How to really understand white privilege

Let’s look inside that meme about a classroom, scraps of paper, a trash bin, and white privilege.
Let’s look inside that meme about a classroom, scraps of paper, a trash bin, and white privilege.
Image: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko
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It was a “simple, powerful exercise about privilege.” On Nov. 21, Buzzfeed’s Nathan Pyle posted a lesson he recalled from high school, taught using a ream of paper and a trash bin. It instantly went viral, with over 4.1 million views.

We’re not trying to be Thanksgiving grinches, but given recent events, the lesson struck us as a little too simple. Here’s our real-world take on Pyle’s post and the concept of privilege, which turns out to not be so simple after all.

Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege
Image for article titled How to really understand white privilege

 Follow Jeff on Twitter @originalspin. We welcome your comments at ideas@qz.com