Ignorance is Bliss.

There seems to be a tendency for older generations to use ‘New Racism’ in contemporary society. I work in an upper class restaurant situated in Auckland’s second richest suburb. So, naturally you can imagine the type of people I deal with on a regular basis.  I had a customer, an elderly man in his 60s-70s, who was telling me his absence in the past few weeks was because he was travelling round Australia with a friend. Even though I did not notice he was gone, ask him where he was or frankly care about anything other than taking his order, he continued to tell me about his newfound consciousness on Aboriginal issues. Initially, I was enlightened at the fact one of these over-privileged seniors was actually interested in anything other than the amount of $50 notes they could fold into their wallets, before not tipping me, but I digress. My moment of awe quickly turned to disgust when instead of describing the colonial-provoked inequalities of their existence, he began to liken their ‘over-crowding and filthiness’ to that of the gum that paints our sidewalks. I was genuinely taken back at first, that his assimilation and neo-liberal views seemed actually plausible in his clearly white washed mind.

There is a clear disparity between the actual reality of race relations and the understanding that previous generations have. This customer continued to describe his thoughts on the matter by explaining the problem as ‘evolutionary and individualist.’ His reasoning was that because they have not evolved with the society around them, or the people who tried to save them (I know), that they have gotten themselves into this situation. I hoped, for the sake of humanity that this viewpoint was isolated and then I ignorantly realised that his opinion was more common than my own. The majority, the short historicists, the ’colourblind’ and the purposefully naive take the cake in reporting on how socio-political events unravel in favour of those advantaged. However, it has become such a naturalised discourse that we don’t even realise its happening anymore. When he was paying his bill (still didn’t tip), I told him that I studied what he was discussing at University and his face lit up. However, when I continued to tell him that his views on colonialism perpetuated that of decades of repressive treatment, he was not so bright. I further explained that as indigenous people, the ones who should take responsibility for their condition are the invaders, in that case, himself. The aspect of this conversation that startled me the most was his acceptance of my informative viewpoint. Maybe it was to silence me or maybe he genuinely had an epiphany, but either way I felt empowered that I could offer him a shred of contextual insight. Although this man took his views being challenged a lot better than most, the fact that even those who have lived 40 years longer than us still haven’t educated themselves on relevant socio-politics, scares me. As I was saying to another class member, I think there should be a course like 325 that is compulsory in schools, so we can attempt to readdress race relations and progress towards change.