In order to attempt to shame white people into feeling guilty for their whiteness, BuzzFeed Australia produced a video showcasing “people of colour” from around the world responding to the word “white.”
The video maintains the mere mention of a word, such as white, can “play a big part in our lives, sometimes triggering immediate negative or positive responses.”
To add to the tear-jerking effect, BuzzFeed even exploited a child to make a point about the impact of the word “white.”
Mirrabee, a Wiradjuri/Yuin/African/Arabic child from Sydney, says he thinks of white people as “not understanding” because they “don’t acknowledge what has happened in the past” and that they “don’t try to understand as well.” He claims, “They just push it off, and say that it’s in the past.”
The individuals who have the most negative responses to the word “white” happened to be from black people living cushy lives in Los Angeles and New York.
Daysha, an African-American from Los Angeles, claims that when she hears the word “white,” she thinks of “privilege."
"I think of power. Access, luxury,” she said. “I think privilege is really all of it. Just the ability to be seen as a person."
Gustave, also from Los Angeles, says the first words that come to mind when he hears the word “white” include “privilege. Arrogance. Naïve.”
Gustave states he wants to say white people are “helpful, but only helpful so long as it benefits them.” He also claims white people want “equality,” but only if it means not giving “up any of the power.”
Another person from Los Angeles, Eric, alleges, “There are just several things throughout the course of history that white people have taken advantage of.”
Sylvia, a New Yorker who is apparently a Kenyan-American as opposed to an African-American, states that when she thinks of white people, she thinks of “maybe a group of people who I would love to be in harmony with, but don’t always feel that they feel the same way towards me.”
The video also, for some reason, included a jab at men.
Tracy, a black-American New Yorker, states in regards to white people, “Not all of them are wallowing freely and shamelessly in their privilege. But it seems like the ones that are, are typically male.”
This video comes after BuzzFeed produced another video showing its staff expressing disappointment over the fact they’re white. It also comes days after a BuzzFeed Canada staff writer advocated special treatment for non-white non-males who wish to pitch to BuzzFeed.