Why do you think some people struggle to understand the concept of 'white privilege' and how would you explain it?

People often fail to recognise the difference between equality and equity. Tall poppy syndrome in Australia is prevalent and so on a larger scale there is a certain amount of jealousy from white Australians when underprivileged sects of society are given a hand that they aren't offered themselves. We are privileged in the sense that we don't understand how much this means to others over ourselves.

'White privilege' has been a concept brought to the forefront of Western society for centuries and as a result persons in today's society who experience 'white privilege' don't realise what they are receiving as its so normalised. To explain this privilege, you would need to bring up examples from history and link it to examples in todays age.

Lack of understanding is because of ignorance and failure to empathise with others with different backgrounds and experiences.

There should be no privilege everyone should be equal

They've never experienced it and grew up privilged

I think for people like that it's hard to understand an experience you have never lived, especially when you've grown up in a family/environment that has facilitated such a set of beliefs. With this, it's beneficial to be exposed to a multitude of perspectives in order to understand the disadvantages and hardships other individuals face, particularly in regards to minorities.

White privilege is sort of an invisible benefit for white. White people who enjoy privilege cannot ignore and unconsciously accept its existence.

Understanding white privilege involves recognising the systemic advantages conferred upon individuals perceived as white, which often manifest in various aspects of life, such as education, employment, and interactions with institutions like law enforcement.

I suppose some people struggly to understand the concept of 'white priviledge' simply because they are the ones who have that priviledge. They've never experienced the difficulties of POC communities, hence they don't believe it exists.

People struggle to understand the concept of white privilege because they haven't experienced a situation beyond their normal. this stems from lack of experience, education and social ignorance.

I believe that people who fall under the category of 'white' and experience white privilege are more likely to not understand the concept of white privilege, due to having experienced it all their lives. White privilege is a social concept, that refers to white people being treated better than people of other races/ethnicities. An example of this would be a white person being considered for a job, while someone of another ethnicity who has the exact same qualifications is completely disregarded.

- I think its hard for people to understand the topic that they themselves have never experienced as people who have been fortunate but also sheltered.

The people that struggle to understand 'white privilege' are those that have experienced nothing but this amongst their fortunate yet sheltered life. It is hard to grasp the concept of something when that is all you know and has since become your norm.

As a white female, I know it still exists from talking to the people around me and educating myself. I think people struggle to understand it because they want to believe it isn't as prevalent anymore when it actually is.

They struggle because, from their side of the fence, they cannot see what is wrong. Racism and it's impacts should be taught at a primary school level school

To me, failure to understand white privilege comes down to the influences in ones life, predominately their background, education and media exposure, which prevents you from understanding the ethnic oppression others face. In other words, some people fail to put themselves in the victim's shoes and understand their perspective, hence diminishing any possibility of grasping the required sympathy at all.

White privilege is a generally a systematic issue. It's hard to see how things could be any different when you've only known things to be one way your entire life. If the system has always benefited you, you're not going to be as aware of it's negative effects. I think it's also to do with ego, I think people don't like the idea that their achievements and lifestyle could be due to anything other than their own skill and work. I think white privilege is the way in which white people are systematically and culturally favoured and therefore makes it easier for them to succeed in range of different facets of life than a person of colour.

White privilege is a struggle to understand because white people view themselves as the "default" as opposed to yet another group of people

They might struggle to understand this concept because most people don't even think about it, even less talk about it because it's such a small issue- at least in Australia. "White privilege" is a term that came around that describes the favour and added benefits white people are given for being white over others - and, BTW the admirer ain't always white either. Could be due to how the British Empire was so successful and developed so many countries, which may have established a favourable image on Western people to other nations, such as Hong Kong who adore the British Empire, their beautiful culture and architecture. White privilege is suppressed, now... thanks to white people who hope for equality (which will never happen until we stop THINKING about division and what our dissimilarities are!!).

Many people are unable to understand the concept of white privilege because it is hard to place yourself in someone else's shoes and see life from their perspective. Additionally a large number of people, including white people, do not live in luxury and as such become frustrated and angry that other groups are getting handouts that would be equally appreciated in their own situation. White privilege can be best explained as the inherent benefits that white people possess in life purely by the coincidence that they are born white. Examples of this include higher chance to be born into wealth, minimal exposure to racism in life and often benefitting, even accidentally, from racism, and a host of others.

People may struggle to understand the concept of white privilege as they are white themselves, and therefore they cannot empathise or relate to someone of colour. White privilege can be defined as the inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterised by racial inequality and injustice.

White privilege can be difficult to see and comprehend when you have it. "privilege is Bliss"

I think they struggle to understand it because of cancel culture, people are afraid to ask questions to understand more as they are simply shut down for being a certain way. Whilst I don't strictly think anti-racism is a problem, I also do not believe in cancel culture.

Groups who benefit from the current structure of the world, which enables and supports white people (primarily) it is difficult to recognise and acknowledge that others do not experience the same living standards. If someone grows up in a protective bubble against inequality, they will never understand that their life is built and boosted by white privilege.

I believe, in modern society there is incredibly minimal advantages to being white over another race. Genetically we are nothing special and the only way you could ever face privilege is due to another persons racist ideals. For example if you were the only white person applying for a job and you were hired because the employer was racist and wanted a white employee. Only white supremacists really support the basis of white power. And their are very little white supremacists in modern society compared to when these vigilante ideals were formulated.

White privilege is fake at least in Australia. Nobody is favoured automatically based off race alone. You will find successful people of all races. People struggle to understand this concept because the internet provides insight to other countries where white privilege does exist, so people in Australia start to think it’s a thing here.

White privilege may be hard for some to see if they reap the benefits of it, it is their norm. If you benefit from white privilege it is important to attempt to 'walk in another's shoes', and try to visualize what it would be like to live in our current society as, for example, an Indigenous person or immigrant. White privilege, for instance, can be as simple as walking into a store as a person of colour and there being no shampoos or conditioners for your hair type as you are not seen as the 'original' race, or even important for that matter.

Because it doesn't exist in the 21st century. To think that all ignorant, rich people are white is extreamly offensive to all races around the world

I think white privilege is continually becoming less of an issue but nonetheless is still a thing today but I believe instead of it being a underlying part of western society its more of a bias that some powerful people have and with their power, they manifest this bias in maybe giving a white person a raise instead of a black person or being more wary of a black man instead of a white woman. I think this will continue to become less and less of an issue.

people struggle as that is not their experience and cannot comprehend the struggle of others

the harsh reality of seeing a view and to struggle to understand the concept of white privilege is that they are the ones living in it. people do not understand something that they do not see or experience once a person truly experiences the benefits and the simple example of white privilege then to see outside of it becomes a massive struggle.

They've never seen or understood about the struggles that other people face.

People who live or have been raised in certain political, religious, or economic communities/areas wherein they experience ‘white privilege’ lack the knowledge and experience of more diverse groups of people and the struggles they face. ‘White privilege’ can be explained by the way people of caucasian decent or appearance are often-time granted more privileges in schools and society due to the colour of their skin and the notions associated with it. People who regularly experience white privilege but are unaware of it often fail to understand that it is a real issue in today’s society.

Lack of knwledge including a white washed history, constant efforts by institutions to play down the effect of race on ones potential in life.

white privilege is something where on racial group is said to face less discrimination and scrutiny due to their skin color

Some people may struggle to understand 'white privilege' due to a lack of empathy and education, thus rendering them simply unable to comprehend that white people are inherently benefitted by a colonial state. White privilege is the notion that white people receive better treatment and opportunities within society due to race.

There are two sides to every story; 'White Privilege' can also be used as a tokenistic scapegoat for people of colour that believe they are underprivileged and want to abnegate their personal responsibility by blaming it on an uncontrollable factor such as race, rather than culture- a factor they can actively control to benefit their community. However I still believe in some areas of the world and communities, there is not equality of opportunity- which there definitely should be- this can defined as 'White Privilege', although the defining factor of this inequality is…  Read more not skin colour- I can understand this way of thinking but it is nonetheless illogical and delusional. I believe in the majority of scenarios, you should not victimise and patronise you're own community but rather adopt a proactive mindset to actively transform your culture into something more positive- focusing on what you can do rather than what you can't do.

I think that many people struggle to see the issue due to them not experiencing it themselves or not being exposed to it. This results from people, particularly in Western cultures becoming used to an insular community that is not exposed to other cultures and peoples experiences.