Publisher’s write-up:
‘Anger. Fear. Guilt. Denial.
Silence. These are the ways in which ordinary white people react when it is
pointed out to them that they have done or said something that has - unintentionally
- caused racial offence or hurt. After, all, a racist is the worst thing a
person can be, right? But these reactions only serve to silence people of
colour, who cannot give honest feedback to 'liberal' white people lest they
provoke a dangerous emotional reaction.’
With the #BlackLivesMatter
protest gaining traction with the recent events of police brutality in the US –
the murder of George Floyd; it seemed appropriate to read about discrimination
and racism to keep oneself better informed. The book is from a US perspective
but the concept the author discusses can be applied anywhere as no part of the
world is free from discrimination (some more than others).
The crux of the book is her
establishment of the concept called white fragility – wherein, white
people become defensive when confronted about potential privileges they have
had or the racism that prevails in the society and even casual racist behaviour
from them (intentional or not is a different debate). She discusses the
discrimination people face institutionally and at the level of society. The
book also aims at dispelling myths such as white supremacy need not emanate
only from members of the ku klux klan but is ingrained in the society.
Individualism – a basic tenet of the western society has ensured that it is
very difficult to discuss discriminatory behaviour collectively considering the
binaries established and people seeing themselves only as individuals – which
in effect makes white fragility a very effective defence mechanism.
The book brings into light so
many facts and behaviours exhibited by people. Someone people might react with
awe, some with shock and a few might even be offended as the book’s underlying
premise is that if you are white, there are privileges associated with it and
the racism collectively followed has enabled the white person to rise; thereby
accusing every person of being part of white supremacist behaviour (replace
white with the dominant group in the place you live and it would still work).
The prime message of the book is to keep oneself informed of the potential
avenues of discrimination a black person might face and urges us to listen to
them when they express their hardships rather than dismiss their journey or
getting defensive.
One issue many moderates or even
progressives might have had with her approach was an excessive finger pointing
– if you are white, you are a white supremacist because the society has
conditioned you that way. While it is true that the progressive white
person whom in their private life is vocal about being anti-racist needs to
evaluate their white privilege and acknowledge how consciously or inadvertently
they might have been part of the behaviour exhibited by the community as a
whole. But it is expected that when a charge so grave is made, the person is
likely to be defensive and it defeats the very purpose of the author trying to
make people realise the unintentional acts of discrimination that white people
indulge in.
Very often, she changed
definitions – to me, white supremacy means, to me
racism means, etc. I always have an issue with writers changing
the meanings of existing words / concepts to build their case. If there is a
new definition, express it using new words – white fragility is a welcome
example.
Her solution of acknowledging a
belonging to the community was not convincing to me; for sure, people must
evaluate the situation in the society, the privileges that they have acquired
and the benefits that have accrued to an individual by being part of a
community despite consciously not adhering to its values. Taking my own
example, I come from a privileged community that has had a history of
discriminating against the masses and effects continue to this date, but it is
not an identity that I am proud of nor is it something that I would like to
brandish. I would prefer to stick to individualism while acknowledging my
benefits and hardships of others (which I used to refuse when I was in my late
teens).
The book is informative,
insightful and the urge to understand historical context was explained well
(Re: Chapter in the book – White woman’s tears). While this book is specific to
US, it can be extrapolated to other parts of the world. On that note, I would
award this book a rating of seven on ten.
Rating – 7/10
Have a nice day,
Andy
