Why does white guilt exist?

Question

Why do some whites feel like they have to go out of their way to prove they are not racists?

Is being a racist the default position for white people, and only a select few of them somehow become educated enough to do away with their racist ideas and beliefs?

(Disclaimer: This question is not directed at any entire group of people. Readers should not assume that the questioner is looping all people of a certain group into any particular stereotype. Any confusion on this matter should be directed to the question in the form of a question before jumping to conclusions.)

I think I will have to use this disclaimer from now on because too many of you are hypersensitive and try to find ways to accuse people of making swooping generalizations when they are not.

Answer 1

To the extent that most white people think about the issue at all, they seem to imagine that acting decently is a sufficient response to being called a racist. But if past experience is any guide, such a passive and uncomplaining attitude on the part of whites, far from clearing them of the racism charge in the eyes of blacks, leaves them looking guiltier than ever. Why else—as blacks see it—would whites not defend themselves against such a damning accusation? Why else—unless most white people really are racists—would they not indignantly strike back at people who are saying such terrible things about them? Thus whites' unprecedented outpouring of generosity, far from acquitting them of racism, merely continues the familiar psychodrama of white liberal guilt, in which whites are forever trying through conspicuous demonstrations of compassion and good will to shield themselves from a racism charge against which they appear to have no real defense.

Answer 2

White guilt exists due to the fact that whites are called racist as a matter of course. It's human nature to feel bad about being called something bad, and some try to refute it by groveling. Others will listen to the finger pointing about the past, and not know enough about the past of these finger pointing hypocrites. I've given up. I'm not racist, I don't hate, and I usually just ignore the taunts of these fools who waste precious life in a fog of hatred.

Answer 3

i get that feeling too sometimes. i think people naturally keep their guard out for those who are not like them and may form stereotypical opinions because of their race/class/etc sometimes to too large an extent. For example, where I work I have to ask people for their phone numbers. I work behind a screen so it is already hard to hear what people are saying. I had to ask a man with a heavy accent (he was black) to repeat himself and said back his phone number to him to make sure I got it right. I treated him just like I would anyone else. When it was the next person in lines turn to say her phone number she says it really slow practically screaming it at me in a real stuck up b*tchy voice. like i've done something horrendous because i asked the guy to repeat himself, which i HATE having to do, it makes me feel like a total jerk as it is, but I have to when i don't get the d*mn number right.

this is just one of a million examples, it's the most recent that comes to mind for me though. every race has their own stereotype that they're trying to prove is b.s. just like it is. and there are always going to be people of other races who just don't get it. for white people a big one just happens to be proving that we're not all racists.

Answer 4

White guilt is the biggest reason of racial hatred on the component to whites besides as why they arrive for the duration of weird and wonderful now and back to those that aren't white. many cases non-whites will assume that a White person is being pretend or hiding racism whilst interacting with them, while this is purely socialized White guilt below the exterior. Non-Whites won't in any respect understand and that they do no longer understand what that is like. that's the theory that plenty evil grew to become into completed interior the previous with the aid of "your people" which you a approach or the different ought to make it as much as non-Whites immediately with the aid of being overly advantageous or overly in spite of. people sense that society forces them to sense accountable approximately being who they're. no one asks to be born the "race" or social type that they are born and no-you will exchange this. that's the theory non-Whites see you as a White person and undertaking all of their anti-White sentiments using historic atrocities on you. in reality, if i'm a White guy and that i'm interacting with non-Whites, there are going to be those people who undertaking all of their hatred and resentments of the previous upon me in a unconscious way. they won't even understand that they are doing it. that is like Whites being unconsciously racist and not determining that's what they're doing. The Whites that have white guilt exchange into door mats because of the fact they assume that they owe it to all of us distinctive from themselves consistent with previous evils or contemporary racism. the choice are the White racists who purely pass "f*ck that sh*t! i do no longer ought to sense liable for some thing people did interior the previous. i did no longer do sh*t. in the event that they do unlike me, f*ck all of them to hell" that is extremely weird and wonderful being White. we will not in any respect understand what that is like being the sufferer of institutionalized racism and discrimination, yet all of us else can't understand what White guilt is and how weird and wonderful each little thing is for those people who do no longer consider the evils of our historic past.

Answer 5

People who have had little contact with other races or who were raised in a racist area (such as a lot of small farming counties are) might feel like they have to be overly nice to prove themselves. I think there are a lot of people out their that think that exact same way. However isn't going out of your way to be extra nice to a person just because they are a certain group (race, homosexual or anything different from yourself) kind of a form of prejudice? Shouldn't people be treated equally. I think as you said a lot of people are hypersensitive. Even among the Caucasian race one that was raised in a primarily black area might believe that a person raised rurally having little contact with people of different races might lean toward racist beliefs.

Answer 6

Racism exists every where & in every race. I have had my share of racism from other races. But I have never had a white person go out of there way to prove to me that they were'nt racist.

Answer 7

Because whites, no matter what the other says, are suppose to be ashamed of ourselves. I guess we should of "chosen" a different skin color at birth. Please. The vast majority of whites(excluding actual hate groups) have no contact with other minorities and therefore are not responsible for crap. We are all responsible for our own selves and any guilt being felt by any of them is their own deal. I sleep just fine knowing that.

Answer 8

EVERYONE, LOOK AT SEETHEWORLD'S(basically all those that follow suit) ANSWER. instead of answering the question he gave an EXCELLENT example, demonstrating for us by letting us all know his perception of white culture. so that is why a select group of whites look like a**es and try to prove they are not racist--hope to change the minds of people like seetheworld. frankly I don't give a sh*t if he, or any of you, think i'm racist.
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Seetheworld, I did answer the question. see third sentence. LOL you are one smart guy. keep it up!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Answer 9

Maybe some whites assume that blacks think that all whites are racists. Good luck. 2D

Answer 10

I am white and i never tell ppl my thoughts on racism..ask me about religious fanatics and you won't shut me up though!