White Like Me

Kristina Montellano

December 12, 2010

HPSC 106

White Like Me Review

 

With a title like this, Tim Wise, the author, really wanted to make a statement as to experiences he, himself, had went through. By automatically reading the title of this book, you could guess that the story line would touch a little bit on race, discrimination and stereotypes. At least, this was what I received from the book. Wise wanted to reveal the underlying truth about his life as “white,” and what privileges he had received through his childhood. I believe that the author chose to write on this subject because he felt strongly on his attributions and attitudes towards himself in his life. Since it is written in his point of view, the author clearly gets his thesis across. I think that the author wanted to convince the reader of beliefs validity by dramatizing it in action.

            When first discovering about this book, I immediately though that this book would fit perfectly into our class. I knew it had something to do with the so-called white stereotype that that entire race is privileged more so than any other race. I did found out a lot more, when actually opening the book. The intended audience would be those that agree with his thesis and views, because they would most likely be the ones to understand and relate to him. Upon reading this book, however, I did feel that some of Wise’ stories were not worded correctly. He came across as the arrogant type. He also was viewed (towards me) that all white babies are born in to the world already facing “white guilt.” It seems that wise the “authority” in the book and he gives much praise to this white colleagues in such a way that is bragging. Racism in America had affected whites in that statistics showed that whites were more successful than any other race. Wise, indirectly speaking, put them on a petal stool. I caught this, in the first couple of chapters when he started mentioning accomplishments and achievements. He stated that the white race is the one race that is discriminated the most in society because they have to go through the hatred of other races being slightly jealous and them having the white guilt trip. I disagreed with his thesis in that discrimination affects all races and not just whites. Daily, we are looked at differently and sometimes not in the best of ways.

            The book affected me in that I do (as everyone does) feel some sort of discrimination at some point in their life. Being a person from MANY different backgrounds, I often get the accusation that I am too mixed and that I do not belong to one specific race group, and I do not know where I came from. But in reality, I know the truth. I remember where I came from, and I know where I am headed. Racism is such a complex theory, according to wise. We are all different colors, yet so much alike. This was a statement that Wise said to his mother when talking about his encounter with a colored man at the age of two. The book also mentioned how the infamous Walt Disney might be correlated to racism. He did this by using cryptic messages in his big productions and made it seem like Caucasians were predominately the main characters. This portion of the book, which was towards the end of chapter seven, explained and went more in-depth on how whites can be blamed for all of this. It was actually very interesting to see how people linked Walt Disney to being a racist. He was the core reason as why Disney was so conservative, and yet, controversial.

            Through out the book as a whole, Wise talks about life experiences he had gone through, that one mind find unthinkable. For instance, at a Keg Party, wise was there with a few friends, and the party would only continue to get more hyped. When the police showed up, they were simply told (by warning) to keep the noise level down. This would seem sort of absurd in that if it were a Latin or Black party, the cops (in the 1960s) would most likely harass or even arrest the people at the party because they “had authority.” And the fact that the kids at this party were doing drugs and surrounded with underage drinking! This is a statement that might be recalled from a movie. But in reality, this was what Tim’s life was like. He had the privilege of being white and he loved the good consequences that went along with it.

            Not matter how far you try to gear out racism, it will always find and peak its way back through. It is one of those things that we all live with and all have to experience a few times in our days. It is apart of life. Some people go through it in a far more easy way, where the judgment is not so bad. Others go through cruel punishment where they are given the cold shoulder. It hurts the most when you are turned away from your own race than it would be to be turned away from another race. If you think about it, your own family disowning you, rather than distant friends. Is there something wrong with that picture? Yes. No one should be turned away in the first place.

            The book, in essence, opened my eyes in a sense that I did not view some whites, the way Wise portrayed them as. I did not know that some whites felt the way they did. Sometimes they felt too privileged in that they did not know how to go about it. Tim did a great job using descriptive details on how he lived his early childhood and even going to work and being judged indirectly though “white jokes.” Wise even gives examples of some of the jokes that were displayed. Overall, this was a very interesting book that I absolutely do recommend.