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Discussion: Teacher taught powerful lesson about privilege
Member Since: 12/1/2010
Posts: 23,572
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Quote:
Originally posted by Fenty The Great
No one is using the understanding of privilege as an excuse not to work hard. Why do people even assume that? Like, girl obviously if you're disadvantaged you have to work hard. The PROBLEM is that people who are privileged (I.E. those sitting in the front of the class) are completely oblivious to their position because they think it is normal for everyone to be where there are, and thus societal inequalities remain unchecked. Its also those same people who try to silence people for merely talking about it, as this thread has been a clear example of.
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Member Since: 8/4/2012
Posts: 37,267
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If we ignore it, it doesn't exist, cute logic.
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Member Since: 10/15/2011
Posts: 6,480
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Quote:
“By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal.”
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I think it's a little unfair to assume that everyone who made it to the top got their as a result to being born into privilege though... Like, what if those students at the front chose to sit there because they wanted to pay closer attention to lessons, while those in the back chose to be there because they wanted to be able to tune out without the teacher noticing?
I mean the overall message of being compassionate towards those who have less is great, and I get that some people are simply dealt better hands in life than others, but I don't really see the significance of bringing "privilege" into the discussion. It's really just a generalization that diminishes the accomplishments of those who are "privileged" while undermining the specific challenges that those who are "unprivileged" face.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 9,288
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRoofInhabitant
This is quite interesting to dismiss because my brother is severely disabled, and ever since he was born my family have had to work really hard to afford trips to the USA to let him follow a special rehabilitation programme by The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential. This was right after they finished building a home, personally built by my parents when the working day was over. Ten years later I was born, and up to now I can guarantee that no one has ever remotely complained about luck, privilege or anything. Why? Because it doesn't make any sense. You aren't spreading awareness, you are just encouraging a dangerous faux vision of the world that will only generate hatred.
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Girl if you think the world is all sunshine and flowers and fairy dust then that's on YOU. And if you think that you and your disabled brother started out in the world on the same playing field then that's on you too. And if you think your brother will have the same access to the opportunities that you will and that everything between your life and his life is completely equal then that's also on you.
However those of us who can see the world for what it actually is, we recognize the inequality and we bring attention to it. Should the world be like this? No. Is the world like this? Yes. If you're perfectly happy with that kind of world then skip right on into the sunset and do nothing to change it.
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Member Since: 8/16/2011
Posts: 19,718
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRoofInhabitant
This is quite interesting to dismiss because my brother is severely disabled, and ever since he was born my family have had to work really hard to afford trips to the USA to let him follow a special rehabilitation programme by The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential. This was right after they finished building a home, personally built by my parents when the working day was over. Ten years later I was born, and up to now I can guarantee that no one has ever remotely complained about luck, privilege or anything. Why? Because it doesn't make any sense. You aren't spreading awareness, you are just encouraging a dangerous faux vision of the world that will only generate hatred.
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Fine, but is there nothing people in a privileged position can do to alleviate some of the struggles associated with having a certain distadvantage?
How would your brother feel if no one had ever thought to build accesibility ramps, handicap parking spots, or automatic doors?
It's not enough to simply tell someone to "get better" or "do better" etc. In practice, it's more effective if those who can, help those who can't.
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Banned
Member Since: 3/4/2014
Posts: 4,756
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Quote:
Originally posted by Fenty The Great
Girl if you think the world is all sunshine and flowers and fairy dust then that's on YOU. And if you think that you and you disabled brother started out in the world on the same playing field then that's on you too. And if you think your brother will have the same access to the opportunities that you will and that everything between your life and his life is completely equal then that's also on you.
However those of us who can see the world for what it actually is, we recognize the inequality and we bring attention to it. Should the world be like this? No. Is the world like this? Yes. If you're perfectly happy with that kind of world then skip right on into the sunset and do nothing to change it.
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What are you doing to change it? Exaggerating the perception of actual problems instead of trying to find a solution by cooperating? Very nice!
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Member Since: 12/4/2010
Posts: 37,894
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Quote:
Originally posted by Rihbeyga
They always say I'm bound to succeed because of my background and education.
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Ugh, bless, that's not what privilege means.
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Member Since: 1/3/2014
Posts: 3,992
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I love how people say get off your ass and work and you'll succeed. Thats not true. i know plenty of people who have worked all their lives and still are not at that point one would THINK you should be at, why? BECAUSE of this exact privileged system we have here.
Person A: Born in an upper class or even upper middle class neighborhood, gets a top notch education, has tons of connects so they get a great well paying job etc etc you know how the story goes.
Person B: Grows up in the ghetto, they go to a crappy highschool, have to choose between college or work because if they don't work they cant help support their family because they don't have enough money to pay for their cost of living. Person B didnt choose the life they are in but they have to make the best out of their situations. They have to use what they can to better themselves but once again HARD WORK does not guarantee success, all it guarantees is that you'll get a pay check so that you wont be homeless.
I've seen it so often. People GO to work everyday they DON'T receive federal aid (the stereotype people like to place on alot of them) they support their families, but still they have numerous obstacles in their way.
Am i saying its impossible? No, what I'm saying is "work hard and you'll succeed" is Bulls*** its not that black and white, and if you've never been on the lower end of privileged scale you won't ever know.
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Banned
Member Since: 3/4/2014
Posts: 4,756
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sunshine.
Fine, but is there nothing people in a privileged position can do to alleviate some of the struggles associated with having a certain distadvantage?
How would your brother feel if no one had ever thought to build accesibility ramps, handicap parking spots, or automatic doors?
It's not enough to simply tell someone to "get better" or "do better" etc. In practice, it's more effective if those who can, help those who can't.
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Spreading this vision of the world will NOT have any positive effect, because it will just make people feel threatened consequently creating envy and the perception of a sort of "competition" between privileged and unprivileged people.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 9,288
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRoofInhabitant
What are you doing to change it? Exaggerating the perception of actual problems instead of trying to find a solution by cooperating? Very nice!
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Coming from someone who would rather pretend the problems (exaggerated or otherwise) don't even exist. You're a product of the status quo and there's nothing admirable about that. Continue to live the way you've been told to live and challenge nothing, be nothing, and do nothing. See how that works out for you in the end.
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Member Since: 3/8/2012
Posts: 39,015
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRoofInhabitant
What are you doing to change it? Exaggerating the perception of actual problems instead of trying to find a solution by cooperating? Very nice!
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There isn't an exaggeration though. I'll give you one example. When it comes to black and white applicants for low paying jobs who either has a criminal or no criminal record. White applicants with a criminal record were still more likely to received a call back from the company/store than black individuals WITHOUT a criminal record.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 9,288
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sunshine.
Fine, but is there nothing people in a privileged position can do to alleviate some of the struggles associated with having a certain distadvantage?
How would your brother feel if no one had ever thought to build accesibility ramps, handicap parking spots, or automatic doors?
It's not enough to simply tell someone to "get better" or "do better" etc. In practice, it's more effective if those who can, help those who can't.
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EDUCATE ha
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Member Since: 8/16/2011
Posts: 19,718
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Some of ya'll are just. Would it make sense for a teacher and student to take the same test, compare the two, and then tell the student he has to work harder?
Of course not. The teacher has a CLEAR advantage. But if that teacher realized his position and took the time to teach the student some of the things he knew, wouldn't everyone be better off?
I don't see why some here are so threatened in giving someone a hand up.
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Member Since: 3/8/2012
Posts: 39,015
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Quote:
Originally posted by Sunshine.
Fine, but is there nothing people in a privileged position can do to alleviate some of the struggles associated with having a certain distadvantage?
How would your brother feel if no one had ever thought to build accesibility ramps, handicap parking spots, or automatic doors?
It's not enough to simply tell someone to "get better" or "do better" etc. In practice, it's more effective if those who can, help those who can't.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 9,288
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I mean without taking a step back to TALK ABOUT the privilege of being able body, would we even have bothered making spaces that are wheelchair accessible or having any of the other things people have done to make the lives of people easier? That's literally all this is about. But you would rather tell disabled people to stop "complaining" about not having accessible spaces, right?
Pathetic.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 39,572
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Sometimes y'all need to realise that in your quest for justice y'all can go too far.
For every good person who can't quite get there you can get a rags to riches story. Our countries are built on a survival of the fittest and if you can't keep up that isn't my fault.
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Banned
Member Since: 3/4/2014
Posts: 4,756
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Quote:
Originally posted by Fenty The Great
Coming from someone who would rather pretend the problems (exaggerated or otherwise) don't even exist. You're a product of the status quo and there's nothing admirable about that. Continue to live the way you've been told to live and challenge nothing, be nothing, and do nothing. See how that works out for you in the end.
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Do you realise that what I and people like me have been doing has had way more productive effects than this dumb philosophy?
Quote:
Originally posted by Ichinaru19
There isn't an exaggeration though. I'll give you one example. When it comes to black and white applicants for low paying jobs who either has a criminal or no criminal record. White applicants with a criminal record were still more likely to received a call back from the company/store than black individuals WITHOUT a criminal record.
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I reckon this is a real problem, and I've never had any experience with it so I can say I'm ignorant, but please think about this: will spreading around this message do anything to improve the situation? I don't think so.
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Member Since: 3/8/2012
Posts: 39,015
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Quote:
Originally posted by hello_world
Sometimes y'all need to realise that in your quest for justice y'all can go too far.
For every good person who can't quite get there you can get a rags to riches story. Our countries are built on a survival of the fittest and if you can't keep up that isn't my fault.
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Seems like someone finally broke
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Member Since: 8/3/2010
Posts: 71,871
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People derailing this thread goodness
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Member Since: 8/16/2011
Posts: 19,718
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Quote:
Originally posted by TheRoofInhabitant
Spreading this vision of the world will NOT have any positive effect, because it will just make people feel threatened consequently creating envy and the perception of a sort of "competition" between privileged and unprivileged people.
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We've BEEN spreading this image of the world though.
And as a result blacks are no longer second class citizens, women are closer to being paid equally, and gay men can no longer be discriminated against in most work places. And EVERY step of the way privileged people felt threatened. Even today, str8 people are still threatened by the fact that gays have better footing in society.
We still have work to do. And people with your kind of mentality are slowing things down.
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