- When it comes to social justice,
there's one word that can stop almost
any conversation dead in its tracks.
Privilege.
(electronic instrumental music)
If you've ever stumbled into a conversation about racism,
you've probably heard the phrase "White privilege,"
which has been ruffling feathers
since the phrase became commonplace in the 1960s.
The concept of privilege isn't limited to race,
but when it's brought up, no matter who you're talking to,
too often the response isn't very friendly.
"Privilige?
"How dare you?"
So what exactly is privilege,
and why does talking about it make
so many people so angry?
Privilege is defined as a special right
or advantage available only to
a particular person or group of people.
In the context of social inequality,
it means that some groups of people
are treated better than others,
based on their race, gender, class,
sexuality, or physical ability.
Now here's the thing about privilege.
Everyone has it.
You've got privilege, you've got privilege!
We've all got privilege!
So for example, as an able-bodied person,
I've never struggled to find a bathroom
that I can comfortably access,
or gone out to lunch with friends
to only realize that I can't find
a parking spot to get into the restaurant,
or even fit through the door.
When I turn on my favorite show,
I can watch and enjoy with ease,
because I don't require captions or descriptive narration,
which too many shows don't have.
So why does talking about privilege make some people angry?
I think there are a number of reasons
why privilege can be difficult to talk about.
Number one.
When people hear the word "Privilege,"
it feels like they're being blamed.
When we use privilege in everyday conversations,
we here phrases like "X is a privilege, not a right,"
so the vocabulary makes it seems
like it's something that you don't deserve.
Combine that with the fact that conversations
about social inequality tend to be very passionate,
it's easy to understand why someone
might be upset when "Check your privilege" comes up.
No one wants to be the bad guy,
and for some people,
the concept of privilege feels like they're being
blamed for something that's out of their control.
And when you think about it that way,
sure, that's bound to make someone angry.
Number two.
Privilege makes people feel guilty.
Talking about privilege is not
meant to make you feel guilty.
Guilt isn't productive.
Acknowledging it isn't about shame,
it's about challenging the system
that perpetuates inequality.
The existence of privilege isn't my fault or your fault,
but understanding and acknowledging it
is an important first step in working
to make in a world where these obstacles don't exist.
However, ignoring the problem,
or refusing to acknowledge the problem exists,
just allows it to continue and thrive.
Number three.
Anger is a defense mechanism.
For some people, talking about privilege
feels like they're being attacked,
or worst yet, that their privilege is going be taken away.
In reality, privilege describes things that
everyone should experience.
For example, as a straight person,
I don't encounter people passing judgment
when I'm affectionate with my husband in public.
That's not a bad thing.
It should be that way for everyone,
no matter their sexual orientation.
Number four.
They just don't understand privilege.
The thing about privilege is it's kinda hard to see.
It's like when a horse has those blinders on.
They can see what's in front of them,
but there's a whole bunch of stuff
in the peripheral that they can't see.
As wonderful as it would be for
everyone to be treated fairly and equal,
no matter who they are,
that's just not the world we live in.
Privilege doesn't mean your rich,
a bad person, have had everything handed to you,
or have never had challenges or struggles.
It just means that there are some challenges
and struggles that you won't experience
because of who you are.
So when you've lived your whole life with something,
it's hard to understand what it's like for those without.
Now it's impossible for me to guarantee
that every time privilege is brought up, it's justified,
or that everyone talks about these
issues in a responsible way that's
free of name-calling or personal attacks,
and unfortunately,
if you've ever had a particularly
nasty encounter that included the word "Privilege,"
then you might be turned off forever.
But if you want support equality for everyone,
which is why I hope you're watching this show,
it's important to remember that
these conversations are inherently tough, but necessary,
and that discomfort or anger you may feel
when about talking about or understanding
or acknowledging your privilege,
pales in comparison the oppression that those
on the other side of the coin deal with everyday.
So have you ever had difficulty
talking to someone about privilege?
Or maybe you have trouble understanding it,
or even acknowledging it?
Tell us about it in the comments below,
and we'll see you next week, right here on Decoded.
In our last sketch,
we revealed the secret training camp
for social justice warriors.
Here's what you had to say.
You're right Nick.
There's nothing wrong with poking fun at yourself,
but there's also nothing wrong
with standing up for the rights of everyone.
Uh-oh, Lugamo, you are on to our secret plan.
(evil laughing)
You know what Naruto?
I also support freedom of speech.
But saying that you're offended,
or sharing how you feel about something
is not inhibiting your freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences.
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