Whitewashed: Unmasking the World of Whiteness

Whitewashed: Unmasking the World of Whiteness

2013, Society  -   264 Comments
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Ratings: 6.68/10 from 283 users.

Using amateur footage collected over the course of several years, the video records the voices of white people reflecting on race, racism, and white identity. For over a decade Mark has been talking to white people about racism and what it is like to be a "white" person. Drawing from those that would speak with him, this documentary shares some of what they had to say.

Here are some of the testimonies: "I don't have any trouble admitting that I'm a racist. I think it's absurd to try to fight with that. I grew up in this society, I was conditioned by it, I think internally in my psyche I have grounded and rooted those attitudes and I see them all the time."

"I don't like being a white man and that's what I am, because I know what I've done, what people like me have done. Part of being white is just not in any way acknowledging what it means to be white. I have a white skin and with that white skin comes along a whole mass of privileges that I have and I don't ask for them, they're just there."

How did the ancestors get turned into "white" people? "You can only be something if there's something else to negate so I guess we became white because there are bunch of other races to set us off. The reason was the assimilation in the United States when lot of European ethnics came over and assimilated for a variety of reasons, primary being to elevate their socioeconomic status."

"So to get jobs, to find places to live, lot of the Europeans altered their last names to sound more mainstream, a lot of them changed the clothing that they wore, foods they ate, so they were conforming to the dominant white culture."

"The reality is that those persons who are white and who are considered white and treated as such in the society by virtue of being white, they had to give up who they really were. All these European ethnics who are not white anglo-saxon protestants had to give up their actual identities for the sake of whiteness."

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faith baker
faith baker
8 months ago

we just watched your film unmasking the world of whiteness. being white people ourselves, we just learned that we have white privilege! where do we go to accept this white privilege how do we benefit from it what can we do to be more white and enjoy these so called privileges that are out there?

Sam
Sam
1 year ago

Definitely a skip, unless your beliefs are fully aligned with the woke movement and you just want to hear people reaffirm to you how “privileged” you are if you’re white.

On the other hand, if you’re a conservative or an independent (like myself), this is an uninspired biased tired narrative, that we’ve already heard many times before. If this film was objective, or at least tried to be, it might have been worth a watch. What happened to the days filmmakers would make films discussing different sides of an argument, interview knowledgeable people with different perspectives and research facts from respectable sources?

Unfortunately, those days may indeed be far behind us. As more and more filmmakers are nothing more than propagandists that are better suited to make infomercials, rather than documentaries.

Fred
Fred
1 year ago

That like not studying and you pass the exams, it’s called cheating, white people have no integrity. If the privilege was for black people trust me most wouldn’t accept it, because of integrity

ad
ad
4 years ago

it's ok to be white

mike m
mike m
5 years ago

Only one thing caught my ear in this.
A young woman said as a white person we just took many rights for granted where as colored neighborhoods didn't feel much like they had those rights without always pushing for them.
Well, one right she mentioned and without even the slightest halt or pause was, healthcare. When people in america are THIS dumb about reality there is a very big bunch of doubt in my mind as to how clear their thinking and commenting on other issues is.
I agree with nearly all the rest of this stuff but wonder how they respond without a camera. Most people are phoney and don't even know it. That's why nothing ever gets done. They do their voting where there's no camera.

Saoirse
Saoirse
5 years ago

I really don't get this 'white' doesn't describe me never has. Nor does Caucasian. The yanks seem to be really hung up on non-existent racial classifications. Thankfully, I live in a country that isn't racist and doesn't even ask on the gov't forms.

White Boy
White Boy
6 years ago

What A Waste Of Time. Thank God I Was Smart Enough To Stop Watching This Halfway Through. I Wish I Would Have Read A Comment Like This Beforehand So I Would Have Known Better To Waste Any Of My Time. I Could Also, Easily Find People Of Any Race To Put Down Their Own Race In Order To Create An Anti-Race Documentary. Black Lives Matter? Nope. All Lives Matter. If That Terrorist Organization Was Really About Equality, They Would Have Went This Route. Just More Hate Propaganda. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME! PERIOD, POINT BLANK!

Racist human #100637
Racist human #100637
6 years ago

Racism is intrinsic to the human race a primeval protection for humans it will always be with us in one form or another in every country someone is busy being prejudiced against someone else and most likely trying to harm them, I tend to treat others as they treat me be nice and I'll be nice come at me with hate and the desire to harm me I will blow your head whatever color clean off at that point color makes no difference only the survival response to a dire threat is what matters so have what ever belief you wish hold it dear just don't think it gives you the right to cause harm to any other unless it is in defense of life and limb. Americas 2nd amendment is precious while you will never overthrow the government with a few rifles and pistols but they are essential for dealing with situations out of government control...your life even if you are white is worth as much as any other life, protect yourself and your family from any idiot of any color wishing to harm you because of their internal issues and dipshitedness

DustUp
DustUp
6 years ago

I've been treated lousy (threatened) by black people and white people. I've been treated well by both also. I've been taken advantage of in dealings with both white men and women. Does this make me have white privilege?

What is the natural tendency of people? To point the finger at others instead of at the mirror. Just because someone screws you over, usually has nothing to do with race, even if they openly stated, "I sure got that black guy!" Because the next day he is saying, "I sure got that mexican!" and the next day, "I sure got that a-hole" (no need to say white if he is in a predominately white area, the same as no need to say "brazil nuts" if you are in brazil, they are just nuts). Skin color is just an easy distinguishing reference. Meaning most people who tend to get a sense of gain at other people's loss, don't restrict themselves in that regard to any race. They are equal opportunity advantage takers. I know some Scandinavians of a particular country who are rotten to the core when it comes to screwing over other people, even people from their own homeland, it is what they live for. It seems a few too many jews got a rep in history for doing similar.

If one were to observe a little better, they would see that it is a wise, pretty girl's/woman's world, rather than a man's. Talk about privileges unafforded to most men... at least in the usa. Emphasis on wise. Skin color optional. The wisdom shows shortly after words being uttered. You ought to hear young black professional men describe how difficult it to find a young black woman who has some class and won't embarrass them in social situations with clients and others.

No matter the race or gender, if you cannot hold you tongue and concentrate on what is important for success, you will hold yourself back. Along with freedom of speech is the freedom not to make a fool(ass) of yourself by speaking.

See the movie "The Mask Of Zorro" with Anthony Hopkins who schools Antonio Banderas on how to be "gentlemanly" in order to get what you want accomplished in certain circles.

Imagine being before a judge in a courtroom and telling the judge what you really think... He has the power to put you in jail. So go ahead and tell him he is a snake of the lowest order, no actually lower, a worm under the dirt, and wouldn't know reckless endangerment from the hole in his head to be coming as soon as you get a hold of a gun. We are all judges or at least discerners of what we find to our fancy and what we find problematic or of no benefit or distasteful or worse. Do you think I am going to hire some liberal loudmouth loon looking for anything to cause me trouble with some liberal govt weasel hellbent on getting rid of my biz in order to help out his liberal friends in the same biz? Not to mention turning away my customers? (no I don't have any such biz, but I know people who do and prefer to retain customers rather than having some socialist govt indoctrinated blowhard scare their customers off)

What ever race, color, or creed you may be, do you find it to your liking? Do you find it useful to have someone blaming YOU for their lack of progress or advancement? Or would you be more admirable of them if they actually did something about it? Like figuring out how to build their own economy.

Detroit for example, is plenty large enough to have black grocery store owners, black owned dance halls, black owned restaurants, black owned product manufacturing of things they use. Black owned banks (like the one in Harlem) And when capable expand into other areas. Meaning Detroit is large enough to be self supporting. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THEIR LACK OF VOTING WISDOM. They vote for the exact wrong leaders. The same self serving weasels who skim all the program money to themselves and their cronies and leave little to nothing to "their people" then blame whitey for not giving them enough. When it would NEVER EVER be enough. That is a prime example of socialism. It is THE most corrupt system and inherently so.

Suppose 1500 black people in Detroit invested all of 1 dollar into a months rent for a street corner commercial bldg to a person selling something others wanted to buy. Fried chicken and watermelon? If you can't laugh, you're unwise. Comedians of all color make a living on stereotypes. Whatever it is, they can repeat that where ever they can find a good spot. Then when it is seen to be making some money, some dick will come in with a gun and rob the place. Then they will blame the police for not protecting them. The same police they blame for shooting black guys shooting at them, drug dealers sucking up the brains and money that could be spent on chicken or apples or brooms to beat deadbeat husbands or some natural vitamins. Then the govt will want them to pay for a permit which they may not grant and tell them to shut down because they were paid to do so by the chicken shack over on the boulevard. That certainly isn't a problem of capitalism. It is a problem of govt corruption which certainly doesn't limit itself to capitalism.

What most fail to see is that govt IS the problem, not the solution to most ANY situation. When people are of the mindset to help themselves, they will protect that biz and start others next to it. If they want biz to flourish in Detroit, reduce govt to almost nothing, just some public utility workers, sanitary workers, and health inspectors. Ok some police. Minuscule taxation. No permits, just health inspectors who are required to give a video copy of their inspection to the owners so they can challenge if the inspector happens to be paid off by a competitor. Do they really need all that self dealing administration trying to serve themselves for the next decade?

The mentality is the problem, not the ability and opportunity.

What we have in the once great usa, is a few too many people trying to take advantage of other people by a few too many methods, some obvious, some well hidden. It certainly isn't limited to white men. What color were those men capturing the people of africa to sell them into slavery? Black. Yes, indeed black men profiting from slavery. Still going on today in the usa in a mental sense. "Reverend" Wright was the weasel Obama listened to for 20 years before Obama magically claimed he didn't know he was saying all those awful things. "Reverend Jesse Jackson" and "Reverend Al Sharpton" more weasels keeping their people down preaching the blame game to enrich themselves.

It is simply garbage in = garbage out. Listen to better, successful, wise people like Ben Carson and several others, and you will pull yourself out of your misery. Black or white. Good principles apply to all and are eternal. Much easier to call someone an uncle tom and go back to welfare check and scream for more free stuff that someone else has to pay for.

Who is profiting by keeping the minds of the blacks focused on the exact wrong things? Feeding on the human's of any race, creed, or color, natural tendency to blame others for anything and everything, rather than doing what it takes to succeed. Which often means dumping your stupid fiends(not friends) who want you to be as miserable as they are.

Are poor black people more important than poor white people? They certainly have many more govt programs. It seems white govt decided black lives matter long ago and in the process did them a huge disservice by lowering the grade requirements of blacks. Giving them preferential treatment in various govt positions, especially teaching. What did this accomplish? More of the same poor mentality getting spread further. The dumbing down of the usa as desired by the elite who have no need for thinkers only workers. They certainly don't want people smart enough to compete, or catch on to their schemes, only to work for them at the lowest price possible. Black power! Revolution! Look what happened to Rhodesia when the black socialists took over. Corrupt at its core. The only people that are not severely worse off are those at the top, skimming the dough and foreign aid.

Case in point Obama. How does a "community organizer" become a millionaire in the Chicago Mayor Daly regime? I know community organizers. Tney don't get paid much. So then what did Obama do to get his big dough? He delivered the black vote to a corrupt organization. He got the skim off of program money he was able to garner for his "community". Got black privilege in being able to attend Harvard while having substandard grades. And who paid for his expensive education? It certainly wasn't his mom or dad. He is an operative. A minion of the bankster elite. Those who want you to be their slave. Did he help the blacks? Not one bit. Yet another black man rounding up slaves. And they revere him like a star, just because he is half black. Is that white privilege?

The most important right people in the usa have is the right to vote and they squander and abuse it like it doesn't matter. If people of all colors would pull their heads out, of their backside, and the boob tube, and off the nipple of booze and drugs, they could easily solve MANY of their problems as easy as voting. Nowadays it seems they will have to see to it better, more incorruptible people are running.

Far too many young and old blacks listen to and believe the WRONG people. They don't listen to the well accomplished, well spoken, insightful people of their own and other skin colors like wise people do.

If you have never heard of Thomas Sowell and his comments on Obama, maybe you should. If you've never heard Walter Williams speak on economics or various other issues and how he is so glad he grew up prior to the times of Jesse Jackson and the other blame game black profiteering so called "reverends", maybe you should.

Regarding Haiti 200 years ago: How did the Europeans develop trade? They worked at it. Someone would have traded with them, even if European powers cut them off. Even if it was under the table, if the price was right. Who? China and the usa. That is if they had something they wanted. Which means you'd have to find out what they wanted and then grow and/or make that at a price you could profit from.

Excuses and blame accomplishes what? Certainly it is wise to be wary and learn from history. But to sit there and whine when you have multiple thousands of your own people to sell to and trade with and develop your own economy with is silly. That is how you will gain respect. Who respects someone sitting there crying. You just tune them out like someone else's child having a bad day. Heck if one actually went to enough places, with the right attitude, I want to learn how to do what you do, I will work for some food, and then when able, take this knowledge far enough away as to not compete with you in any way and see if I can create jobs instead of crime. My bet is that there will be more than one, if not several that would take that person in. I once let an alcoholic doper live on my property and gave him enough work so he could buy a car to move to a place where there was more of the kind of work he know how to do. He thanked me for teaching him new things and how to look at the world a little differently. We were the same age, he reminded me of a teenager. If you distract yourself from the truth about your current self long enough, you never get out of high school mentality; the socialist mentality; where it is someone else's responsibility, govt, rather than the buck stopping at your feet.

I know a gal from Jamaica who came to Boston to attend university. She stated that her tendency was to trust her own skin color and found an upstairs room to rent with a black man. One day she came back to find all her stuff on the street because guy was ticked that she wouldn't pay twice the agreed on amount so he could cover some more bills that he ran into. Sounds like white privilege doesn't it?

Racism is what you make of it. If you want to be burdened by it you will be. If you ignore it, you can move around it like it wasn't there.

What is white guilt? Fools. Did they themselves cause some problem? Or are they being fooled into wanting to cause me, via govt, to cough up money that I had to work for, to give to someone that I didn't cause any grief to what so ever?

Most issues are all about the greedy wanting money they didn't work for. Whether it is govt skimmers. War mongers. Inflation and deflation causing banksters. Polluters. etc. Money money money. Quit pretending it isn't about the money.

DustUp
DustUp
6 years ago

In regard to the Chinese person stating that 4 injured Frenchmen were treated extra well by the Chinese govt vs. the regular injured Chinese.

Really? What would you expect? For govt to stuff them in a dumpster? Or take advantage of any positive PR media spin they can get out of treating foreigners extra well? Why would any foreigner want to visit if word got out they were treated like crap; since accidents can and do happen and is an ever present risk. Meaning I would put on my list of places to visit, countries that treated visitors well versus sticking them in the back of the line behind a billion other people. Is that "white privilege" or just a natural tendency for a govt wanting to look good on the international stage?

People see what they want to see, rather than what is.

Randy Buchholz
Randy Buchholz
7 years ago

Racism as it is packaged these days is a hoax. I'm not saying racism isn't real, just the way it is packaged and used. Especially, the pushing of white racism as some special, worse case.

Do your research on this - study after study rates the three most racist cultures in the world as 1) Indians, 2) Japanese, 3) Jews. 2 & 3 even have common derogatory terms that mean everyone that is not of their "race". What is packaged as racism is more culture-ism. I thing there is a lot of hate for the black-American ghetto culture. Much less towards black skin. "What the white man has done" is no different than what any ruling class does.

In the animal kingdom like prefers like, species tend to stay with species. Humans are the same, we can identify with and tend to advantage those most like us. It's more about helping those like us at the expense of those different, than hating those that are different. Totally different motivation than racism. "White" grabbed power in North America first, and supported other white, at others expense. In South America it was "Brown" (Spanish/Portuguese) that grabbed power and supported other brown at others expense ("Red").

Historically, (look it up) the majority of people involved in the slave trades (globally) where non-white. And, the actual number of white Americans that owned slaves was a small number - primarily those that had large areas of land to work and could afford them. Others did have slaves, but also indentured servants, just as often white as black.

Yet, in 2017, me, a Slav (where the term slave came from due to the number of us enslaved) am expected to feel guilty for the actions of a small number of white people that were customers of a minority run business.

craig CASTANET
craig CASTANET
7 years ago

this reminds me of my chiropractic education. string together a lot a unproven, postulates to draw a non-sequiter conclusion that is something imaginary. and how does one refute the imaginary. clearly, they lack the self-imposed, critical thinking that a scientist would impose. And the worst is that they don't even define their terms. Start by defining EXACTLY what they mean by racism.

John
John
7 years ago

In this Doc. all the WHITE PEOPLE are basically from the same neighborhood (middle class). They all seem schooledm I'm from both sides of the track, poor white thug, veteran, computer tech. for 3 billion dollar companies, heroin addicted back to the street. Im 50 now and all I can tell you personally is being white is a moore civil, valued, and attractive way of race. When i see white i see hope but my personal preferance is dark, cause i see action and adventure. This Doc. Is about 3 hrs. too short and narrow to represent my whiteness. Tee Hee. ?

A'lul'koy
A'lul'koy
7 years ago

Yes, and we also know Jews like you, Isaac, were nothing but goat herders that mooches of foreign nations for millennia, never did anything for themselves, got everything handed to them, till certain people got sick of it ( you know what I'm talking about) then got America to hand them a whole new country just for themselves, most unlike the Native Americans, who deserved far more than the likes of you people. You talk about white supremacy? Dude Jews are not white!

Isaac Nosenfeld
Isaac Nosenfeld
8 years ago

Race is a bigoted social construct and "white people" don't exist. We're all one race. Whites need to accept their privilege by accommodating POCs and allowing themselves to become displaced in the countries their ancestors supposedly created (we all know Native Americans and African-Americans fought the Revolutionary War and became the forgotten architects of our system of government). As much as bigots like to whine about the black crime rate, it seems that they never realize that the reason African-Americans are so prone to committing rape and murder is that they're oppressed by hate-mongering whites hassling them while keeping them in poverty and committing micro-aggressions against them by wanting to touch their hair. As for their low scores on intelligence tests, psychometrics is a tool of the kyriarchs seeking to keep our equals down to keep themselves down.

Hopefully one day we can end white supremacy and create a beautifully vibrant society like Brazil, Haiti, or South Africa. It's 2016!

Jovision
Jovision
8 years ago

This "white world supremacy", it is not true in therms of History of Humanity, all over the time, they were small poor villagers full of empty stomachs. The problem is that the "bible" is made today in Hollywood, so many believe in the movies fake history. In fact only after the industrial revolution the North European economy changed uncultured barbarians, to rich colonialists. The Arab culture were richer and more advanced for much more time, as the Chinese, the Indian, Egyptians and several more. Only Europe as an all has a great historic importance in several moments: the Greeks, the Romans, Venetians, Portugal and Spain new seas and land Discoveries, the French Revolution of Rights and Liberties and then the British Capitalism, Industrialization, with the North of Europe and North America bringing new science, 2 world wars and Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Which will be the most important fact that the superior white race will leave for history? Maybe the end of History!

Jerry Ryans
Jerry Ryans
8 years ago

WOW! I have never seen something so racist in my days. Just like everyone else, I didn't choose my skin color or anncesory. This sick s*it needs to get off the air, the liberals are just fueling more fire on the race war. Seriously if this was towards any other race, it would be canceled and the creators would recive hassel for years. MTV has really gone towards hell lately. Same with the s*upid media trying to brain wash everyone.

Coleman
Coleman
9 years ago

Why as a "white" woman do I worry when I see 2 or more people of color walking towards me? Why do I feel afraid when riding public transit? How about this...I as a white woman fear for my safety because there are so many people of color that insist that ALL white people owe them. The worst thing is that I am also Native American Indian and Black. To bad most blacks can't see past skin color.

ASAP902
ASAP902
9 years ago

This documentary is silly and promotes self loathing. I love being white, why wouldn't I, that being said I have a lot of black friends and enjoy other cultures. If these white people don't like their 'privilege' they can always move somewhere where they're not the majority.

not brainwashed
not brainwashed
9 years ago

And here´s the result of brainwashing.Ashamed to be white?! Is just the color of your skin,you s*upid f..ks!

A M
A M
9 years ago

Moving away from warm countries, into cooler parts of the world Beginning to wear clothing, living in shelters out of the sun, causing less melanin created lighter skin just evolution.

Dan forth
Dan forth
9 years ago

Laziness. People got turned into 'white' people because of laziness. More people in the world, less time to get to know them all, less interest in them as individuals. Easier to group people, right? laziness.

J.M.
J.M.
9 years ago

13:45 story of the "manager" says it all. The end. If you can't white priviledge you're in serious denial.

Glen from Canada
Glen from Canada
9 years ago

Interesting documentary. It would have been interesting to hear what people of other races think it would be like to be white.

Forbidden Fruit
Forbidden Fruit
9 years ago

Well, this was weird.

Rodney Bresch
Rodney Bresch
9 years ago

@kendra w: I spoke only of how whites generally have to watch what they say, being an inverse to how blacks did. I didn't speak on the extent of the implications for doing such originally, and esp said nothing close to the entirety of the jim crow laws being an inverse. You're putting words in my mouth.

And yes, I'm not speaking about individual events or circumstances. I said generally. Once again, taking my specific words out of context. Go check. How many blacks in the media do you see destroyed publicly, for slandering whites today? There is no NAAWP or white al sharptons running around. Many of the issues today are stirred up, just to pit us against one another.

And I didn't say racism only exists, cuz we talk about it. I said the exact opposite actually, go check. I see nothing wrong with us having differences, and therefore feel we should talk more openly about them. Of course tension still exists. I feel it's cuz we won't talk about it more.

But talking does no good, if we're not listening to each other. You keep misrepresenting what I'm saying, cuz u don't want to understand. You seem blinded by hatred, like so many other whites and blacks of today. I can understand, or am willing to try to understand where you're coming from. If you're not willing to give me that same respect, then take your confused insults, and petty attitude elsewhere. I am willing to listen , but that doesn't mean I will agree with everything. It's how we go about disagreeing that makes the difference.

Guest
Guest
9 years ago

. one of the reasons why I hate america(...no offence) is because they brought the world the race wars. if they just stopped dehumanizing people by colours (one being connated with good, and the other with bad. but noo, no one ever seems to realise this!) then everyone would just be referred to by the country they were born from which would be wayyy better but nooo, america through their s*upid history has been fighting an age old war to separate people into two camps, just so that they're government can better control society. divide and conquer. but not realising that this would spread throughout the world, infecting other nations like a disease of the mind.
sorry but america has spewed out so much vile into the world that it's not even funny. i'm just waiting for the day that it will finally collapse and that they will be truly judged for all of the catastrophes which they have created throughout the world....but it seems as though their judgement day will never come.

Sam
Sam
9 years ago

What a person thinks of being white. This wouldn't even be a topic 30 years ago. People of other cultures are now impowered to question why age old thinking is in existence when it is as obvious as the nose on your face. We are who we are by no choice of our own but how people have acted through time is what makes us what we are. Since the sixties now that the federal government has mandated equality then equality has to be earned people don't get the way they are through legislation but living together. In order for White or any color to be judged or catagorized we need to look at all the factors envolved. These days being White is somehow frowned upon which is utterly ridiculous. Sorry other colors but time will have a way of evening and leveling the playing field hang in there sunshine.

Jordi Penner
Jordi Penner
9 years ago

How about the so called Americans would give back what they stole from the natives and go back to their original countries? where would the white american concept end up? They would have to go back to Ireland, Italy, England and... oops, wait, they'd be europeans! only with a little less memory.

P.s.: Yes I know, any country is the product of war. We should at least remember that territory wasn't ours in origin and there is no such a thing as motherland besides the earth itself for anyone of us.

RileyDeWiley
RileyDeWiley
9 years ago

Halfway through this ... it is utter dreck.

I don't even have words for how stupid this is. It's truly depressing.

Wesley Hunte
Wesley Hunte
9 years ago

Interesting doc,,it seems to me from reading most of these comments white people still live in this world of denial,,and most importantly,,Fear",and you call yourelves "the superior race",,lol,

Ardi
Ardi
10 years ago

I think this is racism on the other extreme - an attitude towards "white" people. This sort of dialogue can only lead to more hatred and fuel the fire. There are injustices throughout the world. These injustices will be towards whatever easy target exists. They include gender, age, and economic status to name a few. We do need open communication but this is slanted, selected and biased discrimination. You've just done what you hate - misrepresented a race.

breggetta
breggetta
10 years ago

I enjoyed the movie. It is hard to find white people who are honest about race and race relations. Very enlightening...

Jordi Penner
Jordi Penner
10 years ago

So, Americans don't consider europeans as White people? What the hell does that mean? So, not only Americans consider obvious making a difference between black and white, which is dumb, but also between white american (which basically means buying stuff randomly, eat crap and be ignorant) and white europeans (quite similar, but we usually look at history a little bit farther then the smell of our farts). NIce! And they are one of the most powerful countries in the world! Wonderful! What a bright future are we looking at!

Johnrambo1
Johnrambo1
10 years ago

What a contrived,ideologically repetitive yawn fest.....

oakmd
oakmd
10 years ago

This is drivel. Not sure why these people are so guilt ridden. One woman says that she is thinking about her whiteness essentially 24 hours a day. That seems very unusual. I am a psychiatrist (of color) and see a wide spectrum of people and listen to their innermost thoughts. Very unusual. When the guy says he's got the inside line with judges and people in power, then wow maybe he really does have privilege. Most people do not have the inside line like that. But the lady who says that the people of color have "a lot more figured out about how to be human", say what? Romanticize others much? Really this is an agenda driven piece that seems to have little evidence besides a few fairly unusual specimens giving their own anecdotes. BTW, my partner of color has gotten plenty of warnings without tickets from police....but I thought that was just a white privilege.

Greg R.
Greg R.
10 years ago

Racism is just part of a problem. You could add other factors like religion, sexual preference, economic status or physical health (disabled, morbidly obese, etc.) to the list. You move the location to say India and you'll still have racism in the sense of skin tone, where people with lighter skin tone look down on others with darker skin tones. I don't see any one race with a monopoly on racism, you'll basically find some form of it wherever you go. I found this to be interesting that a majority of the examples given deal directly with police interaction. Maybe people need to start talking to their political representatives about this common thread.

Tau Murphy
Tau Murphy
10 years ago

Being a direct ancestor of slavery, it is very refreshing to hear these words from 'white' folks. People (of all colors) regularly dismiss their skin tone in this culture as far as status is concerned. And 'white' folks in particular do this.
I don't blame you ['white' folks] or am I mad at you for your tactics. Although a very small minority represented you in this video, I am glad to hear your view points.

joe
joe
10 years ago

This video is beyond ridiculous. Amongst its absurd assertions:
-Unemployed whites can expect to get $100K loans?
-Whites expect to go to the best schools?
-White people don't get arrested for perceived shoplifting?
-White people are oblivious to racism and injustice?

And it goes on and on.

I was expecting more intelligent arguments. This is just white liberal guilt on parade.

Mind you, I'm not saying racism doesn't exist, or that there aren't stresses black people have to deal with that non-blacks do not (and yes, I think most of these alleged 'privileges' are enjoyed by other non-blacks, not just whites), but the people in this video are largely spewing hasty generalizations.

Furthermore, these interviews aren't done in real time, the film maker clearly has an agenda, and we have no way of knowing what was left on the editing room floor. We are basically presented with trendy left responses that support the filmmaker's agenda.

The end result is that an opportunity for a conversation starter about the extent to which what activists polemically characterize as "white privilege" actually exists is lost in favor of superficial white liberal guilt mea culpas.

Tony
Tony
10 years ago

What they say in this Video does not apply to Canada at all. Only the united states. Yes i am white.

joe
joe
10 years ago

The quotes above are just regurgitated "whiteness studies" propaganda. While all decent people agree racism sucks, you can't fight it with revisionist history/anthropology, which is in essence what whiteness studies does. The real purpose of whiteness studies is to in essence lie about the way whiteness was defined in the past in an attempt to change the way whiteness is perceived in the present, with the naive belief that by doing so one can to rhetorically eliminate the existence of a dominant culture and all the problems real and imagined associated with it. If you read the literature, you will find that many whiteness studies academics speak quite openly about their true objectives in attempting to "deconstruct whiteness", which range from everything from fighting racism, to making socialism more appealing to working class whites, to ethnocentric efforts to resist assimilation.

It has its origins with the book "How The Irish Became White" by Harvard academic Noel Ignatiev which came out about 20 years ago and has subsequently been followed by numerous times purporting to explain how such groups as. Italian, Jews, and even Germans as Swedes were supposedly once seen as "not white" but "became white" by agreeing to join in on being mean to black people. If this sounds crazy, it's because it is.

Whiteness studies academics typically employ the same tactics of creationists and climate change denialists to support their arguments; cherry picking, quote mining, exaggeration and distortion, and sometimes simply lying.

The basic claims of whiteness studies can't withstand the most basic fact checking, such as looking up census records from the last 19th and early twentieth century (or earlier) from the US and other countries with white populations. What we see is that none of the groups alleged by whiteness strides academics to have 'become white' in the last hundred yearn or so (e.g. Irish, Italians, Jews, Poles, etc.) were ever classified as something other than white. The idea of a white race did it originate in the US or among Anglos. The notion of a white race existed before there was a US. The white master black slave paradigm was already firmly in place amongst the Spanish and Portuguese long before the English had even gotten involved in the slave trade.

I think there may be some truth to the notion that white immigrants have at times emphasized their whiteness so as to deemphasize their difference from the dominant culture. But I have also seen Asian and other non-white immigrants e how size their American-ness for similar reasons. Rather than attempt to pretend that "whiteness" is an invention (which puts you in a position uncomfortably similar to creationists whose ideology requires them to deny the obvious evidence of evolution) and encourage Balkanization, a more ethical and rational approach would be to encourage people to find universal common ground based on their shared humanity.

AncientTruths
AncientTruths
10 years ago

I admire the honesty and courage of these people.

Bob Baylor
Bob Baylor
10 years ago

There is NOTHING wrong with the "White Race!" I am very proud and lucky to have been born white, and sure as hell don't buy the self-serving PC talk about how "guilty" we are! Nonsense! NO one alive today has ANY connection to the slavery of the past, and actually it was WHITES who ended it once the voices of reason and compassion dominated! If there is guilt today, if should be Somali Arabs who kidnap and enslave Blacks..TODAY! We are far from perfect, but lets face it, when it comes to Science & Technology we can't be beat...collectively speaking of course. Why nature played out this way? Who knows! However, I predict that down the road it will most likely again be the "White Race" that will change things for the better (via science/genetics). I see an eventual world of ONE Race,or close to it; where EVERYONE will have a basic standard of high intellect, where everyone will look more similar than dissimilar...a better world rid of the laughable and irrational lies of PC mulitculturalism, a world where we ALL will move forward together.

Jim
Jim
10 years ago

These people suffer from an inordinate amount of misplaced white guilt, which typically stems from an unfounded internal belief that they are better than others (including blacks). They attempt to appease this feeling, and think they are doing a service by claiming "white privilege" is everywhere we turn. Id ask, then why are there millions of white people in the U.S. living in squalor, without education, going hungry, and experiencing the same similar or worse hardships in life? Try telling them they are full of "white privilege". Jeeez!

Bill Farley
Bill Farley
10 years ago

I'm Canadian of Irish descent. My people came over here in 1795. Whilst I'm not naive about racism, I was born in 1933 and grew up with no thoughts bordering on racism and still feel that way to-day. The question in this documentary has no meaning for me because I've never thought or felt a "difference." In other words, I've never thought about being "white" because there was no need to feel that way. So having pride, or as one poster stated, ashamed of being white, is irrelevant to me.

I believe "colour" in the USA is very polarized, hence the many pro and con comments. I have worked and played for many years with Native Canadians in our far north, so have associated and been exposed to other cultures (Dene and Inuit) for quite some time. I've never seen myself as outside or even inside these cultures. I simply associated from day to day in whatever was happening at the time, whether work or play. So seeing or associating with other people of colour such as Asian, African, South Asian, etc. is not a big deal.
I have never understood the racial drama going on in the USA over my lifetime and the violence associated with it. I certainly have feelings and opinions about it, but could never understand why everyone was so vicious and angry, especially white America. As a matter of fact, I've never understood racism in Canada either, even though it hasn't the same depth as the USA.
IMO, a person is simply another human being who is to be respected until proven otherwise. All people are born with basic goodness who have the power of choice regarding their path in life. That path can be really awful or really good and there are consequences for both. I feel I meet all strangers halfway and form opinions based on how we relate. But I don't believe a conclusion based on race alone is in my psyche. Perhaps it's a part of being Canadian.

Adam Young
Adam Young
10 years ago

look how far black Americans have come in 60 years ? office of the president of the United States. black american music has been the flavor of the day for 60 years too. doesn't this mean white people have also done some changing over the last 60 years too ? i'm not saying racism isn't completely gone but people of color need to give up this illusion that because i'm white, my white government will sure listen to me with these noble ideas i'm suggesting. all governments are corrupt ( especially the western ones ). all i can do as an individual is love all people and be kind hearted. children of todays working class, growing up through the public school system live in a different world that our red neck forefathers. white cultures are not globally carbon copys of each other just as black cultures are varied too. the only thing this video highlights is southern white privilege to say it's an accurate measure that could be applied to all whites globally is stupid.

Falin
Falin
10 years ago

Very rarely do I comment on things such as racism in public but I do ponder them privately since my heritage is white but my family comes from a country that was ravaged by whites and abuse by other white westerners was common place.
I am of Irish heritage and my people were considered scum up untill fairly recently (by history standards). I often wonder wonder why it took us so long to be able to have our own govt (though parts of Ireland still are not independant but its better now) why our language was banned in our own ocuntry and how we were starved and allowed to be driven from our homes and country. How we managed to change the minds of Americans who despised us as thrid class citizens for so many generations.
How did we go from being a thrid class slice of pond scum to having one of the most beloved presidents (John F Kennedy) a thrid generation Irishman. To think of it, from endentured servants to the Presidency. And how on gods earth did we gain so much respect here when at home they could not even have political power for so long.
More importantly how did we over come the bitternes of it all? I do not know of any Irish that are in America today that is bitter about the past of what happened here or over there. I talk to to others occasionally about what life was like for our grandparents and great grandparents but none of us ever seem ambivelent about it.

The same can be said for many of Asian decent. I know they had a horrific time of it when they came over right through the 50s and still even today at times but are still recognized as a widely intelligent ambitious people with so much potential.

LOL perhaps I do not publicly comment becuase I have so little understanding of how it all came about how we got attitudes to change or how others have a difficult time with changing and intergrating. Who knows but I do hope that eventaully all races and heritages will be able to value themselves for who they are and not just who they were.

Jo McKay
Jo McKay
10 years ago

I liked it. Any look and talk about 'white priveledge' is a brave idea. Sometimes we act as if we are so far removed from acting out against others based on their skin colour, yet the facts tell a very different story. We 'discriminate' by hiring practice, who we rent to, who gets a car loan or a mortgage, who is approved for the best schools and colleges, who gets community services and how they get service. It is also true that we discriminate against 'all colors' in those and all sorts of other ways as well (disability, income level, dress, looks, language and literacy levels) etc. In my own opinion these 'divide the people' on racial or cultural or religious lines are in truth propaganda whose aim is always to keep the rich rich and protected from any massive uprising, next to keep the cultures of the rich protected and venerated, then in a hierarchy spiral downward, protection and preference is extended first to those who best serve the hierarchy and it's wants and needs. Should the 'little people' ever start really getting together and comparing notes, and supporting each-other... (I think we have seen very recently too, how brutally open movements are suppressed - we will have to find a way to get passed that)...ps I also watched the film: Racism-a History...very very good.

Wayne Siemund
Wayne Siemund
10 years ago

This is more about culture and social dominance hiding behind the label 'white' and less about race. The 2 often get confused.

madpiltzer
madpiltzer
10 years ago

This site is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But, reading the endless comments, it is clear that Idiocracy is now.

Race is far more than "skin deep". Anyone with the slightest knowledge of genetics knows this. Personality, physical, and intellectual characteristics are deeply rooted in our DNA.

"Racism" is an inherent characteristic of ALL humans, not just the "evil White man".
The Western World has been "White" for hundreds/thousands of years. To say that there is "White Privilege" in the West is like saying their is Chinese privilege in China.

This propaganda is purely political nonsense. And, those that are incapable or unwilling to see it for what it is are exhibit A of how dumbed-down humanity has become.