MTV Had Some New Year’s Resolution Suggestions for White Guys & Shocker, a Lot of White Guys Are Super Pissed

MTV posted a video this week with some helpful suggestions of New Year’s resolutions, specifically for white men. Now, these aren’t meant for every white man, of course, and most of them are great ideas for people of every gender and race to mull over—ideas like letting Beyoncé sing and speak about black issues and not get hung up on wondering why she isn’t focusing on your specific life experiences. Also, maybe stop saying “woke,” and definitely stop convincing yourself America was ever “great” for all humans equally.

I think most of us would find it obvious that this video is 1. Humor. And 2. Not an actual attempt to lump every existing white male into a monolith that has, in every way imaginable, caused the downfall of society over the last 12 months. Right? We’re safe in assuming both of those things are true? Oh, how naive we are. Because despite the fact that the people in the video take pains to make sure everyone’s feelings are protected by couching the video with a fair serving of “nobody’s perfect” and “some of you guys do a great job!” the backlash (from, yes, mostly white guys, but not entirely) would have you believe this was the most racist video every put online.

We’re not going to wade through what all the trolls had to say, but here are just a few notable responses from white men (once again, for those in the back, THAT’S NOT AN INSULT) with big enough followings and loud enough voices that it would have been really nice if they hadn’t missed the point so spectacularly.

Yup, attempting to have a conversation about the ways in which marginalized groups exist in the world isn’t just insulting to those afraid of losing their power, it’s a “cult of death”! Oh 2017, you’re just going to be a peach, aren’t you?

(via Mediaite, image via MTV)

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Vivian Kane

Vivian Kane (she/her) is the Senior News Editor at The Mary Sue, where she's been writing about politics and entertainment (and all the ways in which the two overlap) since the dark days of late 2016. Born in San Francisco and radicalized in Los Angeles, she now lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she gets to put her MFA to use covering the local theatre scene. She is the co-owner of The Pitch, Kansas City’s alt news and culture magazine, alongside her husband, Brock Wilbur, with whom she also shares many cats.

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