White Fragility

Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

De: Dr. Robin DiAngelo, Michael Eric Dyson - foreword

Narrado por: Amy Landon

The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.

In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to 'bad people'" (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue.

In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively.

Download readers' guides at beacon.org/whitefragility.

©2018 Robin DiAngelo (P)2018 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“[T]houghtful, instructive, and comprehensive... This slim book is impressive in its scope and complexity; DiAngelo provides a powerful lens for examining, and practical tools for grappling with, racism today.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review )

“As a woman of color, I find hope in this book because of its potential to disrupt the patterns and relationships that have emerged out of long-standing colonial principles and beliefs. White Fragility is an essential tool toward authentic dialogue and action. May it be so!” (Shakti Butler, president of World Trust and director of Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible)

“The value in White Fragility lies in its methodical, irrefutable exposure of racism in thought and action, and its call for humility and vigilance.” (The New Yorker)

Read instead of listen

The woman who read the book sounded like the automated voice you get when you get stuck on hold with a major company. It was so dull and monotone that, had I not really wanted to hear what the author had to say, I would've returned the book very early on. Now that I've finished listening, I wonder how much of the meaning was lost on me because of my frustration with the choice of reader.

Incredible book, unfitting narration

The book was insightful, impactful, and so important, but I almost gave up several times because the narration sounded like a sleep hypnosis meditation. I would love for this to be rerecorded with more affect.

informative and on point!

Dr. Robin DiAngelio unapologetically breaks down white fragility for your reading pleasure! And I’m not even halfway through.

Listen up, white people

This is a brilliant, important book, but you have to be open to hear what the author is saying. And if you're a white person who's grown up in America, that takes some doing and produces not a little discomfort.

DiAngelo addresses the book to "progressive whites," whom she defines as white people who think they've "arrived" in their understanding of racial dynamics. In fact, they're the ones who typically are most blind to the degree that racism has permeated their beings.

Getting something from this book is NOT about agreeing with everything DiAngelo says. But if you're open to looking at race—and your own beliefs—differently, as you listen, every few minutes your eyes will widen, your mouth will open, and you'll be saying "Oh, my God! Of course! I never saw things that way!"

Among the great virtues of the book is that because DiAngelo is white and has for years led seminars on racism, she's had to confront her own beliefs and preconceptions and make changes in her own life. She gets it. She's involved, not distant, and she never talks down to the reader/listener. She knows that what she's asking them to look at is difficult. She's had plenty of experience with reactions of anger, silence, and denial from the white people she's worked with.

Another virtue of the book is that it's so well organized. DiAngelo goes over her subject step by step and covers all the necessary ground, from the surface to the core. Her goal is to shake up people's sense of reality where race is concerned; to see the truth, however uncomfortable; and to unlearn a lot of deeply held beliefs and attitudes. This, she asserts, is the only way change the current state of affairs in this country where racism is concerned.

Great work!

I wish there was a training about race during the interview process of every major company especially the Fortune 500. I work for a company that’s diverse and prides itself in diversity however there’s still air of work to be done!

Positive Solutions in the Divide

Dr. DiAngelo gives readers terminology to deconstruct White Fragility, and she gives readers real world experiences to show how it keeps itself intact. I was impressed with the solutions she posed and how it can lend toward deeper dialogue in modalities of allyship. As a Native American male I learned a great deal about my implicit reinforcement of White Fragility and what I can do to disrupt it. While this book is written for a White audience, I would recommend minorities to read and pass along to their White allies.

P.S. I’m going to covertly place copies of this book around the offices where I work ;)...

This is an important work

This book is important. It allows white people to begin to understand what people of color have been saying for ages. Any white person of good faith would and should welcome this guidance. And people of color will get a glimpse into the mindset that results in white Fragility.

If you have ever heard the term “throwing like a girl” it is condescending and wrong. Throwing isn’t a gender thing. People throw a certain way when they have had little practice throwing. Try throwing with your non dominant hand and you will get the idea. I was thinking that for a lot of people, talking about race is like throwing with their non dominant hand.

Robin DiAngelo is helping white people learn how to throw. And hopefully they will throw cold water on past behaviors that, in many cases, unintentionally strengthened racism.

White Fragility will get you WOKE!

White Fragility should be required reading for all Americans. I found myself cosigning to nearly everything in this book. Its a powerful instructional manual for all white people, and even as a black man I learned a few things.

Must Read

Very good read. It was very enlightening and explained a lot of my lingering question regarding white privilege. You must read with an open mind.

EVERYONE needs to listen to this

Robin DiAngelo hits every nail with this audio and I can tell she really cares about the betterment of society. Well researched and backs up every claim with societal evidence and experiences of herself and her peers. Sad to say that some people who NEED to hear this won’t give it the time of day because [insert book title here], but this is a 5-star!