The question is a non-starter for me, because it is based on false woke-progressive assumptions of a society based on racial identity. Why are you buying into that falsehood?

A better question would be “Do you consider the Smithsonian post racist? Why or why not?”

It would be ludicrous to ask Chinese if “Asianness” is required for a healthy society. How about asking Saudi Arabians if they are guilty of “Arab supremacy”. You’d be laughed out of Riyadh.

Entertaining these absurd questions only plays into the hands of progressives.

Racist. Simply racist.
Our tax dollars at work.
I'm not surprised by this, because I used to devour Smithsonian magazine, but last year, it went severely left, and I canceled my subscription.
Sadly many museums - including NYC's Museum of Natural History - are Smithsonian affiliated.

It's an idiotic question. What does whiteness have to do with being human?

The fact that a publically and federally funded museum feels the need to justify the actions of some blacks based on some left-winged "woke" idea, is insulting to every race in America.

Yeah, all those things listed are what's required by a responsible adult to function in modern society. Race has nothing to do with that.

“Whiteness, as defined by the tax-supported Smithsonian, is mostly...”

As a brochure explaining why “Whiteness” is a Standard to Look Up To and Cherish ... its not bad ... its actually Pretty Good and, until fairly recently accurate.

As a brochure explaining why “Whiteness” is a Standard to to Despise and Throw Down ... its pretty laughable ...

If you left out the words “White” and “Whiteness” it would be a pretty good guideline as to what one should ASPIRE to Regardless of Color, Race or Ethnicity.

The FACT is, as far as I can tell, MOST People of ALL Ethnicities in the “Free World” DO Admire and Aspire to these ideas ... “Whites” just seem to do it better and, were instrumental in coming up with these ideas/ideals (though a case COULD be made that Asians might be doing it even better yet)

This poster from the NMAAHC is so racist it's funny. What they are calling Whiteness is simply Western Culture. To demonstrate that Western Culture is not coupled with whiteness just consider other "White" cultures like socialism/marxism, Naziism, Fascism, etc...

The horrible thing about this is that America disappears as a nation without many of these principles. Unlike most other nations of the world, America is not held together by a common ancestry but by a common ideal that I like to summarize using "We hold these truths... that all men are created equal etc..." The very first item regarding the individual is a requirement of that ideal. Our national enemies have been busy.

For the most part, I agree that those are the traits of a healthy, stable, strong society. To the extent that any society is full of people who behave that way and a government that doesn't cheat, that society is likely to be good. To the extent that a society doesn't follow those principles, that society is likely to be a cesspool, figuratively speaking.

With that said, some of the things under "Competition" aren't true of what our society has traditionally been and aren't part of a healthy society. Traditionally, we have not had a "win at all costs" attitude. Traditionally, we have been a society that believes in following the rules and honoring the rules that give everyone a level playing field. The superiority of our society has given us advantages that come because we are better, but that's not the same as winning at all costs by being unfair. Likewise, not everything is a "winner/loser dichotomy." The point of a free-market economic system is that people make trades where both sides walk away with what they want at what each feels is a fair trade. To the extent that some products are unfairly priced, we encourage competition to meet the demand that isn't being met fairly. In rare cases were monopolistic practices create an inequity, we have laws to try to restore at least some degree of balance.

A different issue under the Competition label is the idea that we must "do something" about a situation. That's not a part of our traditional culture. That's also against the idea of the scientific method. Sometimes, people who look at and evaluate the information will decide that we can't "do something" without causing a bigger problem. The "do something" culture is the opposite of what this country has traditionally done.

A final point under the "Competition" label is that the United States was not built under a "majority rules" principle. In fact, the U.S. Constitution was specifically written to prevent "majority rules" tyranny. The "checks and balances" written into our Constitution were intended to keep the majority from ruling quickly and foolishly in the heat of a moment. The Bill of Rights was supposed to keep any majority from trying to solve certain problems by infringing on what we considered basic human rights. This lack of understanding is common to many people in this country today. While criticizing the millennials, X, and Y generations is popular among people of a certain age, I've know many Baby Boomers who didn't understand this intent of our Constitution. For them, First Amendment freedoms aren't about true religious or speach freedom but are only about getting to watch the entertainment that they want. To them, the Second Amendment means nothing at all. This ignorance across all generations is a threat to our nation.

The people who disparage these ideas should be sent to places that have rejected these ideals for many generations. They can then live in the cesspools that are the natural result of failure to live by these principles. What too many want is the benefits that come from living this kind of responsible life without the cost of being responsible.

Errrh .... Christian values ....

I have no time for this racist dogma. What is of interest is who gave this screed the green light? Their name? If not why not and how do we hold people in the public sector accountable if not?

Is the best you can do "The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History", this suggests a lack of focus and poor thinking.

Those definitions of "whiteness" weren't defined by whites. You can see them on Egyptian tombs, you can read them in cuneiform, or in the teachings of Confucius. They are basic, universal values taught across human civilization.

Neo Marxism/Neo Collectivsm is Fukken Cancer. That's my answer.

It is so satisfying to see that the vast majority commenting see this rubbish for what it is and disavows the racism that it represents and the societal norms it clearly misrepresents... yay for the day to you all.

Please excuse us for being the leaders of the world.....we know you would not excuse yourself if you could lead.

Where is the "infographic" for "blackness" or "asian" or any other group??????????????

I agree in the sense that "whiteness" is in reference to ideals and social influences that developed by predominantly white cultures therefore referring to racial contribution and not any inherent superiority. While all racial identities have elements of great contribution to civil society the white races have been historically more significant in a broad spectrum of influences. For whatever reason. In modern culture we have been conditioned to think objectively about racial influence is somehow wrong and disparaging of others, that is mentally disingenuous and indicative of a society that is more interested in awarding moral participation trophies than seeking truth. Therefore It is no wonder that the term "whiteness" triggers racial animosity rather than intellectual honesty.

The first thing that came to my mind was how there is this shaming of black people who are accused by other black people of "acting white" (for example: a young black person who is a high achiever in school may get accused by other black people of "acting white" ); while maybe most of these behaviors are beneficial and are common sense to have (and some are disadvantageous or could be, mainly religion)! Unfortunately, many black people engage in self-sabotage behaviors such the "acting white" accusations and choosing unusual names or even sometimes totally made-up names or variants of names for their children which would negatively impact them in their future. Both examples were given in the book Freakonomics.

Incredibly insulting for all blacks who are called out for 'acting white'.
As far as Asians, are we supposed to say 'Yeah, we are good at imitating the white people, aren't we cool?'
And, as for Mexicans, should they say 'We do all the hard manual labor because the white side of us mestizos dominate our native side and turn us into drone workers for whites?'

so, this was removed due to backlash and not because it is facially flawed? wow

Ah! I was wondering where that graphic came from!

Saying these things are bad is cutting off one's nose to spite ones face. Yes, there is a downside to a culture where moving is relatively easy, and people have trouble finding meaning. But I think we have benefited far more from the values listed on the graphic than otherwise. ALL cultural norms are opressive to someone. But lacking those norms means we have no culture at all. Without culture, we cannot go about our lives and be productive. Those norms are the net that catches us when we fall. They are the framework that allows us to contiue being productive, creative, and growing as humans.

As much as we don't like them, limitations are good for us. They force us to be creative.

Assuming of course that we take responsibility for our own lives instead of blaming others for our unhappiness.

Whiteness isn't a term a crazy white lady that was is suffering from white guilt and has a vary narrow minded outlook on the world.

Secondly I don't think referring to Caucasian in this manner inherently gives a reson to treat others differently.

Lastly just because Asins and Caucasians seemed to figure out a way of raising their kids in a more fruitful manner doesnt make it racist... learn from it and implement it

The enlightenment has some ways to go.

For all the scientific bluster the enlightened seem amazingly ignorant of human nature.

Is the Smithsonian claiming that "Whiteness" is superior to other lifestyles? I'm not well versed in these racist conversations. Is anyone suggesting that society no longer requires "Whiteness?"

First, I would like to point out that next to "rugged individualism" there's a picture of a black person lifting weights.

Second, while highly flattering to whites and largely needed for a functioning society, this is not an accurate representation of "all whites". It also doesn't all have to be required for a functioning society either. Those with mental, physical, social, economic differences, are often still functioning members of society. For those that aren't it still is more encouraged, at least in America, that they are taken care of instead of abandoned to rely on their own "individualism".

Honestly, pretty much every bullet point can be shown a "special case" or even large case argument. On a serious note, it's pretty worrying that what should be a childs view of the world has carried over into adult hood to this extent. I'd like to put it nicer, but this is not ok