5 ms·

I'm perpetually amused by all the people acutely aware of their privilege, and how they rarely mention any of the things they're doing to try to right the injus

by richo 14y ago

I'm perpetually amused by all the people acutely aware of their privilege, and how they rarely mention any of the things they're doing to try to right the injustice. It strikes me as the same making racist remarks and then insisting you have black friends, (the corollary being that my unchecked privilege probably makes me an unapologetic racist in this analogy but at least that's honest, I guess)

newbie12 14y ago
It isn't "injustice" that he's born into privilege. That affluence is the result of sacrifice and decisions made by his family and his larger community/nation. The injustice is that other families and nations are various degrees of corrupt and ignorant. That's not necessarily his burden. In fact, the main reason that life is getting better around the globe is because advanced, "priviledged" societies invented agriculture, science, computers, refrigeration, vaccines, and so on.
- richo 14y ago
  I'm not sure if you were meant to be agreeing with me or not, or if I'm just misinterpreting your tone. I agree with you. While I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to have some perspective and context for the way you experience the world, this privilege apologism that's taken hold is absurd in my view.
- mbrock 14y ago
  Here's a good picture of sacrifice: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Slave_Auction_Ad.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Slave_Auc...
hunvreus 14y ago
You should not assume either that lack of mention means lack of action.
ctdonath 14y ago
I'm perpetually amused by all the people acutely aware of their privilege, and how they rarely mention any of the things they're doing to try to right the injustice. Injustice? there's nothing wrong with doing well and reaping the rewards thereof, there's nothing wrong with "knowing the right people", there's nothing wrong with honest success. There's no "injustice" to "right" in this case. In many/most cases, their success is indeed a consequence of making other people's lives better - certainly nothing to apologize for, nor condemn.

by richo 14y ago

newbie12 14y ago

It isn't "injustice" that he's born into privilege. That affluence is the result of sacrifice and decisions made by his family and his larger community/nation. The injustice is that other families and nations are various degrees of corrupt and ignorant. That's not necessarily his burden. In fact, the main reason that life is getting better around the globe is because advanced, "priviledged" societies invented agriculture, science, computers, refrigeration, vaccines, and so on.

richo 14y ago
I'm not sure if you were meant to be agreeing with me or not, or if I'm just misinterpreting your tone. I agree with you. While I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to have some perspective and context for the way you experience the world, this privilege apologism that's taken hold is absurd in my view.
mbrock 14y ago
Here's a good picture of sacrifice: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Slave_Auction_Ad.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Slave_Auc...

hunvreus 14y ago

You should not assume either that lack of mention means lack of action.

ctdonath 14y ago

I'm perpetually amused by all the people acutely aware of their privilege, and how they rarely mention any of the things they're doing to try to right the injustice. Injustice? there's nothing wrong with doing well and reaping the rewards thereof, there's nothing wrong with "knowing the right people", there's nothing wrong with honest success. There's no "injustice" to "right" in this case. In many/most cases, their success is indeed a consequence of making other people's lives better - certainly nothing to apologize for, nor condemn.