White Pathologies In “Social Justice”
Last month (October) was Black History Month in the UK. So once again children in school were exposed to great quotes from black civil rights leaders, learning about black inventors, and of course revisiting the BLM protests and riots. We are two years removed from those protests and riots that swept through several major US cities in the name of “racial equality.” In the sheer chaos of it all, you may not have noticed the demographic makeup of the crowds. Which is understandable, considering the circumstances. Nevertheless, some did take notice, and even in their studies lauding the ethic and racial diversity of protesters, found that white people made up the majority of remonstrators. Just as interesting is the fact that the majority of white protesters and activists were also women, but that is a post for another day. Even now as society rests on a thin crust, atop a “social justice” volcano, ready to erupt with one mischaracterised police shooting. The majority of those who maintain its volatility through activism and education are white.
This is not at all surprising, white people have been cast as the antagonist in this social saga, said to have inherited the original sins of past whites. Sins that presently manifest themselves in discriminative institutions, systems, and in mostly covert behaviour. Ideologues claim that this prejudice behaviour stems from unconscious racial biases, that are inextricably linked to white skin, without distinction or evidence. Essentially, an immutable characteristic is the sole piece of evidence to indict a person of racism, in the court of public opinion. And this in-and-of-itself is not viewed as racist.
Now at this point, if you are white, you may be taking stock of where you stand on the issue of racial justice. You may come to one of several conclusions: you may find that you embrace “social justice" ideas unequivocally, including your status as a racist, trusting that your allegiance to the ideology and advocacy groups will absolve you; or you may be unfamiliar with the lingo, literature and important figures, but you emotionally support the movement; or perhaps you go-along-to-get-along, mimicking the language and behaviour, because it’s culturally expected and unavoidable - it’s part of a new inclusion and diversity initiative at work or it’s what members of your social circle believe.
If in your brief introspection, you find that one of these describes you, two things may also be the case 1. you believe “social justice” advocacy is an outworking of basic human virtue, and 2. you believe that such advocacy is beneficial to minority groups. Because how can it not be?
But what if the behaviour(s) that manifest through your encounter with “social justice” as a white person, were not an exercise in virtue, but amounted to nothing more than self-aggrandisement, displays of false piety or compassion as result of emotional manipulation? Serving your needs and not those of the so-called “marginalised.” What if those behaviours contributed to harming those you mean to help, through the propping-up of destructive ideas?
In her book Is Everyone Really Equal?, best selling author and self-proclaimed critical race and “social justice” educator Robin DiAngelo says this concerning a white person’s obligation to combat societal "injustices" as she defines it,
“we do not intend to inspire guilt or assign blame… But each of us does have a choice about whether we are going to work to interrupt and dismantle these systems [of injustice] or support their existence by ignoring them. There is no neutral ground; to choose not to act against injustice is to choose to allow it.”
Expanding the ideological radius, to implicate all white people. While simultaneously disarming those who would mount the obvious defence of “but I’m not a racist!” Not to mention, securing a large guilt-ridden customer base for her books and lectures, DiAngelo also writes,
“No individual member of the dominant group has to do anything specific to oppress a member of the minoritized group.”
How convenient! DiAngelo exists within the “dominant group” of course, but has achieved an enlightenment which affords her the ability to alert other whites to their racial indiscretions. And did you catch the the bait-and-switch? On one hand, she assures regular white folk that she does not intend to induce “guilt” or pass “blame,” then she proceeds to characterise “social justice” inaction as complicity. We can certainly understand why a significant number of white people are experiencing anxiety, and zealously try to denounce racism, even in places it doesn’t exist.
Social Contagion
The emotional manipulation is meant to create docility within the white populous, in order to reconstruct society, culture and governments, to resemble a more Marxist system. They mean to achieve this through the releasing of a social contagion - “critical race theory.” They use the emotional lure of “social justice” advocacy as the carrier of the contagion. Because who would oppose the exercise of justice? Who in polite society would hear fellow citizens proclaim mistreatment and not try to help? This is how contemporary social justice is perceived by most people.
However, social justice in today’s context, misrepresents historical and current events, social and economic disparities, depicting those with more favourable societal outcomes (namely white people) as “oppressors,” having benefited from an unfair system of their own creation. Unequal outcomes are viewed as injustices, and part of a discriminative social structure, set against individuals on the basis of race, gender, class and sexuality.
As it pertains to race, critical race theory (CRT) holds that, race pervades every square inch of reality for people of colour (POCs), and is present in every interaction: from the complex - say, a black person turned down for a loan from a bank; to the mundane - a black person’s greeting, that was not reciprocated by a white passer-by in the park. According to Richard Delgado and his wife Jean Stepancic, authors of Critical Race Theory An Introduction, racism is,
omnipresent and common
… racism is ordinary, not aberrational - “normal science”…the everyday experience of most people of color in this country.”
beneficial to dominant group - “interest divergent” / invincible
"Because racism advances the interests of both white elites…and working-class caucasians, large segments of society have little incentive to eradicate it.”
socially constructed - “social construction”
“races are categories that society invents, manipulates, or retires when convenient.
narrative driven - “differential racialization” / intersectional
"Popular images and stereotypes of various groups shift over time… No person has a single, easily stated, unitary identity…”
asymmetrically experienced and/or perceived “voice-of-color thesis”
Minority status, in other words, brings with it a presumed competence to speak, about race and racism.
Contemporary "social justice” advocacy infused with CRT doctrine, not only represents the actions taken to remedy the so-called injustices, but it also creates the environment requiring its implementation. The perfect grift!
Moral Bullying and Soft Bigotry
White people are portrayed as intrinsically “racist” because they are perceived as being in power societally. White: men, women, children and even babies, according to Ibram X. Kendi, live with this superiority complex. Contrarily, white, straight, Christian men occupy the bottom of the oppression scale, DiAngelo states,
“…racism, which occurs at the group level and is only perpetuated by the group that holds social, ideological, economic, and institutional power.”
What is more, those with oppressed status, who dare to think in this "white" manner or value these "white" behavioural traits are said to have imbibed the tools of oppression, thus contributing to their own oppressed state. Effectively stifling the desire to rebel against the oppressors. The Neo-Marxist thinker Antonio Gramsci coined this “cultural hegemony.”
Despite the troubling origins, obvious inconsistencies, and blatant racism, critical race theory has garnered significant popularity. This is due in large part, to its marketing as a compassionate, noble and informed way in which to view the world. However, these labels mask an uglier and less positive reality, and has led to the emergence of at least three distinct and unhelpful pathologies within the white community.
This Is Not How You Help!
The categories and exhibited behaviours associated with, but not limited to, white people. These are individuals who are drawn in by, who actively seek out engagement with or who are temperamentally susceptible to critical theory ideology (Christians will be addressed separately where applicable):
Coherence / Chronological Snobbery (naiveté, hubris)
Coherence is marked by the desire to "fit in.” No matter the currently held believes or values, the individual is convinced they can also accommodate the new intellectual or cultural fad, it's a kind of secular pantheism. As such, when there is clear contradiction detected, cognitive dissidence will be endured, and the new ideology is accepted as a logical progression in societal thinking. The sentiment is - it’s fashionable, the arguments sound good enough, it feels right and therefore is right. The pathology tends to correlate with those who are culturally and politically oriented towards the left (leftist/progressives and liberals). Any challenge to the ideology is typically met with patronisation or is summarily dismissed, as being outmoded, uninformed/not woke. C.S. Lewis called this chronological snobbery,
“the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate of our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that count discredited.”
For example, racial segregation was a universally condemned practice until around 2019 when the proponents of CRT, deemed the practice acceptable for the purposes of “equity” or creating “safe spaces” for minorities. Now reports of college dormitories, graduations, and elementary school play grounds being racially segregated is not uncommon.
White (as well as black) Christians who exhibit coherency are often times, culturally and politically oriented towards the left also. They, like their non-Christian friends, view society as the perpetrator of oppression and see sociopolitical policy as the ultimate fix, but will conflate this with the gospel. Undergirding the conflation, is a belief that CRT can be filtered through the gospel, or is a legitimate outworking of it. The gospel is used to sanitise CRT of its more problematic claims and origin (Marxism). A prime example is the squabble within the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) concerning CRT over the last few years, culminating in the unfortunate voting in of Resolution 9. Which recognised CRT as a useful tool for understanding history and social justice issues. Evidently, the SBC leadership perceive themselves as clever enough to dissect the ideology, only taking onboard “useful” portions. Believing they can "eat the meat and spit out bones." When what they’re actually attempting to do is more impossible and deadly - "eating the meat and trying to spit out poison." This is because CRT is a full functioning worldview, hostile to the gospel and Christianity. It views government, not YHWH, as god; race, not Christ, as our foremost ontological identifier; and unequal power distribution, not sin, as our greatest nemesis.
The coherence pathology can be underscored by naiveté or hubris. Christians and non-Christians, white, black and others, are lulled into naively overlooking or pridefully underestimating the perniciousness of CRT, falling prey to its noble, trendy appeal. Christians who seek to cohere typically struggle with worldliness and/or a fear of man. They seek acceptance in the cultural climate they occupy outside of church. Trusting in their own strength to withstand being swept away by temptation, as they habitually flirt with worldly ideologies and behaviours.
Compassion & White Guilt-Compassion (emotionalism, naïveté, fear)
The compassionate are the, "I just want to help!" people. Which is a welcomed and right response when it is in reaction to actual need, in keeping with reality and accurate information. Compassion without rational accompaniment, is not compassion at all, and can lead to catastrophic outcomes. This category, I believe, represents a significant portion of white people, good intentioned and loving individuals. Who are told what they see or perceive what they witness as injustices, and are emotionally militarised to act. They unwittingly submit to CRT ideology through whatever narrative it is introduced (eg. systematic racism, police brutality etc.), without investigating events in question or understanding terms and concepts they inevitably adopt. Members of this group tend to exhibit a naiveté on the subject matter like the coherence group, but with more noble intent. As a result, they tend to be open to conversation challenging “social justice” teaching, because they genuinely want to help.
Then there are those, just as significant in number, who are experiencing “white guilt”, but mask it, often unknowingly, with compassion. Shelby Steele author of White Guilt: How Blacks And Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era defined "white guilt" in an interview as,
"the terror of being seen as a racist, as a bigot, that pervades American life - our social policies, our culture. Everything is touched by this anxiety in most of white America, understandably, given Americas history,...they [white people] have this vulnerability of being morally disarmed by being called a 'racist!'"
But what truly distinguishes this group’s pathology from the purely compassionate individuals, is the religious-like fervour the guilt produces. It is the imbibing of concepts like "white privilege" in conjunction with social pressure, that foment the desire to be ritualistically cleansed of social impurities. This desire to be absolved tends to be stronger than any encounter with reasonable arguments that contradicts CRT doctrine. Like pagans they religiously cling to the approved procedures of absolution: black squares in Twitter profile; kneeling; raised fist; spouting phrases like “I recognise my white privilege.” Other whites who do not fall in line are scolded - “we whites need to to be quiet, and allow blacks to educate us.” And minorities who refuse the victim label are patronisingly reminded of their place - “you must agree that diversity and representation is important!” Their guilt can produce both docility towards those who wield CRT, and aggression towards those who oppose it, even those belonging to a so called oppressed groups. It appears disagreeing with CRT ideology is not allowed under the "voice-of-color" thesis.
White Christians are especially vulnerable to these forms of “compassion”, as CRT under the guise of social justice, presents as a bastardised version of “loving your neighbour as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). It is exhibited in repugnant behaviour such as washing the feet of a black Christian rapper or leading white congregants in a prayer of apology to black congregants for slavery and racial inequality. To regurgitating phrases like “I acknowledge, that as a white man/woman, I have some blind spots,” as American pastor David Platt as well as others have done. Public self-flagellation of this sort is meant to be seen as virtuous and introspective, even brave. Have you noticed that “blindspots” always correspond with leftist/progressive political narratives - white privilege, systematic racism etc. It is never a blindspot to core problems like illegitimacy, black-on-black crime or the cultural disdain for education in black communities. I would contend that broaching such subject matter takes actual bravery. Platt and others reveal their cowardice and shameful self-preservation, in order to stave-off accusations of racism. While garnering praise from like-minded ideologues, at the expense of presenting hard-to-hear, but deeply loving truths.
These “pseudo moralistic stances” or pandering reveals chinks in a Christian’s spiritual armour, especially a Christian that has learned to value emotions: over their rational faculties (Matt. 22:37); over their identity in Christ (Gal. 2:20); over the sufficiency of scripture (2 Tim. 3:16). They also neglect studying the world around them (2 Cor. 10:5). What is more, such behaviour is indicative of a Christian that fears men more than God, and will compromise the core tenants of their faith in favour of political loyalty and social acceptance.
A lack of information is usually riding shot-gun with someone who is led by their emotions. So is the case with the Compassionate group, because while they're open to discussion, employing data, statistics, facts is seen as dispassionate and uncaring. For the White-Guilt Compassionate group, guilt and fear creates a Stockholm syndrome affect - creating deep allegiance and fierce zeal for the people and the ideology that holds their moral assurance captive.
Self “Anointed Visionary” (narcissism, pride, social - Munchausen by Proxy)
I believe that these are white people who typically occupy positions of cultural influence - professors/teachers/thinkers/intellectuals, politicians, racial/social activists and journalist. Effectively they all operate as activist, no matter the profession. For them loyalty to political ideology supersedes professional integrity. They often exhibit a condescending, paternal/maternal behaviour over marginalised groups, viewing themselves as saviours to society's most vulnerable. Though the behaviour is prominently found amongst these professions, the behaviour is adopted by regular people who aspire to be seen this way, as an activist or ally. Those in the professions of social influence, are not naive, but suppress or vigorously oppose dissenting views, for fear that it would diminish their social/professional profile or render it obsolete. For example, recognising the role of personal responsibility, good life choices, or meritocracy as a prerequisite for socioeconomic mobility. Thomas Sowell in his book The Visions of the Anointed: Self Congratulations as a Basis for Social Policy, put it this way,
“The vision of the anointed is one in which ills as poverty, irresponsible sex, and crime derive primarily from 'society,' rather than from individual choices and behavior. To believe in personal responsibility would be to destroy the whole special role of the anointed, whose vision casts them in the role of rescuers of people treated unfairly by ‘society'."
In other words, the patient (blacks and other minorities) must remain unwell, for these individual’s profession and notoriety to be relevant and profitable. The behaviour is commonly demonstrated in the insistence that this perceived oppression, is to be worn like a garment by blacks and others. Despite evidence to the contrary or protest from the garment wearer.
Borrowing a psychological term, this behaviour is analogous to Munchausen by proxy (now FII - Fabricated Induced Illness by proxy) - I like to think of it as social-Munchausen by proxy. Social issues, policy proposals and outreach are drenched in platitudinous language, that sound good, but are meant to have only superficial affects on the problem. The illness remains, oftentimes metastasising, more platitudinous language on fixing the problem is given, and around we go.
Perpetrators can be both white or black e.g. Ibram X. Kendi (black) author of How To Be An Anti-Racist or as mention throughout Robin DiAngelo (white) author of White Fragility. They write books and give lectures charging exorbitant fees. Spouting their incoherent theories, on why white folks in companies and universities who pay them thirty grand a pop, to learn how not to be racist, are racist. The current slang used to describe such a person is “race hustler,” someone who exploits or creates racial tension for monetary gain. A profession that is far from nascent, Booker T. Washington observed the behaviour in early 1900’s,
“I am afraid that there is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don’t want the patient to get well, because as long as the disease holds out they have not only an easy means of making a living, but also an easy medium through which to make themselves prominent before the public.”
Although I could not think of any high-profile white evangelicals that I could confidently “diagnose” with this pathology. There are black individuals in the mainstream who proclaim to have a faith or to be Christian, who fit this criteria - self proclaimed civil rights activists Rev. Al Sharpton and Cornell West, professor/activist Michael Eric Dyson are good examples. I don’t think it is beyond the pale to label Eric Mason author of Woke Church and Jemar Tisby author of How To Fight Racism as part of this group. Of course they represent the more orthodox Christian example, and although they may not rake-in the sort of profits that their secular counterparts do. They do amass religious capital and power, having their ideas legitimised within respected Christian circles, like the SBC.
Narcissism, in the promotion of self, is the chief motivator for the anointed. They play dress-up in the clothes of civil rights leaders from the 50’s/60’s. They attempt to enshrine past discriminative thinking and behaviour, by exaggerating current disparities. They tend to throw around their intellectual elite status, to insulate themselves from scrutiny. Practicing a sort of ownership over reality itself, as gatekeepers to racial enlightenment. They portray themselves as the embodiment of the serpent on the pole (Num. 21:8), but bare more resemblance to the serpents pumping venom into the bloodstream of society.
True Help!
The quotable Dr. Thomas Sowell said of truth-telling, “When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.” These pathologies have this single thread of commonality, ultimately, they only help the helper. The “social justice” narratives that produce them are constructed as such, with inconvenient truths omitted or obfuscated, to lionise the helper. So slavery - ignores African slave traders and the millions of white slaves throughout history; police brutality - ignores black criminality, and the lack of compliance of black suspects; poverty and poor education - ignores individual choices, attitudes towards education and a corrosive black sub-culture. There is no sacrifice on the part of the truth-teller. So the coherence group garners attention for their trendiness. Those exercising compassion naively or motivated by guilt, only satiate the need to expend emotions, without consideration of where, who or on what social movement the emotions are being spent (e.g. see BLM controversy). And for the anointed visionaries, greed and power masquerades as benevolence.
DiAngelo, chief amongst the white anointed, is right when she says - "There is no neutral ground…,” in the sense that simply being a cultural spectator has become impossible, especially if you are white. So how are you to navigate this cultural minefield, understanding that actual injustices do take place, even if it isn’t as pervasive or occurring with the frequency that the activist insist that it is. Here are a few things to remember:
CRT is Anti-White Racism. Do not accept the label of racist based solely on your skin colour or arbitrary criterion made up by intellectual elites. For example Ibram X. Kendi, Nikole Hannah-Jones (author of the 1619 Project) and others teach that a white person who comes to the conclusion that they are “not racist,” is racist for thinking that they are not. Is this logically consistent or experientially relevant? In other words, does this correspond with really? How can knowing and expressing that you are not something mean that you are that thing? If you say “I’m not a rapist,” does it mean you are one? If you say “I’m not a pedophile” following the logic of Kendi, Jones and the rest, does it mean you indeed are a pedophile? Are we to suspend use of the immaterial laws of logic and reason somehow in regards to race. This is more than nonsensical, its evil!
Their broadening of the definition of racist/racism should serve as evidence to the post racial progress and lack of prominence racist views have in society. Not to say that there are no more racists out there, but the absurd exaggerations signal that the demand for racism, far exceeds the supply.
Racism is a sin thing; not a skin thing and all demographics are capable of it. It should be rejected in all its forms and that includes its current, culturally accepted form of anti-white racism. It is not right for blacks to exercise racism towards whites, as retribution for slavery, Jim Crow, Colonialism etc., and doing so under the guise of social justice is nefarious and disgraceful.
The aggrieved are not sole possessors of truth and reality and are not exempt from having their claims investigated. This is a delicate aspect of the social justice conversation, both in broad and individual respects. Questioning the authenticity of any claim of discrimination, racism or the existence of a system of oppression, by a white person has been deemed “victim blaming, insensitive,” or just plain “racist.” However feelings can be authentic, but not justified. There can be an exercise of gentle attentiveness to how someone is feeling, while tactfully ascertaining whether those feelings are proportional or even reasonable, based on the situation. This is especially important if the situation is used to buttress the idea of wide-spread racism, perpetuated by one people group who possess this undetectable yet innate character flaw. Do not accept the emotional manipulation of the phrase “we don’t have to justify our pain,” - in the 1800’s certainly not; in 2022, receipts are required.
The fifth constitutional amendment of the US (Due Process) is in distinct view here. According to it, a domestic abuser for example, is given Due Process, the opportunity to defend themselves against an allegation. This is incredibly important to the health of a society, because a false accusation can emit irreparable harm to a person’s reputation and livelihood (see Johnny Depp). The accusation of being racist can have the same costly effects. The biblical equivalent/inspiration is “bearing false witness” (Ex.20:16). So Christians, especially Christians of colour, should be careful, in labelling someone or an entire people group as racist without evidence. And should be open to conversation concerning an incident where they are claiming racism took place.
So to my white friends: ask questions! Having an established relationship with the person is ideal, but if you find yourself in a situation, casual conversation, water cooler talk, where “social justice” narratives are bing spewed, ask questions:
“does that old white lady clutching her purse have something to do with the crime rate and not your skin colour?”
“did you talk with co-worker that made the comment or gave you that look? Maybe they’re having a bad day?”
“have you considered the fact that more white, unarmed men have been shot by police in recent years?”
“were you actually speeding when the cop pulled you over?”
“Is it right to label all white people as racist, because you experienced racism at some point in your life?”
This should be done, once again tactfully, because the outcomes may not always be best case - friendships can crumble, meetings with HR scheduled, or you may be called a racist. But a dose of truth can be liberating. Jesus said “…the truth will set you free,” more broadly what this means, is that the truth enables us to engage with reality, as it actually is. Which benefits you as well as those you share it with. This leads me to the next point - preparation…
Arm yourself with the truth, study the issues. This moment in our culture, as it always has been since the garden, is a spiritual war first, foremost and always! We must recognise however that the ammunition is informational. Whether that is reading your Bible (2 Tim. 2:15, 2 Tim. 3:16), knowing the gospel (Rom. 1:16) or knowing the truths not found in scripture, yet that corresponds with reality as God has constructed, as attested to in scripture (2 Cor. 10:5). So read broadly and extend your listening concerning cultural issues. And pray, pray early and pray often!
Grace and Peace!
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