Tim Wise and White Privilege

The Tim Wise segments we viewed, entitled “White Privilege,” sparked quite of bit of internal reflection.  I majored in United States history, with an emphasis on African American history.  While I am more than aware of the inequalities of our past, I found the film highly thought provoking.  As a member of the generation in which progress, political correctness, and social activism are valued far more than previous generations, I was faced to examine Wise’s theories of white privilege. 

While I’m not naïve to the fact that racism and prejudice are alive and well in American culture, I find Wise’s allegations to be slightly inflated and magnified.  Obviously prejudice exists.  Wise creates important links for Caucasians to consider regarding sensitivity and empathy.  It is critical to make connections of our internal prejudices in efforts to evolve as individuals.  The foundation of a healthy society is dependent on this acknowledgement.  Nonetheless, I found Wise’s lecture to be pessimistic.  The constant highlighting of specific negative incidents provided an extremely skewed perspective on an issue that has made great strides.  While true racial equality is still a long way away, I personally found Wise’s preacher-style sermon extremely biased and negative, albeit highly entertaining and engaging. Wise is a excellent lecturer, although also a bit of an inciter.

Tanya Moran

Kin 577

LT 24