Maintaining Whiteness essay

In the essay “The Fear of Others and Niceness,” the subject of fostering a culture of white privilege is discussed. The essay ”The Fear of Others and Niceness” discusses the subject of fostering a culture of white privilege, which makes a certain race different from the rest of the population in terms of how they perceive their social networks.

Gated Communities and Niceness

According to the author, New Yorkers and residents of San Ontario are two communities where being pleasant is a prevalent practice. Two tactics are highlighted, with the gated community being the one most frequently linked to such conduct. The conduct involves tendencies of having fear towards others and the social environment by setting one’s residential setting in a secluded place. Furthermore, it is apparent that whiteness is manifested in gated communities through niceness, a trend where cultural categories of being friendly and comfortable are valued.

Agreement with the Analysis

From the analysis of the article, I concur with the fact that people in gated communities not only show a particular trend in their racial affiliation but they also exemplify the features that the author outlines. It is common to find that those in the gated communities live more secluded and isolated lives because they fear to get into violence and trouble with others in the community. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the inhabitants of gated communities tend to be more ethical and moral as it is unlikely that they would engage in criminal or unlawful activities. I, therefore, approve that the article is an informative piece into the existing class classification in gated communities to the rest of the population and that manifests in the manner in which people relate to certain gated communities.

The Edge and the Center

The article by S. M. Low titled ”The Edge and the Center: Gated Communities and the Discourse of Urban Fear” is a research paper that focuses on the subject of gated communities being fearful in their socialization processes. It is a trend that is increasingly being noted in the middle-class and the upper middle-class communities where new forms of exclusion are introduced to create racial segregation and social classes. It is a trend that is noted to be rampant in the urban areas where people secure their homesteads using walls, gates, and guards, a trend that is interestingly being associated with a high level of fear. In trying to unlock the gated communities, the author focuses on the fact that the threat to one’s security is the prime factor that contributes to the trend. However, the idea has since promoted racial segregation and class-based exclusion that is a huge threat to security as people increasingly feel unsafe when they are not in enclosed neighborhoods.

Timeliness and Importance

From the assessment of the theme and objective of the writing of the paper, it is apparent that the author’s article is not only appropriate in covering the subject but is also a timely piece of literature in trying to address the challenge of racial segregation. It is common to find before a gated rented apartment is given out, a potential tenant may be asked questions that infer to their race, which is a way of promoting racial segregation. Therefore, I agree that the article is a timely piece that serves to create more emphasis and enlighten people of the threat of racial discrimination. The concept of feeling safe and secure in gated communities and well-fenced apartments is a challenge to the promotion of diversity as the overall trend created involves that of individualism.

Works Cited

Low, Setha. “Maintaining whiteness: The Fear of Others and Niceness.” Transforming Anthropology 17.2 (2009): 79–92. Web.

Low, Setha M. “The Edge and the Center: Gated Communities and the Discourse of Urban Fear:” American Anthropologist 103.1 (2001): 45–58. Web.