Post Reading: Week 4

Section 1:
In the cartoon above the statements that the characters are making are lies because they are all talking about how race does not affect them personally or how they do not see race therefore it should no longer be an issue. This is false because everyday in everything anyone does, your race is reflected upon you in some way. All of the characters in the cartoon that are making statements seem to be white, and since they have never felt the type of racial discrimination that others have felt and if they have never made a racial slur, they feel as though that they are not racists and they live an equal life amongst everyone which is not true.

Section 2:
I agree with McIntosh's statement because even in this day and age where we are such a mixed nation there are still so many stereotypes stapled to all different races, while the white race is still clearly the hierarchy among races. If you are a white male in society today you have the opportunity to excel so much more career-wise, than someone of a different race with the same education and qualifications as you. But many people are oblivious to this because there are some cases where people of a different race can excel and achieve their dreams. So many people see it as meritocracy, and that the people who don't excel are simply just not trying hard enough to achieve their goals. When really a lot of it depends on structural privilege.

Section 3:
Scalzi's analogy to white men playing life on the lowest difficulty setting is great for understanding structural privilege because it is not saying that white men do not have to do anything to achieve things in the life, it is simply saying that it is way easier for them to achieve the things they want with little practice or little effort. They still have to go through obstacles and overcome boundaries to get to the next level but are able to do so with great ease rather than someone who is playing on the highest difficulty level and may have to go through a level repetitively in order to overcome just one obstacle. It is similar to McIntosh's piece because again it touches the subject of meritocracy. That there is a myth that it still exists. White men can coast by on the easiest game setting while others struggle to play on the highest difficulty setting, but most people are oblivious to this kind of privilege so it is never addressed.


Word Count: 421