike Week has also been the subject of negative media attention, which in turn cast a glaring spotlight on the black and white subcultures of American bikers. Mrytle Beach locals, which consist of the locals,70 percent of whom are white, when it comes to the bike week the view of each bike week seems very different. A study conducted by Jason Eastman, a sociologist at Coastal Carolina University, to demonstrate the views of the locals. During Black week of 2009, 8600 comments were given by online readers.

Read More
765 Words | 4 Pages

Critical Whiteness Studies responds to the invisible and normative nature of whiteness in predominantly white societies, criticizing racial and ethnic attribution of non-white subjects who have to grapple with their deviation from the set norm, and opening the discussion on white privilege that results from being the unmarked norm (Kerner: 278). As Conway and Steyn elaborate, Critical Whiteness Studies aims to “redirect[...] the scholarly gaze from the margins to the centre” (283) and, more specifically, to interrogat[e][...] the centre of power and privilege from which racialization emanates but which operates more or less invisibly as it constructs itself as both the norm and ideal of what it means to be human. (ibid.) Thus, Critical Whiteness

Read More
1244 Words | 5 Pages

Author and editorial writer, Brent Staples acknowledges this issue as well as experience many situations in which people distinguish him from others. Brent Staples message in his essay titled “Just Walk On By” is conveyed to the audience through many rhetorical devices in which he suggests that stereotypes of race and gender can impact someone 's life in the easiest ways. Brent Staples use of pathos creates an emotional connection and pulls the reader into his essay, through his anecdotes and diction. His intro paragraph tells an interesting story, in a way that readers often forget what type of passage they are reading. Staples uses of phrases such as “my first victim”, “seemed menacingly close” “picked up her pace” and notably “running in earnest” (1-2).

Read More

More about Jeremy Dowsett's 'White Privilege'

Related Topics

Open Document