Sunday, October 26, 2014
Leisure Class Blog Post
After reading "Unpacking the Invisible Backpack" and "The Theory of the Leisure Class, Chapter 4", I want you to somehow relate in one 6-10 sentence response how white privilege, the subjugation of women, and conspicuous consumption are related. Please use at least two quotations (one from each reading to back up your points). Bonus points if you discuss the comment of one of your classmates.
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In order to relate white privilege, the consumption of goods, and the subjugation of women, I think it is best to define each of these terms. White privilege defines benefits or privileges that white people have over other minorities. The consumption of goods describes how much we consume of specific goods, such as food, clothes, etc. The subjugation of women means that females are treated less favorably than men. In todays modern society, it is pretty evident how these three are related. Wealth/Consumption of goods have led to a society of white privilege, which has partially given men an advantage over women. American society is based off white privilege, given Caucasian a major advantage over other minorities. Whites get to go to college and get successful jobs in our country, while other minorities, like African Americans, struggle against a disadvantage created by years of prejudice and racism. Examples of this, from the article White Privilege: Unpacking an Invisible Backpack, are: “I can if I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.” Our population also features an over consumption of goods from capitalism, which leads to an excessive amount of waste and greed. From The Theory of The Leisure Class,“Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure. As wealth accumulates on his hands, his own unaided effort will not avail to efficiently put his opulence in evidence by this method.” When people have money, they want to spend more and more to show off their wealth and prosperity. This leads to waste, which the poorer masses of society could have benefit from these goods. American culture also features a favoritism of men towards women, although this has improved over the past century. During the modernist era, women were definitely at a disadvantage. They worked lower paying and less worker friendly, such as working in mills and factories. Females face a more friendly environment for working today, although they make .77 to a dollar that men make.
ReplyDeleteThe Essays Unpacking the Invisible Backpack and The Theory of the Leisure Class are brilliant essays, though a bit dense at times, about privilege and luxury. White privlegage is related to consumer consumption because in older times, the whites were favored in society, and there fore made more money, which is directly linked to consumption. This also lead to the subjugation of woman, as high society slowly turned them into objects to be admired, and treasured. "...In the use of stimulants practiced by the women of the reputable classes..." shows that they would use drugs as a amusement, and it later goes on to say- "...An excessive refinement of logic at the expense of common sense..." Identifying that it was not smart, but they did it anyways.
ReplyDeleteButters, this is an excellent piece of writing, and not the least bit dense. I'd argue that Unpacking The Invisible Backpack isn't that dense, but thats beside the point of the blog post. I agree with your statement that in the past, white privilege led to more money, which led to more consumption. I would of liked more details, but you did the six sentences, so you're good.
DeleteAlthough The Theory of the Leisure Class and Unpacking the Invisible Backpack are quite difficult reads for a high school student (of which Ethan similarly put) with ADHD, I quite enjoyed their perspectives. Quoting Ian’s incredibly useful definitions: "White privilege defines benefits or privileges that white people have over other minorities. The consumption of goods describes how much we consume of specific goods, such as food, clothes, etc. The subjugation of women means that females are treated less favorably than men.” For generations now the white race has been predominately in power of most social and economic matters. Within the white race, it has also been predominately men rather than females, mainly because females were, as Ethan put it, viewed as objects to be admired rather than the individuals that they are. It’s only been just recently where females and those of other races have been allowed (by the white male race) to step into their roles as an active participant in these social and economic matters. Most white males have had the advantage of expanding their curriculum and wealth through their families wealth and through (generally bribed) expanded educations. As Peggy McIntosh stated in Unpacking the Invisible Backpack “I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cash ing in each day.” As Ian stated, this population generally has an "excessive amount of waste and greed.” As The Theory of the Leisure Class put it “One portion of the servant class, chiefly those persons whose occupation is vicarious leisure, come to undertake a new, subsidiary range of duties — the vicarious consumption of goods.” Just as The Theory of the Leisure Class states, those with money want to display their 'good fortune’ through the overbuying of exquisite, overpriced foods, substances (similar to high school today) clothes, housing, and furniture. Whereas generally females of people of color were considered incompetent and undesirable as a leader, consumer, and scholar. Life was generally made much more difficult for them in order to prevent them from entering this largely complex, semi-racist/sexist system and thus disallowing them to become active consumers. “The privilege to ignore less powerful people, distort the humanity of the holders as well as the ignored groups,” Unpacking the Invisible Backpack.
ReplyDeleteI had the titles italicized but it really must not have liked it.. hence why they're no longer italicized.
DeleteThe novel The Theory of the Leisure Class depicts, in chapter four, the idea of conspicuous consumption in the form of “the consumption of food, clothing, dwelling, and furniture”. The essay White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack is an explanation of all the things that people of the Caucasian persuasion have as benefits just for being white, giving them “Power from unearned privilege”. Both the essay and chapter show the idea that certain people have power over others by being what they are. This power that the rich and white hold is based on other people and their perceptions of said rich white person, but it is power none the less. These powerful groups don’t always wish to subjugate others that are different, but they succeed in the oppression just by living the lives they live in the way that they live them. Look at the rich, not all rich people were born into it. Bill Gates worked his whole life and uses his money to give back to the community in the form of charity and nonprofits. The Gates family however, is the exception. Most wealthy people buy expensive things and flaunt them around for the world to see. Not all white people have the advantages listed in the essay. Some are living in Africa as a member of the Peace Core, doing their darndest to not only give to communities in need, but also to break down the idea of white privilege. This group of people however, much like the wealthy, are the minority. When examining the world, most white people use these advantages and double standards to get themselves close to the wealthy. Overall, the idea that the rich and the white are similar is a moot point because no matter what, there is an exception to every rule.
ReplyDeleteI would have to second Morgan in some aspects claiming that white privilege and white conspicuous consumption is “a moot point”. Although the underlying ideas of which these articles are based around can be clearly seen throughout American culture and society there is no specific evidence to back up their one sided claim. While it is wonderful to say “I had been taught about racism as something which puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which puts me at an advantage...After I realized the extent to which men work from a base of unacknowledged privilege, I understood that much of their oppressiveness was unconscious.” Clearly, American society is not equal even though people strive towards equality every day and through countrywide protests for things such as African American rights, female rights and gay/lesbian rights. I am not denying that you should point out what McIntosh saw, is it not another way of further segregating humans? While it is true that before you can move forward from a problem you must first identify it, there are no specific facts or details that back up the claim. In order to make a viable argument you must present both sides of the situation and prove that the other side is not viable; in essence, I am trying to say that while this may be true, I don’t care because my “facts”, thoughts and opinions are influenced from social media, one sided argument/educational papers and a classic jap society- I’m from Newton, its ok.
ReplyDeleteEqually, in The Theory of the Leisure Class I think directly of my sister. In college, everyone in her dorm knew the sunglasses left on the table were hers because she was the only one to leave $500 Prada sunglasses around. Ian wrote, “White privilege defines benefits or privileges that white people have over other minorities”. For the sake of ease, we will relate the “his” that Veblen spoke of to be a white male- although I do not believe that the race of “he” was ever defined (thoughts?). These privileges include, “food, drink, narcotics, shelter, services, ornaments, weapons and accouterments.” As Ethan clearly said, in this one instant the connection between white privilege and consumption can be easily seen if you want to assume that he is white- therefore connecting these two pieces of work.
On the other hand, could it be that the Veblen left he undefined for a reason? Clearly he is male but the only description is from a wealthy background in high social standings. Although we Americans have an inherent racism as McIntosh pointed out, who says that other countries and civilizations view people the same way that we do?
I’m not talking about the subjugation of women because I think it is another “American ideal”. In ancient times like in Greece women were view in equal status to men- so where did the British/American culture go wrong? – Probably when we decided that we needed to as a culture put a label on human division based on appearance.
Now that I’ve babbled on- can you tell that I didn’t particularly like either of these readings? Yeah, I didn’t think so. I’m not saying they’re wrong; I just want more evidence to support the broad, generalized statements.