Annoyed Academics Still Facing Ignorance Regarding Critical Whiteness And Racism

After being flamed a lot by snobbish academic pricks, I started to read many, many articles on Critical Whiteness.
I see one major problem. The people who keep trying to make Critical Whiteness a native to our culture, are sitting on an obscenely high horse, from where they judge the stupid peasants who just won't learn about their privilege.
I summarize what I have gathered and place my doubts and observations and here.

Here is a copy paste of what racism is, taken from Wikipedia.

 



I agree on the following statements I have encountered so far:

1. Race is a social construct, it is not the same as ethnicity. Ethnicity does nothing on it's own, culture does.

2. "White" is a social construct that had been invented for a set of specific, non-altruistic purposes.

3. "White" may also refer to aesthetics of various groups, which are gathered under the term "Europiden" in my language, in English "Caucasian race".

4. White Privilege exists, and is in action, whether we want it or not.

I do not agree with the idea, that the very concept of racism is designed for the profit of Whites, and that anyone who can be identified as White, needs people of Colour to self-identify as such.
The concept of racism has been used as a tool all around the world and still is.

Angry racist Japanese do not need a single white person to hate possibly equally racist Chinese, and possibly equally racist Koreans.
These folks have been hating on each other before Europeans were allowed to set a foot on Japanese territory, with the help of quite elaborate racism.

Maasai, and they are by far not the only Sub-Saharan culture when it comes to that, consider themselves practically demi-gods and have their own idea of a proper hierarchy.

Tribalism, good luck with outlawing that, I will however abstain from pointing my finger at any group which engages in such an activity, because, I do it, too.
I am alright with the Mexica Movement's racism.
Yes, it is scary if someone jumps in your face just because, but I understand the importance of culture when it comes to collective identity and a positive self-image.

On to needing others to self-identify as White, it is rather a catch22 than anything else. We learn about history, we learn that there is "whiteness", and we will be identified as such by our teacher. We accept it and pay no further attention, particularly if we live in a geographic area that brought forth Celtic and Germanic culture. Now I don't self identify as "White", when I can be a native, an Austrian, a Middle European.

See what I did there, I used culture as my signifier. I would not self-identify as "white" because I find it increasingly difficult to associate with others who fit the same category. It is impossible for me to speak for a Russian, an US American, a Dutch, and even a German (I do have issues with Germans because of their sometimes annoying mentality, or to be more precise, their idea that German speakers have lost the right to have fun and be occasionally irresponsible at some point in time. Yes, I know. It's a not very nice judgment, from sharing a flat with Germans only, and from living in Germany. It does not mean I hate them, or wish them ill. They can blame Austrians for lacking seriousness and discipline. Both is true and false).

And if we are talking about Critical Whiteness, I will, or would have to be able to be "fluent" in any culture that has been labeled "White". Visit any on-line community and look at all the people who call themselves white, you could not associate more randomly.
That does not mean that White Privilege is not in action, and does not harm those who are not identified as "White". I am not questioning this fact. What I am questioning is how to even operate with "Whiteness" because it is so random and includes so many cultures, of which a few of them I have a hard time to recognise as such - still, I would have to consider them, and every detail about them.
I am fully aware of the tendency to make people responsible for anything anyone who shares their religion, or ethnicity, did, or does. So no, this is not only happening to me, but, I actively avoid annoying people with such trollery. I do try to explain all the phenomena I have knowledge about. I do not flinch from my own responsibilities that came with me associating with my 'heritage', but I do not accept being made responsible for historical events that took place somewhere else. I am ready to answer for Catholicism, because it is a part of my culture, even though I do not identify as such for lack of belief. 
I am not ready to answer for post-Slavery crimes in the US Deep South, BUT I am ready to answer for the German Fascist regime. Practically, and also theoretical. It is not unreasonable to ask for this, for myself and anyone else, regardless of colour and culture.

The differences between a place like Central Europe, where so called Caucasians are actually the norm, and the privilege is Native peoples' privilege - like it or not! - and the rest of the world will need separate exploration.
I live with the idea, that if I leave my country, I will lose this privilege (which is not White, since people will at some point detect non native Whites and Other them), and depending on my destination, then, and only then, my White Privilege will ignite.

It is unfair that I have this privilege, and someone of obviously non local origin, who was born here, just like me, does not have it. But it is even more unfair in a country like the USA, Australia, etc.
However, this unfairness is in action for the aforementioned South East Asians, for many African peoples, and for just as many Eurasians and Asians.
This bears plenty of controversy, but I will stick up for it, the principle, not each and every crazy tribe on the planet, mind you. I do not subscribe to cultural differences, and the accentuation of such, leading to hostility, per se.

I frown at US Americans who call themselves White, and then keep asking, "why is there no White History Month?" Without even recognising that BHM is a cultural event, or, after having read Freeman's rather critical comment, has the potential to be a cultural event, for everyone, but with focus on a specific group, one does not have to be a part of, to enjoy and learn. I also frown at them for having invented "Hispanic" but after thinking about how stupid one occasionally looks as an US American White person, I better accept Hispanic as a reality, in order not to insult anyone. But I don't understand it.

Further, US Americans, as a collective, don't group with the help of culture first, but instead by appearance first, and now that must be the most atavistic and chaotic thing I have ever encountered, from my Euro-centric perspective. I don't want to play this game for the sake of a humanism that eludes me, the way it is communicated.

This makes them, among other things, entitled to anyone else on this planet, if they just share the same ethnic appearance, and no one is safe, not Africans, not Europeans, not Asians.
They have "Austrian/[Enter your] heritage", too? RUN, RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN, because you owe them something now, in their mind! It is a cultural phenomenon, which is seen as perfectly okay within the US, in order to find one's place.

There is a suspicion growing with me, that this might have to do with US America being so stuck when it comes to racism. We are not less stuck, but stuck in a slightly different swamp.
Side note: I appreciate my associates from the USA, who are happy being US Americans, and recognise US American culture, who recognise that IE Italian American is not Euro Italian. 

Critical Whiteness came to us, from the USA, and while I understand Whiteness to be a tool to make better "use" of everyone not "white", the concept needs a lot of adjustment to fit a European, regardless of ethnicity. I am speaking about culture.

You want me to do what?

If you are interested in humanism and feminism, you are prone to encounter conflicts, which would be hilarious, if they did not come with actual harm being done to actual people.
As someone, who is hooked on aesthetics, and likewise on a thing called "human dignity", I am somewhat informed about the map of my own, privileged bubble.
"Man is the measure of all things", that means to me, in a nutshell: the problem is the cut of this dress, not you. You may apply this pattern on any other issue.

Of course some folks call me racist, transphobic, homophobic et cetera.
I receive the following, bizarre suggestions:

I am supposed to support the limitless objectification of males, because gay men want more acceptance.
I am supposed to support fascist beauty pageants and fitness worship propaganda, because transpeople want to participate in them.
I am supposed to be excited about model casting shows, because they are being produced in Africa now, too.
I am supposed to celebrate a delusional, gynophobic designer, because he uses gender bending male models for women's wear.
I am supposed to like stereotypical, demeaning "sexy" presentations, because the performer is Black.
I am supposed to like exploitive advertising of a questionable industry, because they use marginalised groups in a "positive" context.

Particularly for the trans people. If you want to partake in a beauty pageant, you are signaling that you like the idea of non individual ideas of beauty being something that "women" should strive to live up to. You are hopefully aware that there are many who aren't particularly excited about the idea that being the prettiest of the bunch should be glorified even more than it already is. Of course, we all love beauty.
Just this:
I don't think that any beauty pageant ever, did ANYTHING to reduce violence against women/people read as women.
Objectifying humans does not lead to more respect, regardless whom one objectifies. As long as there is no culture that allows objectified people to maintain dignity, there really is no use in expanding the range of objectified groups.
I accept being considered transphobic, and it does not impress me to be called such, because I care more about stereotypes being corroded, rather than being used as a ladder to acceptance, and therefore clung to as something valuable, that it really is not. That's all.

"Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have"

I read this in a lifestyle magazine for men. There is a reason why I prefer lifestyle magazines for men: They have better recipes, better workout ideas, they don't suggest you have "poor genetics" on every other page, and most importantly, they focus on getting more pleasure out of everything, which is what the reader seems to be actually entitled to.
You just have to skip the sex/women pages.

Anyway, I think there is really something to that phrase. Unfortunately, the way I like to dress, reminds more of a zombie apocalypse survivor whose favourite hobby is to loot really random shops.  (Which nails it, actually, looting would be my favourite hobby in that situation)
Since I ride a bike made for men, skirts and dresses are not much of an option. Even with a lady model, it's not a serious getup after all.
However, I like a lot of short dresses the industry buries us in. I do not have the legs that are required (at the moment) to "be allowed" to wear mini skirts. Besides the feeling of nakedness, I can not unlearn my knowledge about nice people shoving their cellphones underneath everyone's skirts, which touches a subject this rant will lead to anyway.

So I wear my boots/sneakers and trousers, and a short dress to go with that. Which is actually very practical, since what else will keep the lower torso covered when cycling as reliably? The layers of shirts, pullovers, vests and such depend on the weather and time of the year.

When looking for clothes, I always end up wanting short dresses, straight leg pants and shorter long sleeved garments of all kinds, preferring either avant-garde or heavily embroidered, urban-streetwear hoodies and jackets, mostly in colours that I love, but which do not love me back (greens, browns). It is a frantic zig-zag jaywalk between folk lover and rocker, futurist and grown up  rockabilly. I will not begin with the topics of how to accessorise, because I hate purses, scarves and most jewelery, except that I love hats, the kind that remind of uniforms and give off this "I am someone" vibe, and Eastern Austrians hate anyone younger who dares to wear one.

I do not see any employers that look for an independence junkie, who is not able to commit to one style only. Who has obviously no desire to emphatise nice and comely femininity. Who, most of all, does obviously not subscribe to a lot of unwritten rules and recommendations of our society, in fact, loves stereotypes in all the wrong ways for all the wrong reasons. Someone who considers proper attire and gender, and everything else, as things longing to be subverted and ridiculed.

More than likely, my wardrobe signals that I totally missed the boat, possibly intentionally. That I reject many things others adjusted to willingly, or just picked up and know how to use. It is not that I want  to be different, I just grew that way.
Truth is, I do not mind at all wearing any kind of (work) uniform, as long as my knees are covered and pointless cleavage is not required. A uniform removes a lot of complications. I would even enjoy wearing the hairstyle my boss, or my close co workers prefer to look at. I would regard it as a challenge. It would not bother me to look like one of these librarians if my boss fancies that look.

And because I am completely secure in this willingness, I am continuously under the impression that I can otherwise wear what I want and how I want it to wear.
Intellectually, I understand that people consider this a probably pathological contradiction. Someone who looks like me, with all my willful ignorance of what others are doing with their clothes or hair, is not predictable. Someone who is in a constant revolt against objectification, classism, the beauty industry, the ruling ideas of what a woman should be like, but all that in a really weird way, because of the lack of commitment to any subculture. No one with half a brain would give me any work with responsibility.
Sounds absurd?

I have my own ideas of what is beautiful, appealing or motivating, and I consider adjustment not needed. Why? It is simple. The market offers us certain styles through the seasons. Additionally, we experience limits because of things like budget, climate and so on. In my opinion I don't look any different than others, because after all, I do not shop on mars! But here, my own view is skewed, and this is bad.
And, it is bad because a skewed perception of self makes us not being able to understand the reactions of our environment. Unfortunately I depend on what others think of me, since I  depend on them. I am not some survivalism expert who lives in the outbacks, I need people to employ me and to want to work with me.
All that, and it is not possible to ever overestimate the superficialty of other people. Hence my ramblings about seemingly unimportant things like appearance. Since I reportedly have very few prejudices in real life, I am anxious about the prejudices of others, because they are of unknown dimensions and ...textures. And this is more xenophobic than the fear of woman-hating societies ever will be, because I know misogyny, so I do know what I hate. But judging, or rather: boundlessly speculating on people based on how exactly they wear their hair and shirt, and what kind of purse, and how comely and nice their non aggressive body language is...it's a gigantic jungle of dreadful mysteries, and secrets I can never learn, to me.

Everyone communicates a literally freaking lot with ones looks. Visit a college class on communication science, and there will be whole chapters on it. Even if we really do not care about our looks, we will communicate that, and we will communicate our eventual hypocrisy, our financial situation, and to the pros our supposedly secret wishes, desires and fears.

This will be continued, I have no intention on writing a whole book this evening. So this will be all for now.