You Can't Meaure or Define "Whiteness" or "Blackness" so Don't Try
The XX blogger wrote, “…my style of blogging is very white - I feel like I have to conclude everything, which leaves less room for the more deliberative communication patterns I find among African-Americans….Whites don’t really feel comfortable saying ‘I don’t know’ or just going through inconclusive cognitive exercises.” I have a problem with someone labeling something as very white or very black. Yes, we must embrace and recognize racial differences as I said before, but that does not mean that we can generalize these races. Who can define what it means to be black or white? Sure, some whites might not feel comfortable saying, “I don’t know.” Some blacks also may feel equally uncomfortable with those words. Defining anything as purely white or black is generalizing and stereotyping a race of people who have similar bonds while ignoring any variations those people might have.
6 Comments:
Great post! I think that article you’re referring to is way off base. Any huge generalization like "all whites" or "all blacks" is usually wrong because everyone is different. Even within a group of similar creeds or races people can act completely different.
I think the author is an elitist with not a single black acquaintance.
Wow! What an bias article. Is the person from the 'dark ages'? Write whatever you want and let the reader decide how he wants to
interpret the material. That's what dictionaries are for (if needed). It is unforunate that the author thinks the way he does. Does he think there should be a warning on the article that says, "Beware only people with certain skin color will be able to understand my words"?
Your thoughts were 'right on'.
typo...fortunate
White...Black... Whatever...Bloggers are people with opinions..good and bad, positive and negative, they are not defined by race... yet their words will define them. I think if you search there are Bloggers from all groups who have opinions and something to say more than "I don't know".
I agree with you.
The author really misses the pure, simple point that all Internet users can blog if they want to.
They are welcome on public blogging sites (provided they are courteous)and they have the ability to create their own blog sites if they feel the need.
Pulling the race card just ignores the real issue – if you want to blog, then blog!
Agreed. This is looking for a problem where there shouldn't be one.
Complaints can be made about disproportionate access to technology, inadequate educational opportunities for lower income groups (black, white, hispanic, whatever), or lack of true engagement with the political process. XXBlogger's complaint touches on some important cultural issues worthy of further exploration (such as the rigid hierarchy of the civil rights movement), but mostly it is just whining. XX also manages to inject unsupported and offensive conjecture into the dialogue, distracting from real issues.
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