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La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
Tue May 22, 2012, 10:26 AM May 2012

You know the one thing i have realized about privilege

no one who has it wants to admit they have it. For instance, i don't often think "hmm, i am able bodied, i have some privilege" or " i am pretty, i have some privilege"

something about us all makes us very resistant to admitting where in society we have privilege over others.

You would think with oppressed groups, that we would be better at seeing where are privileges lie, but unless we are specifically trained, we are all very resistant to admitting societal privileges.

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La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
2. yes, i think it is. i also think is a human trait to think
Tue May 22, 2012, 10:41 AM
May 2012

that all our achievements are because of our own work/talent/ability, and the failures because of someone else's. Its a way to protect self esteem.

so i think it's part culture, part protection of self esteem

leveymg

(36,418 posts)
3. If you strip privilege away, there is very little merit in most of those who own and run things.
Tue May 22, 2012, 10:53 AM
May 2012

There are exceptions that prove the rule, of course, but those who inherit property usually lack the talent and drive that may have propelled their parents. Chances are, of course, that the parents were also highly privileged.

There should be a near-100 percent tax on wealth above the Social Security cutoff. That would be a big incentive to raise that cap.

leveymg

(36,418 posts)
7. I can't imagine someone who is wealthy who isn't also privileged in some way.
Tue May 22, 2012, 11:24 AM
May 2012

There is privilege due to personal merit -- a special talent or gift, creativity, endurance, hard work -- and then there is acquired privilege (private education and the things that are acquired from wealthy parents); and finally, there is inherited wealth. The former should be subsidized by taking a a large part of the wealth from the latter as taxes or sliding-scale fees, while the last should be taxed almost into extinction.

 

RevStPatrick

(2,208 posts)
5. I remember reading a long time ago...
Tue May 22, 2012, 11:05 AM
May 2012

...that there have been 37 billion homo sapiens sapiens on the planet over the history of our species. When I read that I thought to myself, "Well, then I am among the 1 billion luckiest, most privileged members of our species ever."

You might not think that to look at me. I'm not a member of the 1 percent. I do a lot of things wrong, and have some problems (like everybody else). I don't think anyone has ever looked at me and thought "this is one of the luckiest, most privileged people ever."

But I think about that at least once a week. I suppose today is that day for this week...

(more recently, I read somewhere else that there have been 100 billion homo sapiens sapiens. that would put me in the luckiest, most privileged 2-3 billion. whatever...)

Uben

(7,719 posts)
6. I admit I have it
Tue May 22, 2012, 11:23 AM
May 2012

I have priviledge and I am thankful everyday for it. Most of my friends who have it feel the same way. And, I do what I can to help those who do not have priviledge. It's my way of paying for the priviledge I have. I feel all who enjoy priviledge owe something to society for their right to enjoy that priviledge. Granted, I don't hang with the uber-rich, so I cannot speak for that segment of society.

 

La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
8. how did you come to realize it? was it naturally (as in just through observation?)
Tue May 22, 2012, 11:33 AM
May 2012

or was it through reading? training of some sort?

i am just curious as to how people get to recognize their privilege

obamanut2012

(27,806 posts)
9. I am educated and white
Tue May 22, 2012, 12:02 PM
May 2012

I am female, gay, and far from being rich.

My education and race give me some privilege in some circumstances, although no real societal power.

I have realized I am privileged in some ways for a long time, but it didn't really hit me smack in the face until I started teaching students where the majority of them had no societal privilege, and would have a very difficult getting any, even with a decent education.

obamanut2012

(27,806 posts)
11. Undergrads
Tue May 22, 2012, 12:27 PM
May 2012

I get ticked when my wireless goes out for an hour. Many of them don't even have a computer, and of the ones who do, most of those don't have internet. I also had an excellent high school education, which gave me a nice boost when I entered college. Many of them have no knowledge of how to write an essay or use a library. I've had to completely rearrange my thoughts and expectations, and also how I teach. I have always taught rather privileged students before this.

 

La Lioness Priyanka

(53,866 posts)
12. this is the same problem i have with my undergrads. i wonder if we teach at the same school
Tue May 22, 2012, 12:28 PM
May 2012

you're not in nyc are you?

 

laconicsax

(14,860 posts)
16. I have no problem admitting my extensive privilege.
Tue May 22, 2012, 06:24 PM
May 2012

Over the last ten or so years, I've started truly despising people who refuse to acknowledge that privileged classes exist or at the very least that the majority of people face staggering amounts of discrimination in our society and around the world.

Call me egocentric, but seeing as I'm middle-class, straight, 25-50, light-skinned (not white, but I certainly look it), have a penis, live in the US, and am still able to get over myself and admit to the extensive privilege was born into, no one like me has an excuse for being ignorant.

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