Ive heard Americans say things like “as a white male ...”. I’m curious if that’s how anyone sees himself? Most people that are called “white” come from families that originated in different countries in Europe and I assume they share some of their ancestors’ culture. The reason I ask is because me and my wife are originally from Eastern Europe but plan to live in America. I always assumed that my children would identify with the nationality of their parents and their children with their parents and so on... I’m curious, at what point in your family did your people stop identifying with their country of origin and started identifying as “white”? And what exactly does that mean ? Does that mean a person of English speaking origin ? Edit: I think my question was a bit misleading. What I want to understand is this: if someone asked me where I’m from or what my family’s culture is like, I’d never say “white” or “American”, not because there is anything wrong with those, but because I have a much more specific answer as my nationality. And honestly, I can’t imagine my future kids doing that either, but I’m curious why some people chose that answer. Is it just to be concise? Or they simply don’t know? Thanks
i always think this is funny because a few decades ago greeks and italians weren’t seen as “white”. race is always evolving
I think you’re dreaming if you think your kids and grandkids will not align to American culture. White is Caucasian. You are white if you’re from Eastern Europe mate...maybe you just don’t talk about it as much since it’s homogeneous ethnically.
Oh I don’t mind them aligning with America culture, I do that too. I just can’t imagine why they would start saying they are “white” instead of the country of their parents. I worry that it might be a sign of being ashamed of their origins.
I grew up here and rarely refer to myself as white. It’s a useful concept in a very diverse society I suppose. Personally I find it weird when people who were born and raised here refer to themselves as Italian or Irish or similar when in reality they have no connection whatsoever to those places. I wouldn’t worry about it too much as a parent. But maybe I’m out of touch with how things are these days (I’m 30).
2016 after Trump got elected was the first time I’ve ever been referred to as “white”. I’m brown as fuck, mixed race, look damn near black if I spend 20 minutes in the sun...but I do have a bit of European white in me too. And apparently, if you even remotely disagree with a hard-left SJW in the Bay Area, you’re a white, patriarchal, bigoted male. I’ve also had the “cis” label thrown at me as an insult like it’s a bad thing to be straight. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone except SJWs and their virtue-signaling hardcore supporters referring to themselves directly as white or saying stuff like “as a white [male][female]...”, even if that IS how they identify (as white)
I am white and was sitting in a coffee shop with my non white wife one day when some MAGA troll walked up to me and called me a race traitor. It's definitely not just "SJWs".
@Amazon I get called similar all the time. Also non white wife. Lots of people give us all kinds of racial remarks, from all political backgrounds
The white supremacists at Stormfront debated this, apparently. (Getting the distinction correct is vital to their identity politics, naturally.) Their heuristic, after much discussion, was this: if you appear white to others, and you identify as white, then you are white. You know, just like transgender folks. OP, as a non-American, you are stumbling upon the bizarre history of race relations in the US. The heuristic still applies: if you and yours look white and identify as white, then you will be white. One caveat, however, is that if you don’t speak American English, you may be considered white-yet-foreign.
People doing that are typically racist liberal SJW types. It’s just a fad. Eventually they will stop once it loses popularity. These kinds of people typically have trouble thinking for themselves and simply devour mainstream news and thought patterns. Typical NPC behavior is very common in tech. Common, but dying off due to self-defeating behavior and poorly thought out and predictable ideological possession. Not all of us are ridiculous far left liberal types. Some of us think for ourselves and don’t give a damn about race. We just don’t speak up at work, because all it takes is one crazy nut to make an HR report, and those crazies will go after your livelihood.
White isn’t English speaking. For Americans the White basis is European. Mostly western only because of socialist controlled countries not allowing anybody to leave. But all the same to me. But then it means nothing in the sense of your status imo. Here if you are part of something else they jump at the chance to be that race. Part black and part white and you think your black. Dumb as shit imo. My overall thought is it doesn’t matter. Those that want it to are creating divides.
Seen Scandinavian descendants, blonde, blue eyes pale skin people identified themselves as brown in work interviews. The left is absolutely crazy.
/r/thatHappened
This is a good question coming from outside the US, the topic is so common here it is often assumed as apparent to most, but the concept is very meaningless to others. As thankstube mentioned, it is an evolving term, previously excluding several countries, such as Italian, regardless of skin color. Many hispanics have categorized under white, although this can come in ALL shades of skin color as well. What is most confusing are census surveys, when I was asked for a category. I don't consider myself any of the categories listed. The census person said to pick which one I felt. Which is interesting as a source of statistical measurement. To me race as characterised in the United States is a strange social construct. For people who are actually racists, which I personally do not often encounter, they will not investigate your descendants. They will decide based on their own perception ranter than your interpretation. As far as identification with your ancestry, it has much to do with how much tradition is maintained within the home.
Identify people with pure skin color. Not good IMHO