Following is just the list, which I have excerpted from the article “White Supremacy Culture”, by Tema Okun — dRworks ; www.dismantlingracism.org and Kenneth Jones. To see the full descriptions of each characteristic, go read this very enlightening article at the link below.
15 characteristics/pillars of white supremacy culture
• perfectionism
• sense of urgency
• defensiveness
• quantity over quality
• worship of the written word
• only one right way
• paternalism
• either/or thinking
• power hoarding
• fear of open conflict
• individualism
• I’m the only one
• progress is bigger, more
• objectivity
• right to comfort
Read the whole article here: https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture_2020.pdf
I first encountered this list via two creators I follow closely on TikTok and other channels: desireebstephens and RoyalStarDefiant. I’m going to go grab a couple of links to their videos for you.
Desiree just started doing a whole “15 Pillars of White Supremacy” series via TikTok Live based on this list and article. The next episode is Tues Sept 20 at 7pm EST; check out this link.
This list for me was like finding a missing puzzle-piece for everything in my life. It weaves together all my efforts related to self-awareness, ecosocial activism, organizational dynamics.
And it gives me answers so many things that had mystified and aggravated me. Catty jealousy among women. People constantly asking for “links” and “sources” when someone is literally right there talking about their own lived experience. Understanding, in a new light on a new level, things like sexism, body-shaming, squashing people’s joy … and why the so-called “landscaping” at parks and buildings and houses is so toxic and fake. Understanding why such a long long long list of patterns and things in family and society have come to be the way they are …
It even gives me answers to those lifelong burning little questions such as “Why, in the tiny little village where my Dad grew up in the coal country of Pennsylvania, did they need THREE SEPARATE Catholic churches? (one for the Slavic people, one for the Italian, and one for the Irish)?”
Which is so important because if we can understand and deconstruct a toxic culture that pervades every aspect of everyone’s lives, we will actually stand a chance at having a nurturing society and a sustainable civilization!