First, I agree with some of what you said about "simple lives", "measure of ambition", and especially "settle for any salary", and I totally agree that the way

First, I agree with some of what you said about "simple lives", "measure of ambition", and especially "settle for any salary", and I totally agree that the way this "study" uses salaries for understanding is pathetic. Other commenters elsewhere made even more clear arguments about how H1B might make this effect even stronger. Second: other commenters have already pointed out that your comment about being "well-networked", while true, has nothing to do with racism. So don't confuse those things. Third: > *Can we talk about racism? Maybe you're content to just vent your frustration, and throw blame around. Or maybe you want to have a meaningful conversation. I don't know you, I don't know your goals. But if your goal is to have a meaningful conversation about racism, or educate the privileged white people about their privilege, you're doing it wrong. One of the facts of human nature is that people don't want to hear this shit. If you want to illuminate anyone, you have to make a very careful and thoughtful argument, because when you make sloppy mistakes, that gives people the excuse they need to let themselves off the hook. Just look at the replies you got: you said something that's true ("If you're brown or yellow or black... chances are you don't make the company club (as easily) as well, white people") and then you said a few things that were dumb ("I've seen it with my own eyes...", and the thing about confusing not-wanting-to-network with ethnicity), and look at which part got the replies. If you want to preach the uncomfortable truths, you've gotta be on your A game. And if you play a C game, you just distract the audience, which makes it harder for other people to explain the situation, which means that the racism will continue. As well as all the other forms of privilege, which I notice you didn't much care about (your "btw women" notwithstanding).