Does The Concept of White Privilege Worsen the Problem of Racism?

Surely nobody can argue against the idea that white people enjoy certain privileges that others don't... or can they?

In general terms, there is no doubt that if you are born "white" in the so called "Western World", you will enjoy greater privileges than most people in the (and I hate to use the generalisation but) non western world. Likewise, you will enjoy many more privileges than most non-white people born in the Western world... "Most"... a very important word.

In order to talk about "White Privilege" we are forced to use sweeping generalisations, one of the fundamental prerequisites for prejudice... the stereotype, and in my world, that is a "never never" which I admit is pretty impossible. I am mostly concerned with exceptions to generalisations because they show us the untruth in the stereotype.

On the eve of 2016, I thought that the prospect of the UK leaving the EU was, at best, an unhelpful conversation and at worst, a cause for concern. If someone had told me that Trump would be president I would have laughed. How wrong could I have been! The last year has stirred up tensions and insecurities that previously seemed unimaginable. These tensions have penetrated the foundations of multilateralism, multiculturalism, community and even relationships between families and friends. There is no doubt that many people around the "western world" (mainly the EU and US) feel an insecurity for 2017 that they did not feel one year ago. Those people are those who, like me, are afraid that history is repeating and that stereotypes in political rhetoric are feeding the age old "them" versus "us", "good" versus "evil" narrative that has set the scene for so much historical devastation.

The concept of "White Privilege" always musters a lively debate, because some argue that it plays into the "good" versus "evil" narrative that has been used so perversely throughout history. This post is really about opening a conversation about white privilege with the hope that it shines some light on how we can move away from "them" versus "us" and start moving towards a narrative of respect rather than that patronising 'tolerance' we hear about far too often.

For some "White Privilege" is nonsense because they (as white people) do not feel privileged, and do not feel that as white people they are responsible for the disadvantages that many non-white people endure.

So when we talk about white privilege are we saying that individuals bare some responsibility for the "added" disadvantages that non-white people endure? There is a strong argument that suggests that to talk about "white privilege" plays into racism because it serves as a continuum for the status quo by feeding cleavages between generalised groups of people, reinforcing those generalisations and strengthening the stereotypes that accompany them.

Alternatively, when we talk about 'white privilege', are we simply using a "short cut" term to explain how disadvantage in the majority white "western world" is not as stark as disadvantages faced by people in the largely non-white 'majority world'? But this negates consideration of the added disadvantages that non-white people in majority white communities experience doesn't it?

Or, are we talking about how, in the "western world", we (the majority white who live here) continue to benefit from the disadvantages faced by non-white people as a result of horrific historical events (perpetrated by largely white states) "AND" the current ongoing exploitation of people around the world and within our own communities who are largely non-white?

So, when we use the term White Privilege are we simply feeding the beast of prejudice? Is there a better way to talk about a problem that is real, that is experienced and that continues to be life for many?

Finally, I wanted to explain why I have posed this question. I was talking to some very young people about white privilege recently. After explaining what White Privilege is, one white young person said to me, "I feel really guilty. I feel sorry for people who are not white," and with that she hugged the young Asian girl standing next to her. The irony was that the young white girl has had a disadvantage that I don't have the imagination to comprehend. The young Asian girl was not impressed with the pity she felt she had received.

Would we be better off talking about respect for individuals, and "personal" responsibility?

I look forward to your responses.