Final answer:
Peggy McIntosh compares white privilege to an invisible backpack, highlighting it as an array of unearned advantages that white people benefit from systemically and institutionally. It is about acknowledging societal imbalances rather than individual guilt or meanness.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Peggy McIntosh, white privilege is like an invisible backpack. In her influential work "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," McIntosh describes white privilege as a set of unearned assets that white people can count on each day but are often unaware of. White privilege provides numerous advantages such as not having to worry about racial representation, not being seen as a spokesperson for one's race, and moving through life without having to think about one's race in most situations.
White privilege is systemic and institutional, existing independently of whether individuals acknowledge it or personally feel they have benefitted. It is crucial to recognize that acknowledging white privilege is not an admission of personal meanness or guilt, but rather a step towards understanding institutional societal imbalances. Examples of white privilege can include being more likely to be hired for a job, less likely to be followed or suspected of theft in stores, or generally being given the benefit of the doubt in social situations.