White Privilege.

Collectivist politics drives the narrative that white people enjoy advantages that are not available to non-white people. Is this a “racist” argument?

A civil conversation between men of opposing views.

Yesterday, I enjoyed a 3 hour conversation with a local man. We knew of each other but had never has a conversation lasting more than a few minutes.

He does not own a computer or “smart” phone. His only internet access is the local library. His sources of information are television, newspapers, magazines, radio and likely from conversations with friends in his social circle.

Like most people, there are causes in which he is passionate. White privilege and aboriginal history are top among them for him. We are both Caucasian men over the age of 65 and originally from Toronto before moving to the City of Kawartha Lakes.

My friend raised the topic of “white privilege” and claimed that I have benefited from it. I disagreed. He also argued that “we” are morally obligated to compensate aboriginal communities for taking “their lands” and forcing their children into christian schools. I said that I feel no personal responsibility for any of that history since it occurred mostly before I was born and I had no part in any of it that may have occurred during my lifetime.

“White Privilege” is “collectivist”.

I do not accept my friend’s claim that “white privilege” has been a significant factor in determining my path through life and any successes I have had. I have never considered myself as a member of a “tribe” - white or otherwise. Every decision I made, and the outcomes, were solely mine. Those decisions and actions were made at the unique moments in time and under a set of circumstances that existed at those moments. No amount of aboriginal history,  if I had known it at the time, would likely have determined the choices I made or the outcomes.

Our discussion about “white privilege  boiled down to the different between “collectivist” politics and the Four Principles for Civil Society introduced into political discourse by Maxime Bernier, leader of the Peoples Party of Canada. Individual Freedom, Personal Responsibility, Fairness and Respect are those values. They recognize that Canada is home to 36 million individual human beings who strive daily to meet life’s challenges on their personal terms and unique circumstances. “Collectivism” is the language that politicians use to divide those 36 million souls into “political tribes” that they can exploit for their goals, not ours.

The politics of “white supremacy” has been successful given that my friend has bought into it and, according to him, it is a global movement of significant proportions. He was surprised that it was not a topic of interest of concern to me. I explained that my mind is already full with many other interests and concerns that merit my attention.

I do not receive my news and information from any of the same sources as my friend. I am more of an “alternative media” consumer. This is likely one reason that aboriginal causes and my alleged privileges have not filtered into my consciousness. However, even if they had, My Life Lens would surely have determined my response.

Collectivist thinking is the norm in modern media messaging and the concerns of average citizens where politics is concerned. It is deeply engrained in our culture and the default lens through which most people consider modern life. Pity.