Random: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack Blog: 3

We just completed a reading for class by Peggy McIntosh. I wanted to talk about this article because I also read it for another class last semester. Professor Kevin James taught that class. I recall this article when it came to economics and employment in cities. She described the phenomenon of 'white privilege.' What I got out of this article is that white people have the opportunity to get away with things that black people don't. This is why there are social hierarchies, racism, and the fight for equal opportunity. Being Asian American, I am never really affiliated with negative stereotypes. I get the "she's Asian so she must be good at math" and "she's Asian so she must be smart." It's a good stereotype, but also one to continually live up to!

Peggy acknowledges that privileges of everyday life when it's not directed at her physical attributes. The few points that stood out to me included ideas of gentrification. She states, "If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live." She demonstrates that neighbors would be pleasant and not judge her based on skin color. The most important thing I got out of this article is that being white and being in the city has it's little perks in comparison to other races of people. They have more of an opportunity for the high wage jobs, to be respected, and to be judged by how they are, not what color they are.