I think with a lot of these "controversial" subjects it is impossible to make others believe... [View all]

This may be a bad analogy but it's the one that's stuck in my head. It is like trying to teach calculus to someone who's never learned algebra. The person has no concept of the methods or symbols being referred to.

Now, we might argue that everyone has experience with white privilege, especially the white individuals who tend to deny it the most. But I think we are confusing experience with understanding. Just as the person who's never learned algebra is nonetheless subject to its application all the time, so too is the person who is subject to white privilege but knows nothing of its mechanisms. As far as that person is concerned, white privilege is simply living. It might as well be magic.

Demystification is an extremely uncomfortable practice for everyone in different ways. If we don't follow the right path to understanding, if we leap frog over fundamentals, we cannot really expect someone to agree with what we're saying because they simply don't understand. It may not necessarily be malicious intent on their part (although I will not entirely dismiss the possibility).

There is so much theory that must be taught, so much evidence that must be presented, that it is impossible to change the mind of someone so far removed from our conclusions in an entire thread of discussion, let alone in one or two posts.

Is there a solution to this problem on DU? I really honestly don't know for certain. But what I think might help is addressing these resistant individuals in a more elementary manner. Go further back in the argument strand to a point where there is some sort of mutual understanding and then move forward from there.

Sometimes we don't have the time or, if we do, the will, to educate individuals who on the surface are so repellant. And I completely understand anyone who doesn't want to feel like they're wasting their time. But I'm certainly going to try a little harder and see what happens.