To be considered “white” in American society means meeting certain criteria that most Americans cannot even meet on their own, not even a portion of Caucasian citizens. To be white is to be part of an upper, influential class of Anglos who dominate the public image of success. Through the manipulation and subjugation of “lower” classes and ethnicities, successful “whites” dominate popular theory and practice. Exercising such power, these “white” elites achieve their goals through the dissection of “inferior” people and the assimilation not of people into their fold, but of people's livelihoods, well-being, happiness and aspirations. to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay This common preconception of the “white” man has been ingrained in the consciousness of the American public since the founding of the nation. The declaration of what it meant to be “white” in America was truly defined in the fallout from Reconstruction after the Civil War. Southern leaders, embittered by the defeat of the institutions they had planned, vented their frustration by trying to devastate as much of the antebellum South as they could. But this would only be possible if the trend against the image of a black man in politics could be reversed; something that can only be achieved by having a majority in favor. By appealing to disenfranchised and humiliated Caucasian Southerners with an emphasis on progress through racial unity and pride in the face of defeat, Southern leaders were able to persuade the people to pass laws that would hindered the average “black” individual. But the South is not entirely responsible for this image of the powerful “white” man. In the North, after reconstruction, industrial activity began to prosper in the aftermath of the Civil War. And because many industry leaders were born of wealthy Anglo-Saxon lineages, they grew up with an elitist view of themselves, whose only competition was other entrepreneurs of Anglo-Saxon origin. Once business began to expand westward, the machines that ran the factories needed more space as well as workers. Seeing many different minority groups and seeking to be the best in their elite circle, these tycoons sought cheap but reliable labor to keep production costs low, but profits rising. This in turn created the negative effect of racism on a poorer and more distressed section of the Caucasian population. Where the issue of racism was raised against “job thieves,” it created a perverse admiration for the individuals responsible for their situation. These elites became a dream for the working poor, that through determination and work success could be achieved to achieve their material happiness; and the elite used such dreams in return to maintain the direction of animosity toward other groups. The majority could never work against the “white” elites, but was held up as a beacon to the deceived and disillusioned masses. If an animal is defined by its diet, perhaps the analogy could be applied to the average American and his or her consumer diet. In mass media the image of the “white” man reigns supreme, from the dominance of the lovable “average man” in the office in commercials to superhero teams led by the “white” archetype in movies, this image of the “white” man ” continues to be flashed by these few elites. And it is still a question of continuing to try to unite the humble and uninformed majority so as not to question their place.