Assimilation

What we don’t talk enough about is assimilation-

Assimilation is the idea that the closer you are to the dominant power structure than the higher your status in society. Assimilation was the primary tool of survival for so many Black Americans. Across cultures and societies when you are of a higher caste, you are guarantee access and privilege to more than if you are lower in class. The detriment is when you actually believe your proximity to whiteness makes you better than others. Classic elitism.

Elitist and assimilationist ideas are far more detrimental to Black folks than growing up hating white people. We essentially became docile because the “freedom” we had felt free enough that we didn't need to fight for “those people”. We internalized the propaganda they fed to us about blackness and in turn oppressed our own people. Indoctrination and hyper-individualism/isolation and lack of community mindedness- these are all ploys of white supremacy.

Let me clarify, I can see how this could be off putting. No one really wants to be white, but what people do aspire to or want is the access, safety and sometimes luxury that comes with whiteness.