The Smithsonian Whiteness Chart

There’s much ado over the Smithsonian’s chart talking about characteristics of white culture, or “whiteness.” Here’s the chart:

I think the chart is largely accurate* and pretty interesting. Having grown up with all these assumptions of how things should be (and having tried to pass those values to my children), it’s interesting to consider what the alternatives might be.

But there I’m stuck, because the alternatives I think of are universally awful and incohesive.  Other authors have said similar things, so I’ll leave it to them to pick at the specifics.

Because, the thing I found most interesting about the graphic was that it was derived from a chart created in 1990 by Judith Katz. Here’s that original chart:

So we’ve been living with this whiteness stuff for a long, long time. When we used to protest against political correctness back in the 80’s and 90’s, there was always an undercurrent of, “Well, at least most people won’t take this seriously.” What we didn’t realize was that it would be taught in our schools as fact – that these were the characteristics of white culture and that they are bad.

After a couple of generations of this messaging in our schools, kids now accept this as being obvious: white culture is bad. Irredeemably bad. But note that white kids are not allowed to appropriate other cultures. That leaves them lost and vulnerable, with no cultural foundation to ground them. No wonder they’re addicted to social media and completely on board with rioting.

What, then, do the anti-whiteness folk think is the ideal society? Black Lives Matters gives us at least a hint with their promotion of socialism and the “it takes a village” notion of family. Yay.

As for the individual? Well, you can express your individuality through dress, body mods, and hair styles. But you can’t diverge from the mainstream in thought, speech, or achievement.

Because that would make you white.

*I’d take issue with a few statements, like “Win at all costs,” “Wealth=worth,” and “Women’s beauty based on blond…” One of my least favorites is: “Individuals assumed to be in control of their environment,” which should be “Life is hard and individuals have to struggle to swim against the stream, but if you swim hard and smart, with a little luck you may get to the shore of success.” Maybe a different metaphor, though.