Home / Quotes / Quote by Peggy McIntosh

Quote by Peggy McIntosh

“It seems to me that obliviousness about white advantage, like obliviousness about male advantage, is kept strongly inculturated in the United States so as to maintain the myth of meritocracy, the myth that democratic choice is equally available to all. Keeping most people unaware that freedom of confident action is there for just a small number of people props up those in power and serves to keep power in the hands of the same groups that have most of it already.”

Quote by Peggy McIntosh

Author

Peggy McIntosh is an American activist born on November 7, 1934. She is known for her contributions to gender and racial equality, particularly for her critical analysis of white privilege. more

You May Also Like

“one question for me and others like me is whether ... we will get truly distressed, even outraged, about unearned race advantage and conferred dominance and, if so, what we will do to lessen them.”

Ifs Race Racism Advantage Like Me Dominance White Privilege Outraged

Author:Peggy McIntosh

“Most talk by whites about equal opportunity seems to me now to be about equal opportunity to try to get into a position of dominance while denying that systems of dominance exist.”

Trying Seems Opportunity Position Equal Racism Dominance Equal Opportunity White Privilege

Author:Peggy McIntosh

“For me white privilege has turned out to be an elusive and fugitive subject. The pressure to avoid it is great, for in facing it I must give up the myth of meritocracy. If these things are true, this is not such a free country; one's life is not what one makes it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own.”

People Ifs Giving Country Life Is Certain White Virtue Doors Subjects Giving Up Racism Pressure Privilege Myth Elusive White Privilege Fugitive Meritocracy Free Country

Author:Peggy McIntosh

“It often seems to me that the biggest single issue for a writer is how to stay buoyant enough to go on writing. How not to drown.”

Writing Enough Seems Issues Goes On

Author:Janette Turner Hospital

“I've found you can go on writing in the dark, and that the act of writing itself, that mysterious, dangerous, intoxicating, absorbing, nourishing magician's trick, that act of creation is its own light.”

Writing Light Found Dark Dangerous Creation Goes On Tricks Mysterious Magician Absorbing Found You

Author:Janette Turner Hospital

“There is always a gap between conception and execution. We keep writing in the burning hope of closing that gap before we die.”

Writing Dies Burning Gaps Conception Execution Closing

Author:Janette Turner Hospital

“I'd rather be a born-once hog than a born-again Christian any day.”

Christian Religion Born Born Again Hog

Book:The Beans of Egypt, Maine

Source: The Beans of Egypt, Maine

“When I speak of religion I mean a constant inward sense of communion with God.”

Mean Religion Speak Constant Inward Communion Communion With God

Book:Records and Reflections: Selected from Her Writings During Half a Century, April 3rd, 1840 to April 3rd, 1890

Source: Records and Reflections: Selected from Her Writings During Half a Century, April 3rd, 1840 to April 3rd, 1890

“The word 'religion' takes on a sinister cast when one examines its root, religare, meaning 'to bind,' which in turn means 'to hold, to make prisoner, to restrain.”

Mean Religion Turns Roots Casts Prisoner Sinister

Author:Annie Laurie Gaylor

“Our cemeteries are full of people who prayed to live.”

People Cemetery

Author:Annie Laurie Gaylor