According to S. Mary Wills, author of the blog site, The Black Factor, “white
privilege is the polar opposite of The Black Factor. White privilege
is a positive. The Black Factor is a negative” (Wills paragraph
4). White privilege is something that Blacks deal with everyday,
while a white person goes through life without ever questioning their
race. The so-called, white privilege acts as a foil for The Black
Factor- especially in corporate America. White privilege has a
negative connotation as it “allows you to not be truthful to
yourself or others about the reality of preferential treatment”
(Wills paragraph 5). Therefore, being white automatically enables one
of that color to receive preferential treatment over one of another
race and many white people fail to “accept the reality that
there are different sets of rule for different people” (Wills
paragraph 6). Wills argues that failure to acknowledge segregation
rules is the privilege of White privilege. In corporate America, The
Black Factor comes into play; for African Americans, hard work and
intelligence don’t automatically become a catalyst for success.
The Black Factor “prevents many African Americans from becoming
mid-level managers, executive or even entrepreneurs” (Wills
paragraph 10). White privilege is not only seen in corporate
American, but in life in general.
The novel “Native Son,” by Richard Wright, though written in 1940, is very
relative to Will’s blog post. From the very beginning, Wright
clearly portrays Bigger’s hatred for White people because of
White privilege and the fact “they (White folks) never let us
do nothing” (Wright 23). After playing a game of
“white,” in which Bigger and his friend, Gus pretend to
be and talk like white people of high positions (war general, J.P
Morgan, the president) Bigger dwells on the fact that he is Black and
has no privileges- ergo The Black Factor. White folks have the
privilege of never having to think twice about the privilege of
riding an airplane, or starring in a movie, but every time Bigger
thinks about what he can’t have/do due to his race he feels
“like somebody’s poking a red-hot iron down his throat”
(Wright 23). Bigger concludes that it would be almost impossible for
an African American like himself to get an important job and resolves
to robbing a local bakery to make some quick cash. Wills argues that
her point is that the idea of White privilege is an attempt for
racists to get African Americans to give up. Contrary to what Bigger
thinks, Wills, with her optimistic attitude preaches, “Never!
That’s what the racist wants. So, don’t give them that
victory” (Wills paragraph 14). Wills blogs that it’s
important to remember that it’s not always about you and all
the White privileges are often “about other people’s
bullshit and baggage. The Black Factor is their (white people) issue”
(Wills paragraph 15).
The Black Factor is reason alone for Bigger to loathe all White people. He says that
White people live in his stomach and, “every time I think of
‘em, I feel ‘em. It’s like fire”
(Wright 24). Being a white person, I find it extremely difficult to
connect with Bigger. Of course I sympathize with the character, but
to be completely honest, I have never given much thought to the
privileges I receive for my color; that in turn is the
bitter-sweetness of White privilege.
Is there a solution?
I don’t know.
But I do know that The Black Factor can begin to diminish as soon as
White privilege becomes an antiquated term in that both white people
stop being ignorant about racial differences and black people stop
using “White privilege” as an excuse.
