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SJWs and the like CONSTANTLY complain about people being born privileged; i.e white privilege, thin privilege, 1st world country privilege, etc. etc. etc. But is that really necessarily a bad thing?
Personally the reason I work so hard is so my kids and grand kids have an advantage. If my actions were independent of their opportunities, I don't think I'd be a very productive member of society.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,243,006 times
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I thought everyone today is anxious to see diversity. Being born privileged, the different degrees of that privilege, and lack of privilege mean diversity of privilege.
Just heard an interesting quip about this: Many people lie that they have more than they really have; Politicians lie that they have less than they have.
SJWs and the like CONSTANTLY complain about people being born privileged; i.e white privilege, thin privilege, 1st world country privilege, etc. etc. etc. But is that really necessarily a bad thing?
People who complain about this, usually don't understand the point of the concept.
In my thinking, recognition of the concept of privilege leads into 2 things. Compassion and gratitude. When you can recognize that in some aspect you got lucky, and you could have it worse, being able to be compassionate and not a jerk to other people is cool, and having some gratitude for whatever good fortune you've got makes you a more positive, emotionally healthy human being.
I fail to see any fault in either.
An example for you, from my own life. For some reason...genetic throwback, messed up thyroid, I don't even know...I am a thin little person. I don't try to be this way. I'm no health nut, my diet isn't great, and I work sitting at a desk and I get very little exercise. All of the women and a lot of the men, on both sides of my family, wound up heavy well by the time they hit my age. Especially the women who had kids...I had two, and yet I remain the same weight and size as I was when I was a teenager.
I'm not complaining, but it's struck me as a bit weird. I've found some old photos of relatives from several generations back, whom I resemble and were smaller and thinner, so perhaps that's it.
I did nothing to earn this. It's just who I am.
I have a friend, that I grew up with. He was my best friend in high school, I've known him since we were about 15. Even back then he was huge. He's probably topped out over 400 lbs. He lost 100 lbs once and you couldn't really even tell. I don't know at what point someone would have to have intervened, to prevent this from happening to him. He was huge as a teenager. I never witnessed him devour large amounts of food. I don't think he had out of control eating habits. He exercised, especially as an adult, more than most people do. He's been on severe diets, he's had personal trainers. He even had a cocaine habit for some years, which normally makes people lose weight...it didn't make him noticeably thinner. He had a job where he'd spend his days lugging a cart full of heavy tools all over Washington DC repairing office equipment, and he'd park and spend the whole day out on foot...sometimes he worked 2 or 3 jobs...nothing he did in his life made him smaller.
He and I clearly were born with very different genes and chemicals telling our bodies, at a cellular level, to do very different things. Some jackalopes in this world think he deserves to be "shamed" so he will "change his unhealthy habits." People would stare at him when we were out together and this made me very angry and defensive of him. Like do you think he doesn't know what he looks like?
A refusal to acknowledge that privilege is a thing, that sometimes you're just lucky and nothing more... You know, all that is, is a desire to sit on your high horse and be an a-hole to other people. To think that you are better than others, because of something you could not even help. Denial of it is nothing but stamping your little foot and saying that you don't WANT to be kind, or compassionate, or grateful.
So the "SJWs and the like" that you're grousing about here, are not saying that the playing field should be truly equal, since that is stupid and impossible. Of course it isn't and it never will be. What they're saying is that there's no call to be a jerk to other people, to punch down at someone who is already suffering, because you want to feel smug and superior.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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I grew up hard, spent parts of my early childhood 50% below the poverty line and orphaned by age 11. I resented those kids with it easier than myself. BUT if I had kids I would work like heck to give them as privileged an upbringing as possible.
I don't think equal outcomes are possible, focus should be on alleviating the worst problems associated with being underprivileged. I don't think every 16 year old globally should be given a new Mercedes as a birthday present but I do think we could and therefore should ensure no toddler dies of hunger. In my own case I think it was fair that I received federal grants to help cover tuition costs that rich kids didn't get. But guaranteeing me a high paid job just because of my hard childhood would be overreach. It's all a balance.
There's no way around some people having privilege, but that doesn't excuse those who have it from realizing it and doing something to offer others a hand up now and then, either.
There have always been some more "privileged" than others. It transcends all societies, all times, etc.
Being privileged in and of itself is not a problem.
The issue is how one treats it. If they're thankful and humble, great. If they flaunt and abuse it, there is a potential issue. Look at the output, not the input.
If you have means or some money, there will be people that have jealousy. With the Internet the jealous people can congregate and complain in a choir, so they are heard more now. Always some people wanting to bring you down. Seems the Internet/media is catering to those that cry the most these days. I just tell the to stick it.
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