Am I Jealous of White People?

Summary

The author reflects on the privileges afforded to white people in society, questioning whether they are jealous of this ease and considering the implications of racial bias and privilege.

Abstract

The article delves into the author's personal experiences and observations of racial privilege, particularly how white individuals often receive preferential treatment in various settings, such as an upscale restaurant in Lima. The author ponders whether they envy the freedom and lack of scrutiny that white people often enjoy, even when their actions might be considered inappropriate if exhibited by people of color. Through participation in a training course and references to academic work, the author examines the concept of "agent" group privileges and the selective attention that allows some to ignore systemic inequalities. The piece also touches on the discomfort of white individuals when confronted with their unconscious biases and the broader definition of freedom, contrasting the superficial ease of doing whatever one pleases with the philosophical ideal of becoming the best person one can be.

Opinions

The author acknowledges a sense of injustice when witnessing white people receiving preferential treatment without consequence, which might not be afforded to people of color in similar situations.
There is a critical view of the selective attention exercised by the "agent" or dominant group, which allows them to ignore systemic inequalities and maintain their privilege.
The author expresses a complex emotion, possibly resentment or jealousy, towards the obliviousness of some white people regarding the privileges they enjoy due to their race.
The article suggests that privilege is not just a binary attribute but exists on a spectrum, with wealth and race significantly influencing one's position on this spectrum.
The author implies that true freedom is not about acting without consideration for others but about striving to become the best person one can be, an idea rooted in ancient philosophy.
There is an acknowledgment that confronting one's own privilege and the impacts of one's actions on others can be a difficult and isolating experience, but it is necessary for personal growth and societal change.

The bigger question is, is race ignorance really bliss?

I took my boyfriend to a fancy lunch in the countryside of Lima for his birthday. We sat facing a fire pit, in a grassy, countryside eco-restaurant with plenty of tourists. As we waited for our food, we saw a white woman with her Peruvian husband. She had laid a blanket on the grass. She then started changing the baby’s diaper. Right there. Another white friend of mine did the same baby-changing trick in an upscale ice cream parlor in Lima. “If she had been black!” my boyfriend said, rolling his eyes.

I’m not against people changing their babies’ business in public, but, seriously, at an upscale restaurant? And no one said a word, no one even gave a look. Yes, if she had been black, I am pretty sure security would have been called. “That is so unhygienic. There are changing rooms in the back. Have a little more respect for the other guests.” Finger wags. Stares. Calls to the manager.

I ask myself, am I jealous of white people? The ease to which the world can dip and bend to help them along their way? Do I want the same freedom?

I am taking a training course called Calling In The Calling Out Culture, and it is fantastic. They talked about the skills of the “agent” group. As we all know from intersectionality, we can all have traits of the agent or dominant group. There will be a time for all of us. Even if we are POC, we can still be harming others.

Project Slave Footprint looks at how your personal wealth is linked to how many people have been enslaved to sustain your lifestyle. In this day and age. The more money you have, the more enslaved people have supported you, I’m talking 2021. To be constantly aware of the impacts we have on others would probably drive us to a lonely, and terrifying place, but a very honest place.

At any rate, in the course, the trainers presented work by Nieto & Boyer (2006) citing that it’s a skill for the agent group to have selective attention, to ignore certain things. Am I jealous that I will never be able to ignore certain things?

I must admit, I feel some type of way when I blatantly saw white people in Peru get the royal treatment just for breathing the same air. It’s all, “Yes, sir!” “Of course, Ma’am,” “Right away!” with a chortle and click of the heel. Doesn’t matter if you were first in line, the white people will go first. And they don’t even notice! It’s just another day in the world. Am I jealous of that?

I’ve talked to some white people who say they were unaware of how they treated people of color until it was brought to their attention. They just assumed the world was easy, not that racism was at play. It must be uncomfortable to know that. And it's so easy to disregard.

Privilege, well, we all have it. But when you’re white, you have the Himalayas of privilege. Some people have the Skinner Mountain of privilege. Never heard of Skinner Mountain? That’s my point. You know which one will make it to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Some people mistake ease for freedom. They think freedom means that we should do whatever we feel like, whatever makes us happy, whenever we want, no matter the consequences for others. I suppose if I thought this is freedom, yes, I would be jealous of white people.

Ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle hinted at a different idea of freedom, and I paraphrase,

“Freedom is the ability to become the best person you can be.”

Now, that is hard. And that is worth fighting for.

Thank you for reading!

~MJ

References

RACISM

Am I Jealous of White People?

The bigger question is, is race ignorance really bliss?