There used to be a time when people worked for privileges, and these privileges were considered DESERVED. If, for instance, I work hard to make enough money to build myself a swimming pool, it can hardly be argued that I did not deserve that swimming pool. Let us consider some history.
During parallel times there were people on African soil, and on European soil. The Africans were given several unfair advantages, earth that is fertile, mineral riches second to none and a rich natural diversity. African people had everything going for them. In the north of Africa, the Egyptians made the most of this, building rich cities and mind boggling structures that have archeologists scratching their heads even to this day.
In Europe, people started developing skills very early on in history. They learned the skill of building houses even before Christ, and developed alphabets, the ability to read these alphabets and capture their thoughts for generations to come. Indeed, even when Moses ascended Mount Sinai, it was said that the 10 commandments were written on stone tablets.
Later in Rome, amazing buildings were built, chariots were invented, skills were developing constantly. The Colloseum still stands today, built out of stone and mortar in Roman times. Woodwork was a very well documented skill, in fact, according to the Bible Noah built the ark using woodworking skills centuries before Roman times. We can also think of feats of engineering like the Trojan horse.
As far as metallurgy was concerned, these skills were also developed very early on in history. An example is the gold bull that Moses's brother made out of gold. The Europeans were not sitting back. Constantly learning new skills, there was a hunger to understand the universe. Early on in history we had chemists, engineers, builders, metal workers, carpenters (remember Jesus?)
Unfortunately, south of the Sahara things were very different. Given all the riches of the soil, this area should have been the birthplace of modern technology. There was nothing to hold Africa back. Indeed, there was NO apartheid until the 1900's. While Europeans were developing things around the wheel, Africans were content with herding cattle for their tribal chiefs. Africans made no efforts to learn new skills. They did not try to document their history, because they did not try to develop the skill of writing. Africans never taught themselves carpentry, they built their structures from mud at best, and had no interest in exploring science. Africans did not develop schools, nevermind engineers.
Europeans on the other hand, had a thirst for knowledge. In the 1600's that thirst was responsible for ships exploring vast oceans in the search for new discoveries. By that time they knew how to navigate by the stars, and had navigational instruments. They had the skill to draw maps of the new worlds they discovered. Indeed, they had weapons that worked with gunpowder, plates, knives, forks and so on.
When European sailing ships found the southern tip of Africa, they were surprised to meet native people that were dark skinned, had NO developments other than skins covering their genitals, and spears. They soon learned that these people were violent, and several sailors were murdered by native tribes. Without the influence of apartheid, we had sailing ships and canons on the one side, and spears and skin on the other side. Africans were 100's of years behind in development, because that one skill that trumps all others, the hunger for knowledge, was lacking.
Europeans needed to have trade routes to the east, and for that reason they decided to build trade posts where ships could replenish their supplies. One of these led to the creation of South Africa. When the natives met the whites, they thought they were gods. They had all these marvels, like sticks that spit fire...
There were no buildings on South African soil. No developments, the Africans in the 1600's lived exactly like the Africans of the 1400's. The Africans of the 1400's lived like the Africans of the 1200's. Europeans started teaching them skills, the ability to read and write. Europeans brought them doctors, religion, and schools. Europeans started using the riches of the soil to create farms, and Europeans started exploring the minerals that was under the soil. 200 years after the arrival of Van Riebeeck in Cape Town, the black tribes that had no contact with Europeans were STILL living exactly like the centuries before. They did not even TRY to develop themselves. In the very short time relative to black history however, Europeans brought them new skills. It is a historical fact that the only technological development of blacks happened after the Europeans encountered them. For the first time in their history, blacks of the 1900's lived more advanced lives than blacks of the 1800's.
Unfortunately, the tribal culture remained. Blacks were accustomed to a culture of delivering goods to the chief, in return for favour. A culture of entitlement. Instead of being grateful for the development Europeans brought them, they became violent in their expectations of entitlement.
Suddenly, everything Europeans ACHIEVED by hard work and a hunger for knowledge, became known as white privilege. The fact that this white privileged is DESERVED, was quietly thrown out the window.
Next time you are accused of WHITE PRIVILEGE, please be proud. It is a privilege you DESERVE. Your ancestors worked for it with a never ending quest for knowledge.
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