CLJ93: On leadership during change, and "white P"


Currently, we are, by and large, being led by old men. Old men have many positive qualities. I hope to be one someday. Wisdom is great.  In general, I trust old people to know what to do in most situations. They have been through a lot, and you learn from experience.

In the 1920s and 30s, new technology like electricity, telephones, radio, automobiles, and tractors, ushered in a boom for many Americans, and also displaced the lifestyles of many others. This change led to lots and lots of unemployment and mass migration. The government intervened with social security and jobs programs, building infrastructure, and, eventually, war spending.

Right now, and for the past several crises our government has faced, the focus has been on bailouts. Bailouts for banks. For auto makers. For airlines. For cruise ships. For hotel chains. 

These are the industries that have made old men rich. Yet, they are the horse and buggy,  the ice houses of our time. And bringing them back "again" will not make us great.

When history books are written about right now, what are the industries and technologies they will point at and say, "_______ changed humanity in the 21st century, displacing old lifestyles and creating a new ________."

The phone - pastime
The internet - global awareness
Vegan diets - green lifestyle
Climate destabilization - world-wide famine
The air fryer - healthy snack

This word "white privilege" has been bothering me for a while. Not because I don't believe racism is real, or that lighter shades of people have taken advantage of other shades of people. 

Here's my fucking problem with "white privilege": to most people, "privilege" sounds like a good thing.

"Membership has its privileges." Oh cool, great, how do I sign up?

"Privilege," in short, sounds nice. And what white people have been doing to pretty much everyone else for the past half-a-millenia is anything but nice.

So what are terms that come closer to describing the reality of "whites assuming they will not be harassed by the tools of their oppression?"

"Pigment pass"
"European descent domination tactics"
(Imagine that at your next dinner party. "I went to the grocery, and there was a black man getting harassed, so I used my white privilege to give him an ally" versus "A man at the grocery store was being harassed, so I whipped out some European Descent Domination Tactics to tell the shop owners who was who.")
"Imperial immunity"
"Racist club card" 
"Asshole ambition"
"Bumbling culture destroyer"
"Inherited intolerance"
"Innocent ignorance"

On the other hand, maybe the people who came up with "white privilege" were sheer genius. Because it sounds so lovely, these privileges, maybe they knew white people would be more likely to "own" the term, and the idea, and at least start thinking about racism, rather than act like it doesn't exist at all.

Let's add the military budget to the teapot if we really want to get anywhere.

An even fancier version of a graphic I first shared, oh, months ago. Complete with numbers, and a source!

Again, theatre isn't on the list, but I'm guessing we're right up there with churches and bars.

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