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Unless you or your family were the ones that fought, it is privilege. Privilege isn’t a “bad word,” either - it’s okay to have privilege. But acknowledging it’s
by borski 4y ago
Unless you or your family were the ones that fought, it is privilege. Privilege isn’t a “bad word,” either - it’s okay to have privilege. But acknowledging it’s existence goes a long way toward building humility and understanding the situation of others who don’t have it.
- majou 4y agoIs it not "be privileged" or to "have privileges"? It's not as though it were quantifiable—"privilege checks" (the decade old boogeymeme) notwithstanding.
- borski 4y agoNot sure I understand what you mean. I am saying it is good to acknowledge the privileges you have, and/or the fact that you are privileged. Not everybody has privileges, or is privileged, or however you’d like to describe it.
- seizethecheese 4y agoDefine family. Because most Americans are descendants of war veterans.
- borski 4y agoYou are intentionally missing the point. The pedantic definition of family is a strawman, in this case.
- seizethecheese 4y agoSorry it came across that way. I was hoping to point out that there are shades of truth to what you say. Probably lower class people have a lot more latent trauma passed through generations.
- borski 4y agoSure, I agree with that. Trauma can definitely be generational.
- kelnos 4y agoI mean, so what? If one of my ancestors fought in a war defending their/my country's freedom, I don't get to claim credit for what they did. I am privileged that those ancestors made the sacrifice they did and don't have to fight in a war myself.
- borski 4y agoPrecisely.
- seizethecheese 4y agoI believe there’s more nuance here. If both of my grandfathers fought in WWII and neither of yours did, my parents are likely to have picked up a lot of latent trauma that yours did not. I believe the lower classes in this country are less “privileged” for their freedom , on average. Of course, the more time passes, the smaller this effect.
- imoverclocked 4y agoInterestingly, trauma and chronic stress gets passed through genes too.
- mensetmanusman 4y agoThese debates over privilege get complicated because everyone is privileged on some facet of their existence.
- borski 4y agoSure. And it’s not a competition. Acknowledging the ways in which we are privileged is all I’m suggesting we do. Living in a warzone affords very little privilege, but likely not none.