White Privilege: Unpacking The Invisible Backpack Summary

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Recommended: Reflection on white privilege

The issue of the white privilege and its effects, like any other advantage system, is a major problem that exists in society. Peggy McIntosh’s article, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack, touches on three aspects that I found to be interesting. They include the concept of “unacknowledged” white perspective; the notion that white privilege is an unearned “invisible backpack” and the debate over how to dissolve white privilege. As a colored person, I am automatically on the fringe perspective, where I can observe white privilege operating in society. Although, I feel that I am not as bigoted against as some other races, I can still see and feel the effects of white privilege. For example, is white privilege in the legal system? …show more content…

Firstly, McIntosh near the end, tries to distinguish between “earned strength” and “unearned power conferred systematically”. I have to wonder, is it really possible to have earned strength? As I view it and as McIntosh states, most aspects of white privilege should not be a privilege; ideally is needs to be unearned power because they are the norms that make a just society. So if that’s the case, then what even constitutes earned strength? In my opinion, earned strength does not exist in terms of white privilege. Most of what makes up white privilege are the base for the most basic just society; as a result, earned strength, in my opinion, only exists in terms of knowledge. If you earn the knowledge, then you have a slight advantage. However, most of the privileges of white privilege, is not a privilege, and it does not need to be earned; it should inherently exist because a “just society” is morally …show more content…

3). I truly believe that this isn’t true; people, not just whites, recognize that just because a problem does not concern them directly, does not mean they aren’t part of it. More people are getting a better understanding of the fact that there are two sides to a problem: those who make it worse and those who make it better. If this is the way that American students think, then they are really ignorant to dangerous levels. Is it even viable, after seeing so many cases of racism in the past couple of years, to think that racism doesn’t affect someone? Racism affects everyone, whether one is white, brown or black, whether they are the one propagating it or they are the one who is experiencing it. Just by being idle, racism is still relevant, because the bystander is not doing anything to stop it. Hence, the statement that McIntosh makes may have been in 1989, but years after that proves to be irrelevant in today’s struggle against

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