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I think this idea that the concept of privilege only exists in the West is a disservice to the struggle of activists around the world. There are professors in J

I think this idea that the concept of privilege only exists in the West is a disservice to the struggle of activists around the world. There are professors in Japan discussing Japans racism and xenophobia, and privilege structures unique to their culture. There are discussions in South Africa over how apartheid has affected the culture there and structures of privilege and racism there. China's literary scene has exploded in examining structures of privilege along class lines[1]. There are activists internationally examining and discussing how privilege and systems of oppression affect their individual cultures. It would make sense that a primarily English-speaking site would explore privilege in context of English-speaking cultures, usually described as "western". This may look like there is no discussion outside of "western" spheres when this is incorrect. This is the kind of not-realizing-the-greater-context in which I believe privilege thrives in. [1]'Folding Beijing' by Hao Jingfang, translated by Ken Liu, and winner for Hugo 2016 Best Novelette http://uncannymagazine.com/article/folding-beijing-2/ http://uncannymagazine.com/article/folding-beijing-2/

dagenleg 10y ago
I do still think that you are comparing apples and oranges here. Racism, xenophobia and apartheid are things that exist on totally different level from "subtle privilege of having western-sounding name on facebook" or other perceived micro-oppressions. I am not saying that "privilege" is a thing that exists and is discussed only in the west, rather I am saying that the things that do exist in the west are not worth the amount of attention they are getting.
- SolaceQuantum 10y ago
  Actually, many of these discussions also look into microaggressions. Consider when a half-Brazilian woman earned miss Japan. There was discussion on what mucroaggressions she faced in the media and in her childhood such as pointing out how she may not he truly Japanese due to her ancestry and implications that she doesn't deserve awards. Facebook in a way of managing who is discerned to have a real name and excluding people from different cultures because the way they identify themselves are unacceptable is part of a larger problem in when identities are questioned purely for not fitting into the majority or "white" ideal of what is considered an acceptable identity, and demanding those who have unacceptable identities to change to fit the "white" ideal in order to participate in a significant social media platform.
  - dagenleg 10y ago
    I do not agree with your interpretation of the Facebook naming policy - in my opinion people of non-majority cultures experience problems simply due to limited resources and maybe negligence, not evil intent or societal demand to "fit in". Nonetheless, I did no know of Japanese discussions on "microagressions", that's curious. You do agree, that Japan is often thought of as belonging to the "Western" countries, don't you?
    - SolaceQuantum 10y ago
      The thing about micro aggression is that there doesn't need to be ill intent behind it to have a hurtful effect. In this case minority cultures are forced to edit their presented identity to fit into a scheme that the majority culture didn't even think about as having any other alternatives! I find it interesting that you honed in on Japan and ascribed with rhetoric Japan's discussion of its own xenophobia as a "western" influence. You could with some mental twisting ascribe any such discussion with "western" influence due to the phenomenon of globalization. But in doing so there isn't room for another culture to develop their own capability to analyze and discuss potential problems within their own culture as people of that culture- in other words it is a rhetoric that denies any non-western culture agency. To say Japan's examination of its own cultural xenophobic tendencies is due to "western ownership" denies the Japanese their agency to look at their own culture and think critically about systems of oppression in Japan for themselves. It also presents Japan as a culture that is not itself, it "belongs" to another system, which of itself is a kind of unpleasant view of other cultures given you are of a "western" culture and benefit by presenting other cultures as "belonging to" your culture.

dagenleg 10y ago

I do still think that you are comparing apples and oranges here. Racism, xenophobia and apartheid are things that exist on totally different level from "subtle privilege of having western-sounding name on facebook" or other perceived micro-oppressions. I am not saying that "privilege" is a thing that exists and is discussed only in the west, rather I am saying that the things that do exist in the west are not worth the amount of attention they are getting.

SolaceQuantum 10y ago
Actually, many of these discussions also look into microaggressions. Consider when a half-Brazilian woman earned miss Japan. There was discussion on what mucroaggressions she faced in the media and in her childhood such as pointing out how she may not he truly Japanese due to her ancestry and implications that she doesn't deserve awards. Facebook in a way of managing who is discerned to have a real name and excluding people from different cultures because the way they identify themselves are unacceptable is part of a larger problem in when identities are questioned purely for not fitting into the majority or "white" ideal of what is considered an acceptable identity, and demanding those who have unacceptable identities to change to fit the "white" ideal in order to participate in a significant social media platform.
- dagenleg 10y ago
  I do not agree with your interpretation of the Facebook naming policy - in my opinion people of non-majority cultures experience problems simply due to limited resources and maybe negligence, not evil intent or societal demand to "fit in". Nonetheless, I did no know of Japanese discussions on "microagressions", that's curious. You do agree, that Japan is often thought of as belonging to the "Western" countries, don't you?
  - SolaceQuantum 10y ago
    The thing about micro aggression is that there doesn't need to be ill intent behind it to have a hurtful effect. In this case minority cultures are forced to edit their presented identity to fit into a scheme that the majority culture didn't even think about as having any other alternatives! I find it interesting that you honed in on Japan and ascribed with rhetoric Japan's discussion of its own xenophobia as a "western" influence. You could with some mental twisting ascribe any such discussion with "western" influence due to the phenomenon of globalization. But in doing so there isn't room for another culture to develop their own capability to analyze and discuss potential problems within their own culture as people of that culture- in other words it is a rhetoric that denies any non-western culture agency. To say Japan's examination of its own cultural xenophobic tendencies is due to "western ownership" denies the Japanese their agency to look at their own culture and think critically about systems of oppression in Japan for themselves. It also presents Japan as a culture that is not itself, it "belongs" to another system, which of itself is a kind of unpleasant view of other cultures given you are of a "western" culture and benefit by presenting other cultures as "belonging to" your culture.