I don’t believe that white privilege exists. It may have existed before the civil rights movement came into play. Now that that has long passed, I struggle to see why certain ethnic groups can’t catch a break in this country, although some reasons do come into mind. This isn’t to say that I don’t believe privilege doesn’t exist, because it does, and in some way contributes to people’s success but not solely by the color of their skin.
Has anyone ever stopped to think that maybe some of these privileges were brought upon people by their achievements that have nothing to do with their race or gender? Some of us are born one step ahead of everyone else because of someone else’s success, such as passing down wealth or connections. Admittedly, there is nothing wrong with this as most of the time it is fair game. Who is to say that they didn’t work for their “privileges”?
I’ve met and known people who only have themselves to blame for the situation they are in, whether it be financial debt, criminal record, broken relationships, or poor attention to their education. I’m only including people who do have control over their lives, as they do have the choice to be and act better, but won’t due to their ignorance, lack of determination and confidence. The potential is there, but they are not pushing hard enough to want something better than what they have. It’s even worse when these types of people have the gall to blame others for their “failures,” stooping to a level so low to blame society, or racism. What they don’t understand is this: Improving can be a slow, sometimes painful burn, but hard work does pay off. The only reward you should be seeking is the feeling that you’ve managed to overcome a hardship with determination. Although seeking a better paycheck is not selfish, it’s just unhealthy for money to be your only drive.
If you’ve ever considered racism or white privilege to be the source of your downfall, stop to think these three questions:
“Who put you where you are now?” It’s not out of the realm of possibility that you could be at fault.
“How can you get out of it?” If you’re in debt, perhaps you could cut down on unnecessary spending and have that money to pay off your debt.
“Did you truly give it your all to try to get out of the rabbit hole you’re in right now?” It can be hard to self-reflect, coming to conclusions that don’t satisfy your feelings and frustrations. But it’s important to have moments like this without getting too heavy on guilt-tripping yourself.
