How Privileged Are You?
- Thread starter Lone Wolf
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civver_764
Deity
No one said you should feel guilty, it's just a good thing to be aware of our privilege.
Borachio
Way past lunacy
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Where's that link to privilege again? That one that Murky posted was good at explaining, imho.
edit: found it On privilege and what we can do about it. A good read.
edit: found it On privilege and what we can do about it. A good read.
shadowplay
your ad here
-60.
Interesting test. There must be a non-satirical version of it somewhere.
Interesting test. There must be a non-satirical version of it somewhere.
Mise
isle of lucy
Well the idea behind intersectionality is that oppression exists along different axes, and at the intersection of these axes, stuff gets even worse. Black women, for instance, lying as they do on the intersection of racism and sexism, often face both racism and sexism, and often face both at the same time (e.g. when applying for jobs, or when looking for a husband). Now, the chart attempts to account for this by adding up two scores... But that's really dumb, because that assumes that they both lie on the same axis -- call it "discrimination" -- so that they can simply be totted up and you come up with a score at the end. As I said, people will just use it as an exercise in oppression olympics. People end up learning exactly the opposite lessons from it: that white people aren't necessarily privileged (they are), or that black people aren't necessarily discriminated against (they are), as long as there are other scores cancelling them out. Barrack Obama may be privileged in some respect, but is still discriminated against in another respect. Just because he's incredibly privileged by anyone's standards doesn't mean that he isn't also a victim of discrimination in some contexts.
Disgustipated
Deity
Actually I lied, I do feel guilty for being white. I've felt this way for 20 years or so. I don't want to, but I do.
And I feel the it's only moral to feel guilty. If you don't feel guilty for being white, that makes you immoral. I know that seems like strange logic, but that's how I see it. You should feel bad for being white, that way people won't think you're a racist ahole or something.
civver_764
Deity
Well sitting around feeling guilty won't help matters. Realizing the inequalities in our society is the first step, now we need to fight against them.
Disgustipated
Deity
I don't know how to fight against inequalities. That would mean changing the thoughts in people's heads. I'm not sure if that can be done.
And I still say the test does not really show how bad it is to be a short man. That's a huge disadvantage. I exaggerate my shortness. when I was born, my height would be the average height. But men have gotten much taller in the last 40 years. White men especially. I have met very few white men shorter than me. White men just tower over me, but at least I'm taller than most Mexican men..
And I still say the test does not really show how bad it is to be a short man. That's a huge disadvantage. I exaggerate my shortness. when I was born, my height would be the average height. But men have gotten much taller in the last 40 years. White men especially. I have met very few white men shorter than me. White men just tower over me, but at least I'm taller than most Mexican men.
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Mise
isle of lucy
Most of these things come in the form of checklists, rather than scorecards. Which makes more sense, because you just say "I am privileged in X, Y and Z, but I am discriminated against due to P and Q". There's no totting up of scores, and no determination as to whether you are "privileged" or "not privileged". It just doesn't work that way.
civver_764
Deity
It happens every second..
Capitalism can be pointed to as a major factor of the most serious forms of inequality in our society, focus your energy against that.
Borachio
Way past lunacy
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So are you saying privilege isn't a thing? Because I rather think it is. And I think some people, mostly notably WASPS, are decidedly privileged.
Mise
isle of lucy
What?? How on earth did you get that from my post?
X, Y and Z could be "white", "male" and "straight", while P and Q could be "poor" and "immigrant" or something. You have straight white male privileges, but you are discriminated against for being poor and an immigrant.
Disgustipated
Deity
points to signature.
Inequality is a fact of life, and to me it differs from privilege or discrimination. People are born to different talent levels, and I have no problem with a sports star making millions for their talent. I love capitalism with all my heart and soul, although I don't necessarily believe in a completely free market. There needs to be some regulations...
GhostWriter16
Deity
95. 65 if I use thre "Can't add it up" option, since I kept having to go back and readd. I suck at math
civver_764
Deity
He's just saying that someome who is gay and white, for example, is still reaps the benefits of being white despite being gay. This test, on the other hand, gives the impression that different privileges and disprivileges can be cancelled out.
Disgustipated
Deity
Yeah the being gay thing is debatable since you can be "in the closet", and not overtly gay. You can still have a damn good job, and your employers never know you are gay.
Borachio
Way past lunacy
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^^Yes, I see that. But to a certain extent they do don't they? That's the whole notion behind compensation, generally.
Though I can certainly see it shouldn't be thought of in terms of a competition. Like the Olympics thingy.
But really gays don't do so bad economically these days. The pink pound is certainly a phenomenon.
edit:
Though I can certainly see it shouldn't be thought of in terms of a competition. Like the Olympics thingy.
But really gays don't do so bad economically these days. The pink pound is certainly a phenomenon.
edit:
Now I'm just confused too. Never mind. I'll think about it.What?? How on earth did you get that from my post?
X, Y and Z could be "white", "male" and "straight", while P and Q could be "poor" and "immigrant" or something. You have straight white male privileges, but you are discriminated against for being poor and an immigrant.
civver_764
Deity
One that we should try to eliminate.
You think people's success in life should be based on how lucky they were at birth? A bizarre position, to say the least, especially with that first part thrown in there.
Why is that?
Disgustipated
Deity
Because I believe in survival of the fittest. Nature intended for us to be this way for a reason. Don't mess with nature I say.
