Confronting the Paradox of Privilege: What Happens When “Whiteness” Imprisons Its Believer
Exploring the Iron Man Art and a Journey Through Privilege, Guilt, and Borderless Humanity
During a recent visit to an artist’s studio, I had a thought-provoking discussion with a white man who grapples with the implications of colonialism and the privilege he continues to receive. His artwork captivated me, especially his pieces that repurpose ornate metal fence tops into life-size man sculptures. His pieces are forged with a blow torch signaling the violence and burning to produce them.
His creations were undeniably beautiful, but our conversation centered around their symbolic connection to borders and the violence perpetuated by the need to safeguard them.
Borders have long been catalysts for conflict, animosity, genocide, racism, and resource hoarding. Our examination delved into how historical border construction, predominantly by white men, aimed to control resources and impede natural human interactions, even in African regions where divisions were imposed despite resistance by Africans. This includes the establishment of property borders based on the familiar concept of title ownership seen today.
What struck me as fascinating was the artist’s troubled experience in African countries, where his privilege made him stand out starkly. He felt the weight of shame witnessing the damage caused by the very privilege he possessed, where the local people lived in poverty with limited opportunities due to stolen resources taken to Europe. Back in his homeland, he observed the other side of the coin — where the prosperity of his country derived from centuries of exploitation and looting from those deemed inferior.
Yet, he found himself trapped within the confines of his own whiteness, which he considered a form of imprisonment. Like the iron man sculptures in his art, whiteness appeared rigid and rule-based, offering porous protection from guilt—a burdened conscience—while inhibiting his true freedom to integrate seamlessly into any society, untouched by the colonial legacy that still benefits and befalls him.
This experience led me to contemplate the notion of whiteness as a prison, whether embraced willingly or sought by non-white individuals attempting to assimilate or serve whiteness for perceived future rewards. The pursuit of an exclusive world centered around whiteness, with others at the bottom, can lead to emptiness and perpetuate injustice and evil on a vast scale.
It begs the question: is it truly worth sacrificing our shared humanity for the illusory promise of superiority? This artist’s journey serves as a poignant reminder that dismantling the constructs of privilege and embracing borderless humanity can free us from the confines of our own making and pave the way to a more compassionate and equitable world.
