General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "Straight White Male: The Lowest Difficulty Setting There Is" [View all]Rilgin
(787 posts)You state that in your conversations with white people, they do not understand your point. Perhaps it is exactly what I am saying. If you try to explain to a stranger something about them, it can lead to miscommunication. When you state something about a stranger that has any adverse connotations, it can lead to defensiveness and adversely affect the communication. It also assumes that they do not understand themselves and you do without even knowing them which is also offputting to good communications.
I was not stating to only have conversations about race in private. I am suggesting that if you want to discuss a societal problem with a stranger, it might increase understanding if you do not lead with or explain something about them, their character, their feelings, their life. It might be better to explain something about yourself or ask (emphasis added) something about them so you can understand their life.