Part of being Privileged is not having to think about being Privileged

[dust1n]

I find it depressing that people are getting sucked into this unproductive kind of thinking.

Well, unproductive thinking and productive thinking I don't think necessarily hinge on the topic of discussion. It's more about the manner in which the discussion proceeds.

I see the notion of privilege as being a free pass to legitimize anti-white racism, to foment unrest by opening old wounds, basing it on a storytelling narrative that is almost impossible to actually prove.

So, if I can ask, do you see the notion of privilege as being anything other then a negative occurrence?

In some ways, I see CRT and the narrative of "white" privilege as being yet another hurdle placed in front of the black community in the states.

Well, CRT is more then use "white privilege." But I'm curious about your phrasing here. White privilege [is] being yet another hurdle placed in front of the black community. Doesn't the "yet another hurdle" imply that there are actually many hurdles in front of the black community? Wouldn't these be hurdles that, say, a non-black person might not have in front of them?

It solidifies the idea that the deck is stacked against a given community and though I am sure there are instances, here and there, I highly doubt it is a systemic problem.

I agree with this... or at least the sentiment. It's true to some extent. I know, for example, that wages now are equivalent to the wages my Dad had access to at his age. Such bleak realities are rather disenfranchising, and I find myself needing even extra motivation to go out and do stuff in society. Throw that in with ethical conundrums involving lots of fields and taxes, and I can't really see much reason to contribute to society.

But such pessimism don't not change the facts. Even if acknowledging "white privilege" is something that makes black kids feel like there is no point in trying, that doesn't really say anything about whether white privilege exists or not.

And I would be more then happy to provide empirical evidence detailing systemic racism in this country, if you would.

The psychological impact of this on uneducated blacks could be very damaging and could theoretically affect their ability to find a place in society. Why bother doing anything if life is stacked against you to begin with and unfairly favors your fair skinned countrymen?

But the psychological impact of actual systemic racial discrepancies can also be very damaging... probably more so then the abstraction of the discrepancies. And certainly, ignoring them isn't going to make uneducated blacks somehow feel more empowered. If anything, they will continue to resent their fair skinned countrymen even more.

I suppose, what gets me is that I see the concept of privilege as a very simplistic notion about very complex problems. If it eventually helps us to get beyond such limited thinking, then all is well and good, but I'm seeing it as being more divisive.

Well, if acknowledging white privilege is just an end itself, then I don't see much good coming from the notion. I don't see the concept of privilege as a very simplistic notion. I think think De Bois talked about simplistic notions at all. It's all.. actually.. very complicated. Whether or not the notions are limited, something to build off of, or divisive by virtue of who is using the terms, none of this speaks of the legitimacy of the issue, sad as it may be.

 

[dust1n]

In fairness, you still get it if you're poor. Like REALLY poor, as in homeless. I once saw the cops dragging an old, white homeless guy down the sidewalk by the arms. His pants and underpants had slipped down around his ankles. They didn't care. His legs and *** were scratched up and bleeding from being dragged across the pavement.

Every ******* whales on homeless people, regardless of their skin colour. They're the last outsider group everybody feels it's still politically correct to openly hate.

I think racism and sexism are innately tied into classism. Most people don't want to hear that though, because no likes to think of themselves as poor, or low-class, or working class, or financially struggling, or disadvantaged, regardless whether any of it is true or not. Really, the most privilege is granted to those with money, and the least privilege is granted to those who have none.

 

[Alceste]

Obama's Drug Use Debated - CBS News

Abuse, I said. Not use. Everybody's tried something.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Abuse, I said. Not use. Everybody's tried something.

Especially pot. Really the only thing offensive about Bill Clinton's admitted use of pot was he "didn't inhale."

 

[Alceste]

Especially pot. Really the only thing offensive about Bill Clinton's admitted use of pot was he "didn't inhale."

Exactly.

Rob Ford was RECENTLY photographed with a crack pipe in his hand. Like, during his term as mayor. And he's still the mayor of Canada's biggest city. The premier of Alberta was a known belligerent drunk for his entire 14 year term who avoided multiple DUIs and drunk and disorderly charges only because he was the boss of the police.

Only a white dude could argue that admitting to having sniffed a line or two of coke and maybe had a little too much to drink in college is EXACTLY THE SAME.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I think racism and sexism are innately tied into classism. Most people don't want to hear that though, because no likes to think of themselves as poor, or low-class, or working class, or financially struggling, or disadvantaged, regardless whether any of it is true or not. Really, the most privilege is granted to those with money, and the least privilege is granted to those who have none.

It could be worse dust1n, you could be 19 in a foreign country getting shot at in the rain. You could try to sleep after your best friend just got killed.

Want to talk about class, Clinton was in England not inhaling while I got drafted.

 

[Alceste]

It could be worse dust1n, you could be 19 in a foreign country getting shot at in the rain. You could try to sleep after your best friend just got killed.

Want to talk about class, Clinton was in England not inhaling while I got drafted.

That sucks.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

I think racism and sexism are innately tied into classism. Most people don't want to hear that though, because no likes to think of themselves as poor, or low-class, or working class, or financially struggling, or disadvantaged, regardless whether any of it is true or not. Really, the most privilege is granted to those with money, and the least privilege is granted to those who have none.

Even poor white people have it better than poor minorities though.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

My racial imagination is not that refined. I can't call a picture to mind, :sorry1:. Do you feel like you were singled out mainly because of your complexion?

That's what I was trying to get at.

I was definitely singled out because I was the darkest person in the car and look so obviously Hispanic. My haircut and tattoos probably didn't help either.

 

[Question_love_act]

I'm white. I don't feel guilty talking about white privilege.

Wow that nails it! It's more a matter of conscious thought and action rather than guilt. For white privilege as well as for other privileges.

I think this question is so important to reflect on. Life has taught me forms of privileges that I never knew existed since I met "under-privileged" (sorry I couldn't think of a better word!) people. For example, I learned about cisexual privilege and hearing privilege (I guess "seeing privilege" counts too, but I hung only with the Deaf community so I can't tell).

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Abuse, I said. Not use. Everybody's tried something.

Ain't that the truth lol

 

[Alceste]

Wow that nails it! It's more a matter of conscious thought and action rather than guilt. For white privilege as well as for other privileges.

I think this question is so important to reflect on. Life has taught me forms of privileges that I never knew existed since I met "under-privileged" (sorry I couldn't think of a better word!) people. For example, I learned about cisexual privilege and hearing privilege (I guess "seeing privilege" counts too, but I hung only with the Deaf community so I can't tell).

Thanks.

I had to look that up.

Cisgender - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Reverend Rick]

That sucks.

It did suck, and people treated you like crap when you came home calling you a baby killer. I did not want to fight in any war and I hated the military.

You know what? What don't kill us makes us stronger. I know it must suck working a dead end job for little money. It bites seeing rich kids driving new cars filling their tanks with Daddy's credit card.

You can't focus on that, you just have to figure a way out of the dumb crap and make a better life for yourself. Recessions don't last forever and things will get better, just not soon enough to make you all feel any better about it.

I might live a life of privilege now, but it was not always so.

 

[Alceste]

It did suck, and people treated you like crap when you came home calling you a baby killer. I did not want to fight in any war and I hated the military.

You know what? What don't kill us makes us stronger. I know it must suck working a dead end job for little money. It bites seeing rich kids driving new cars filling their tanks with Daddy's credit card.

You can't focus on that, you just have to figure a way out of the dumb crap and make a better life for yourself. Recessions don't last forever and things will get better, just not soon enough to make you all feel any better about it.

I might live a life of privilege now, but it was not always so.

It does suck working a dead end job for no money, but that has nothing to do with people who have expensive stuff they didn't earn. I'm not stuff-motivated. The reason most jobs suck from my perspective is that I'd rather be doing work that I feel passionate about.

My material desires are very minimal. I want a house. That's it. After that, I'm happy to just carry on as we are. The annoying part is that a house is really frickin basic. I shouldn't have to do something OTHER THAN what I was born to do for thirty years just to pay off a house.

 

[Revoltingest]

Abuse, I said. Not use. Everybody's tried something.

And your evidence that Bush abused drugs. He admitted abusing alcohol, but is that typically called a "drug", & are Obama's "bad decisions" exempt from being called abuse? It seems more like your sanitizing Obama's drug use relative to Bush.
But aside from all that, Obama was elected despite having been a drug user, & still being a smoker. Perhaps he had half-white privilege, eh?

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

And your evidence that Bush abused drugs. He admitted abusing alcohol, but is that typically called a "drug", & are Obama's "bad decisions" exempt from being called abuse? It seems more like your sanitizing Obama's drug use relative to Bush.
But aside from all that, Obama was elected despite having been a drug user, & still being a smoker. Perhaps he had half-white privilege, eh?

In all fairness, Obama never got a DUI.

 

[Revoltingest]

In all fairness, Obama never got a DUI.

True that. But are their records all that different? Obama openly admitted using dope & blow. Bush admitted alcohol, & hinted at more. Both appear to be mild recreational users who gave it up before political careers. Her point is that Obama wouldn't be given a pass for drug abuse...but now it's about minor differences making them greatly different. It seems a stretch to claim that Obama wasn't given a pass on his drug use. Compared to me, they both led profligate lives on the wrong side of drug laws, yet both have led rather charmed lives.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

True that. But are their records all that different? Obama openly admitted using dope & blow. Bush admitted alcohol, & hinted at more. Both appear to be mild recreational users who gave it up before political careers. Her point is that Obama wouldn't be given a pass for drug abuse...but now it's about minor differences making them greatly different. It seems a stretch to claim that Obama wasn't given a pass on his drug use. Compared to me, they both led profligate lives on the wrong side of drug laws, yet both have led rather charmed lives.

I'll agree that Obama was given a pass of sorts on his past drug use. Nobody really mentions Obama's past drug use as a bad thing. In fact, it's one of his endearing qualities that make people see him as a "cool" president. He openly talked about having the munchies in college on some televised speech (I forget which one, but he was talking about the buzzfeed website). But again, to be fair, Bush was a raging alcoholic while Obama seemed to be more of a recreational, social user.


PS: Please don't call weed "dope". Such a negative connotation for something that's barely a drug lol.

 

[Revoltingest]

But again, to be fair, Bush was a raging alcoholic while Obama seemed to be more of a recreational, social user.

And we know this about each?
Anyway, unless we call Obama half-white, his kid glove treatment would signal a pass for black folk.
It seems some people must find a dark cloud in every silver lining.

PS: Please don't call weed "dope". Such a negative connotation for something that's barely a drug lol.

Negative? They's just words.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

And we know this about each?

We know Bush was an alcoholic from records. The extent of Obama's drug use is only guessed at by what he has admitted.

Anyway, unless we call Obama half-white, his kid glove treatment would signal a pass for black folk.
It seems some people must find a dark cloud in every silver lining.

I agree.

Negative? They's just words.

Where I'm from, "dope" means heroin.