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

Dr. Robin DiAngelo

Jun 2018 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Amy Landon

About this audiobook

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.

Ratings and reviews

If I could give it -5 I would. I read the book and watched a special on it, where the White author tries to explain parts of book. She not only calls everyone born white, racist. But goes on to explain that there is nothing you can do about it. In fact the more tolerant and anti racist you think you are, the more of a racist you are. (??? ooook...) White people have privilege and weather we’re aware of it, or take advantage of it, it’s our fault it exists. I don’t know where this White author gets off talking about racism or the existence of it on behalf of ALL other white peoples, but she’s clearly a hypocritical idiot... unable to see the advances in modern times, the leaps America took to get away from it’s dictatorship, monarchy, enslaved ancestors and traveled to new land to start over and abolish slavery. She also can’t get in touch with or ignores the past three generations of the most eclectic, diverse and inclusive communities!! If we wanted to REALLY talk about UNCOMFORTABLE racism; let discuss that “talk” that apparently POC have about encounters with police. If it doesn’t end with stop, listen, respect, and comply, then they shouldn’t be having it!!!! Let’s talk about the most segregated and racist place in America - PRISONS. And how many males from black families are there. So they are not only away from their families, not good role models, not contributing financially but communicating or returning home with huge Racist delusions about life, relationships and authority. Let talk about that!!!

Racist or should I say antiracist. Antiracist, being a racist term against people born with white skin. This belongs alongside 'mien kampf', "the international jew," or anything written by Michael Eric Dyson or Ibram X Kendi (Ibram Henry Rogers). If you want to read something of value, read Malcolm X or Martin Luther King's Autobiography or both. As they are most masterpieces. This is just a piece of garbage that is an insult to the intelligence and the memories and legacy of King and X.

Robin Diangelo consistently makes false points and logical fallacies throughout her book to fit her narrative. One such example of this is when Diangelo redefines racism to mean that if any aspect of a society results in inequality among races, then it is a racist society. This definition gives the implication that organizations such as the NFL and NBA are racist simply because there are not an equal amount of players belonging to each race.

About the author

Robin DiAngelo is an academic, lecturer, and author and has been a consultant and trainer on issues of racial and social justice for more than twenty years. She formerly served as a tenured professor of multicultural education at Westfield State University.