You know the one thing i have realized about privilege

[La Lioness Priyanka]

no one who has it wants to admit they have it. For instance, i don't often think "hmm, i am able bodied, i have some privilege" or " i am pretty, i have some privilege"

something about us all makes us very resistant to admitting where in society we have privilege over others.

You would think with oppressed groups, that we would be better at seeing where are privileges lie, but unless we are specifically trained, we are all very resistant to admitting societal privileges.

[1StrongBlackMan]

1. That is very insightful ...

I think it's a result of the rugged individualist American mythos.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

2. yes, i think it is. i also think is a human trait to think

that all our achievements are because of our own work/talent/ability, and the failures because of someone else's. Its a way to protect self esteem.

so i think it's part culture, part protection of self esteem

[leveymg]

3. If you strip privilege away, there is very little merit in most of those who own and run things.

There are exceptions that prove the rule, of course, but those who inherit property usually lack the talent and drive that may have propelled their parents. Chances are, of course, that the parents were also highly privileged.

There should be a near-100 percent tax on wealth above the Social Security cutoff. That would be a big incentive to raise that cap.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. i disagree. partly because wealth is only a for of privilege not the entirety of it.

[leveymg]

7. I can't imagine someone who is wealthy who isn't also privileged in some way.

There is privilege due to personal merit -- a special talent or gift, creativity, endurance, hard work -- and then there is acquired privilege (private education and the things that are acquired from wealthy parents); and finally, there is inherited wealth. The former should be subsidized by taking a a large part of the wealth from the latter as taxes or sliding-scale fees, while the last should be taxed almost into extinction.

[RevStPatrick]

5. I remember reading a long time ago...

...that there have been 37 billion homo sapiens sapiens on the planet over the history of our species. When I read that I thought to myself, "Well, then I am among the 1 billion luckiest, most privileged members of our species ever."

You might not think that to look at me. I'm not a member of the 1 percent. I do a lot of things wrong, and have some problems (like everybody else). I don't think anyone has ever looked at me and thought "this is one of the luckiest, most privileged people ever."

But I think about that at least once a week. I suppose today is that day for this week...

(more recently, I read somewhere else that there have been 100 billion homo sapiens sapiens. that would put me in the luckiest, most privileged 2-3 billion. whatever...)

[Uben]

6. I admit I have it

I have priviledge and I am thankful everyday for it. Most of my friends who have it feel the same way. And, I do what I can to help those who do not have priviledge. It's my way of paying for the priviledge I have. I feel all who enjoy priviledge owe something to society for their right to enjoy that priviledge. Granted, I don't hang with the uber-rich, so I cannot speak for that segment of society.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. how did you come to realize it? was it naturally (as in just through observation?)

or was it through reading? training of some sort?

i am just curious as to how people get to recognize their privilege

[obamanut2012]

9. I am educated and white

I am female, gay, and far from being rich.

My education and race give me some privilege in some circumstances, although no real societal power.

I have realized I am privileged in some ways for a long time, but it didn't really hit me smack in the face until I started teaching students where the majority of them had no societal privilege, and would have a very difficult getting any, even with a decent education.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. do you teach undergrads? or highschool?

[obamanut2012]

11. Undergrads

I get ticked when my wireless goes out for an hour. Many of them don't even have a computer, and of the ones who do, most of those don't have internet. I also had an excellent high school education, which gave me a nice boost when I entered college. Many of them have no knowledge of how to write an essay or use a library. I've had to completely rearrange my thoughts and expectations, and also how I teach. I have always taught rather privileged students before this.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

12. this is the same problem i have with my undergrads. i wonder if we teach at the same school

you're not in nyc are you?

[msongs]

13. yes embrace your female privileges without shame or guilt :-) nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

14. its not my female privilege, attractiveness and able-bodiedness

are not gender specific

[rrneck]

15. Eat every day. Sleep warm and dry.

Everything past that is gravy.

[laconicsax]

16. I have no problem admitting my extensive privilege.

Over the last ten or so years, I've started truly despising people who refuse to acknowledge that privileged classes exist or at the very least that the majority of people face staggering amounts of discrimination in our society and around the world.

Call me egocentric, but seeing as I'm middle-class, straight, 25-50, light-skinned (not white, but I certainly look it), have a penis, live in the US, and am still able to get over myself and admit to the extensive privilege was born into, no one like me has an excuse for being ignorant.