The National Museum for African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), and institution that is a majority tax-funded has produced a poster that purports to represent "Aspects and assumptions of Whiteness and White culture in the United States. One can only assume, given the tone that the NMAAHC believes that all of the highlighted characteristics are somehow bad or otherwise undesired. Below is a copy of the graphic they produced using our tax dollars. Also below this, I've transcribed the entire thing into text to make it somewhat easier for folks to copy/paste and comment upon. One might also think about the fact that they think an 'emphasis on the scientific method' is a something to be condemned. We live in a bizarro world.
National Museum for African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) poster on Whiteness
- Rugged Individualism
- The individual is the primary unit
- Self-reliance
- Independence & autonomy highly valued + rewarded
- Individuals assumed to be in control of their environment, "You get what you deserve"
- Family Structure
- The nuclear family: father, mother, 2.3 children is the ideal social unit
- Husband is breadwinner and head of household
- Wife is homemaker and subordinate to the husband
- Children should have own rooms, be independent
- Emphasis on Scientific Method
- Objective, rational linear thinking
- Cause and effect relationships
- Quantitative emphasis
- History
- Based on Northern Europeans immigrants' experience in the United States
- Heavy focus on the British Empire>
- The primacy of Western (Greek, Roman) and Judeo-Christian tradition
- Protestant Work Ethic
- Hard work is the key to success
- Work before play
- "If you didn't meet your goals, you didn't work hard enough"
- Religion
- Christianity is the norm
- Anything other than Judeo - Christian is foreign
- No tolerance for deviation from single god concept
- Status, Power, & Authority
- Wealth = worth
- Your job is who you are
- Respect authority
- Heavy value on ownership of goods, space, property
- Future Orientation
- Plan for future
- Delayed gratification
- Progress is always best
- "Tomorrow will be better"
- Time
- Follow rigid time schedules
- Time viewed as a commodity
- Aesthetics
- Based on European culture
- Steak and potatoes; "bland is best"
- Woman's beauty based on blonde, thin - "Barbie"
- Man's attractiveness based on economic status, power, intellect
- Holidays
- Based on Christian religions
- Based on white history & male leaders
- Justice
- Based on English common law
- Protect property & entitlements
- Intent counts
- Competition
- Be #1
- Win at all costs
- Winner/loser dichotomy
- Action Orientation
- Master and control nature
- Must always "do something" about a situation
- Aggressiveness and Extroversion
- Decision-Making
- Majority rules (when Whites have power)
- Communication
- "The King's English" rules
- Written tradition
- Avoid conflict, intimacy
- Don't show emotion
- Don't discuss personal life
- Be polite