White guilt; white racism

[BRussell]

Check out this graph from a study below. Whites gave electric shocks to either blacks or whites in the context of a study of physiology (actually no real shocks were given - they just thought they were).

Interestingly, they gave less shock to the blacks than the whites. Maybe they were afraid of being perceived as racist, so they were being extra careful. White guilt, perhaps?

But in one condition, the shock-ers overheard the shock-ees insulting them, saying they were stupid, etc. When the shockers overheard that insult, they gave higher shocks, of course. But they REALLY gave higher shocks to the blacks who had insulted them, not the whites.

It's as if they were being extra nice, but then if there was an excuse, all that niceness went out the window. If everything is cool, whites give blacks the benefit of the doubt, but if there's a problem, the racist pattern comes out. Apparently this pattern has been observed in many studies.

http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/~sspencer/psych353/lecture8/img005.gif

Obviously I was thinking about this study in the context of the presidential race. People have been particularly open to Obama's candidacy, surprising a lot of people that whites would consider a black president. Maybe Ferraro was even right, and people give him the benefit of the doubt because he's black. But this Wright thing seems to have struck a chord disproportionate to its reality. When he's associated with some racial stereotypes like this black church, it really brings out a lot of nastiness.

[Jubelum]

Apparently this pattern has been observed in many studies.


It fits with Robert Merton's typology of discrimination and prejudice. Sociolgically speaking, this typology is given almost universal credence.
It's the "fair weather friend" and "timid bigot." I would say that it does reveal some level of progress... that there is at least a "benefit of the doubt" as they resist their prejudice, which is probably a recent development. Sadly, once a stereotype is seemingly confirmed, the stereotype becomes the "cover" for more serious punishments.

Merton's Typology on Prejudice and Discrimination

Merton demonstrates that prejudice and discrimination do not necessarily go hand in hand. One can, for example, be prejudice without discriminating (EX: The office manager who is convinced that women are inferior employees, but who still treats men and women as equals). One can also discriminate without being prejudice (EX: The southern white restaurant owner during Jim Crow who felt in his heart that inequality between the races was wrong, but who still refused to service blacks for fear of being burned out by other whites (Farley, 2000:55-56).

One might speculate that, regarding timid bigots and fair weather liberals, that social pressure explains the ambivalence.

In short, prejudice does not necessarily lead to discrimination. And vice versa.

Interestingly, BaraCk O's plea to see goals not as black or white or X goals, rather as "common" goals that benefit everyone, fits with a solid body of research, begun by Sherif, regarding reducing of intergroup tensions. This is why Rev Wright's sentiments, as have been expressed before, have been a demonstration of the wrong approach. This is why affirmative action alone will be much less effective than creating an environment of cooperation based on mutual benefit, rather than "fixing" the competition.

[audiopollution]

BaraCk

Thanks. :)

[Jubelum]

Thanks. :)

You're so very welcome. :D

[hardeeharhar]

You know what I find offensive...

That figure.

It hurts my eyes, cap'n...

and has intrinsic sexist attitudes built in as seen by the avoidance of a red-green color scheme which would overwhelmingly affect the color blindness of which men are prone, and instead chose a blue-yellow color scheme which will overwhelmingly affect the color blindness of which women are prone. Proof positive that the author of this figure was an anti-feminist capitalistic pig-dog which indicts the entire exercise.

why should more men proportionately be able to read that figure than women?

how profoundly unjust.

[groverat]

I don't have anything to add except to say that I am absolutely fascinated at how that study dovetails almost perfectly with what is happening with Obama.

The Wright controversy has opened the floodgates of white anger.

[groverat]

And this is for hardeeharhar

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/9093/rogersprenticedunnnk2.png

[Frank777]

This whole thing is shocking.

[trumptman]

I'm shocked too but thankfully there was no intensity in the shock due to BRussell being the same race I am and thus he didn't increase the shock when I insulted him.

[Timo]

1981 is a lifetime ago. Isn't there more recent data?

[groverat]

I don't think 1981 is "a lifetime ago" in terms of race relations.

[hardeeharhar]

And this is for hardeeharhar

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/9093/rogersprenticedunnnk2.png
so very soothing... thanks groverat....

[trumptman]

I don't think 1981 is "a lifetime ago" in terms of race relations.

1981 is a lifetime ago. I was 11 then and I am going on 38 now. Magic Johnson was in his sophmore season of NBA play. No internet, no cell phones, no cable television for the majority of the nation, no Macintosh for goodness sakes. Barack Obama couldn't buy a drink.

[groverat]

so very soothing... thanks groverat....

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/1927/rogersprenticedunnvo3.png

:lol:

[sammi jo]

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/1927/rogersprenticedunnvo3.png

:lol:

Your first re-draw was better ... the y-axis originated at zero

[Frank777]

This whole thing is shocking.

Nobody appreciates a good pun anymore.

1981 is a lifetime ago. Isn't there more recent data?

We're more of a DIY society now. Invite a few friends over to your garage and hook 'em up.

[Splinemodel]

I don't have anything to add except to say that I am absolutely fascinated at how that study dovetails almost perfectly with what is happening with Obama.

The Wright controversy has opened the floodgates of white anger.

There was an op-ed I read not too long ago about the disenfranchised "angry white male." As exposed, the characteristics portrayed by this group were said to be a non-victim mentality and a distaste for victimization. People like Jesse Jackson, Sharpton, and now Wright base their messages on victimhood. As an admitted angry white male, the word "crybabies" comes to mind. I hate crybabies.

[groverat]

I think Obama's masterstroke is by embracing the angry white person and saying that there are legitimate reasons to be angry. Even further, he explicitly says it is wrong to marginalize the angry white person's concerns as racist.

Something as deep and wide as Obama's speech will take a while for us to digest. We are unused to concepts delivered in such a reasoned and thorough manner.

[@_@ Artman]

I think Obama's masterstroke is by embracing the angry white person and saying that there are legitimate reasons to be angry. Even further, he explicitly says it is wrong to marginalize the angry white person's concerns as racist.

Something as deep and wide as Obama's speech will take a while for us to digest. We are unused to concepts delivered in such a reasoned and thorough manner.

And by someone (politician no less) who wrote the speech himself in about 48 hours (http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/speechwriter_of_one.php).

This wasn't a speech by committee... Obama wrote the speech himself, working on it for two days and nights.... and showed it to only a few of his top advisers.

[Fellowship]

I think Obama's masterstroke is by embracing the angry white person and saying that there are legitimate reasons to be angry. Even further, he explicitly says it is wrong to marginalize the angry white person's concerns as racist.

Something as deep and wide as Obama's speech will take a while for us to digest. We are unused to concepts delivered in such a reasoned and thorough manner.



And by someone (politician no less) who wrote the speech himself in about 48 hours (http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/speechwriter_of_one.php).

May I repeat what I said in a reply to another thread..

"The real question is:

Is America ready for this kind of candidate?"

I then said:

"I know I am"

I sometimes think our reactions and our notions about Barack Obama have much more to do with us and less to do with Mr. Obama.

Are "we" ready for a candidate like Obama?... Not so much is he ready to be our president?

Fellows