The comfortable denial: Confronting whiteness, identity, and privilege

[flore_lemaire]

Baldwin implicitly refers to the comfortable denial that white people find themselves in; a situation where denying history allows them to build an identity around the privileges of their skin tone.
I believe that white people fear acknowledging past wrongs such as slavery, segregation, and systemic oppression. Admitting to this history would involve risking their privileged status and confronting the fact that they benefit from an unjust system created by their ancestors. In Yancy’s work “Look, a Black!”, the analogy of the "mirror speaking back" is used to illustrate how, when confronted with the reality of their race and the privileges it entails, white people might feel shocked or unsettled. As a result, the ongoing, unequal system they contribute to daily helps them avoid facing this uncomfortable reality.
Another reason might be that white people, out of fear and cowardice, refuse to relinquish their ease of navigating space in “a world ‘ready’ for certain kinds of bodies, as a world that puts certain objects within their reach.” (Husserl) For some, their effortless navigation of space makes it unthinkable that others might not have the same privilege; The question doesn’t even arise for them. For others, the potential “disruption” of a long-standing societal and psychological structure, where whiteness is associated with superiority and dominance, discourages them from integrating black people.
Furthermore, white privilege is maintained through power dynamics. The integration of black people threatens the power structures that privilege white people, altering the political and societal order because “institutions are orientation devices.” (Fanon) Fanon’s concept of “orientational devices” suggests that institutions are designed to uphold the racial status quo and reinforce the privileges attached to whiteness. The integration of black people challenges the very foundation of these institutions, forcing them to recalibrate their “orientation” and destabilise the entrenched racial hierarchies. There is an unspoken fear that dismantling these structures would lead to a loss of not only identity but also the social, economic, and political advantages white people have long enjoyed
The fear of losing identity seems to be the core fear that Baldwin highlights by explaining how white people tend to associate their identity with their place in the hierarchy. In that sense, to lose that privileged status in the hierarchy would feel like a loss of self to many white people, as their sense of reality is tied to their position of dominance.

After analyzing the reasons that perpetuates social inequalities, interpellating a white person by saying "Look, a white!" may be described as a "gift" as it forces the white person to recognize and feel responsible for their acts. It forces the white person to confront its own racial identity, something they have traditionally been able to ignore or treat as invisible. In this moment, whiteness, which goes unnoticed in white spaces, becomes visible and subject to scrutiny. Here, the "gift" lies in the opportunity given by black people for white people to face their racial privilege and the societal structures built around it, fostering an awareness that has the potential to bring about change. This idea relates to Baldwin's statement to his nephew about accepting white people "with love." By accepting them, Baldwin argues that black individuals can see white people not as enemies but as people who are themselves caught in a system that distorts their sense of reality and humanity. The act of acceptance Baldwin calls for is a step toward breaking down racial divisions and allowing for a deeper recognition of shared humanity. It is important to note that this love and recognition is not about condoning or excusing racism but about creating the conditions for self-awareness and change. By confronting whiteness and encouraging white people to recognize their role in a racialized system, these moments of recognition and love hold the possibility for breaking the cycle.