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Is white fragility real? Is white fragility real?
Yes, white fragility is real Yes, white fragility is real
No, white fragility does not exist No, white fragility does not exist
White fragility looks at how white people become defensive when racism is discussed White fragility looks at how white people become defensive when racism is discussed
White fragility highlights that only non-whites are "raced" White fragility highlights that only non-whites are "raced"
White fragility exposes how white people are established as perfectly privileged and socialized to think they are superior White fragility exposes how white people are established as perfectly privileged and socialized to think they are superior
White fragility promotes ending racism through open dialogue White fragility promotes ending racism through open dialogue
White fragility is a racist concept White fragility is a racist concept
White Fragility has an epistemological problem White Fragility has an epistemological problem
White fragility prevents meaningful dialogue White fragility prevents meaningful dialogue
White fragility typifies Social Justice Warrior fragility White fragility typifies Social Justice Warrior fragility
White fragility patronises Black people White fragility patronises Black people
White fragility is white supremacy White fragility is white supremacy
If race is a construct, white fragility cannot exist If race is a construct, white fragility cannot exist
The white fragility focus on white guilt oversimplifies a very complex debate The white fragility focus on white guilt oversimplifies a very complex debate
White fragility fails to acknowledge that racism is collective, not individual White fragility fails to acknowledge that racism is collective, not individual
Debate Mini Map

Is white fragility real?
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No, white fragility does not exist

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White Fragility has an epistemological problem

White fragility bases its thesis on implicit bias research which not conclusive and does not employ rigor in hypothesis testing. The thesis is unfalsifiable and is therefore nonscientific, like Freud's psychoanalytic insights into the unconscious mind from the faulty premise of the Oedipus complex.
Frantz Fanon
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Context

The context of this problem can be predicated on the analysis by Di Angelo that it is an epistemological problem as it perpetuates institutional racism .

The Argument

Sigmund Frued and Carl Jung establish that Human Beings deeply have inherent biases as a consequence of their environment.When a society perpetuates a certain narrative that perpetuates , hate , inequality and conflict.This automatically then perpetuates a norm that is highly segregative, alienating and one that normalises hate within the socie [1]ty. [2]

Counter arguments

This is a form of idealism that perpetuates reverse-hate .That is the solution to fire is fire, where people will grow with the inherent belief that prejudice against the white is the only solution.This exacerbates hate rather than integration between the black and white.It also ideally establishes that white people are born to be evil. [5] [6]

Proponents

Framing

The inherent crisis in viewing race as an epistemological crisis ,is as a result of idealism and hypothetical bias.There is no objective analysis and outcome that establishes truth.Secondly, the finding is built on statistical prejudice that is as a result of historical conflict. It also lays claims and criticisms on the source of the race issue being the epistemological bias but with no sufficient empirical and pragmatic finding. [8]

Premises

Epistemology can never be a source that can be used as a basis to assess race.This builds a belief that white people are inherently evil. This qualifies that all white people are evil.This [3] polarises fragmentation within the society instead of the society being able to achieve equality progressively. [4]

Rejecting the premises

The essence of assessing Race as an epistemological problem is to nurture decolonisation and rigorous interrogation, internalisation and negotiation.This eliminates the constant neglect and rejection to be informed about race , the historical prejudices, the existing long-lasting conflicts amongst the Black and the white. [7]

References

  1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26303979
  2. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14119084-100-review-freuds-race-against-prejudice/
  3. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02691721003749927?scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=tsep20
  4. https://repository.uchastings.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1155&context=hastings_race_poverty_law_journal
  5. https://academic.oup.com/applij/advance-article/doi/10.1093/applin/amz033/5519375
  6. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43671187
  7. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/1963-malcolm-x-racial-separation/
  8. https://americanstudies.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/KnowlProdTeachInREADING.pdf
This page was last edited on Tuesday, 22 Sep 2020 at 21:22 UTC

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