The Myth of Meritocracy

During this compelling women's equality keynote Peggy Mcintosh talks about the hypothetical line of social justice. Below this line people are pushed down through bullying, stereotyping and prejudice. Above the hypothetical line people are pushed up and believed in. They are thought to be worthy and considered capable. They are seen as "the best." Living above the line is living a life of privilege, which means having more than you deserve because of circumstances entirely out of your own control. Living below the line is unearned disadvantage.

Peggy McIntosh talks about how she became familiar with white privilege and white guilt and how she copes. At the beginning of this women's equality keynote Peggy asks people what they currently have in their lives that they did not rightfully earn. This is a difficult question to answer honestly, but if you are willing to critically examine your daily life it quickly becomes clear that things like education are rarely ever earned, it is just something that white people are born into.