Policies and attitudes have centered white men and their needs to the exclusion and exploitation of other members of society, such as POC and women. This even colors the definition of success for those who are not white men.
Our culture has shaped the expectation of greatness exclusively around white men by erasing the achievements of women and people of color from our histories, by excluding women and people of color as heroes in our films and books, by ensuring that the qualified applicant pool is restricted to white male social networks. — Mediocre, pg 9
Looking through these stories, I saw parts of myself as well—not only where I had suffered at the hands of those in power, but also in my attempts to fulfill the role assigned to me in the hopes of gaining my own personal power. We’ve all been instructed to value and strive toward the white male version of success. I saw how strong the messaging has been, and how susceptible we all are to it. When we consider the privilege hierarchies of race, gender, and class, it’s clear that some of us have played a larger role than others in perpetuating this harmful image of white maleness. But I also think that all of us, regardless of demographic, have played a part in upholding white male supremacy. We are all told to aspire to the largest bite of our piece of the pie—no matter how meager our piece may be. — Mediocre, pg 18