The Power of Privilege

With 'Occupy Vancouver' hot at our doorstep I thought that it was suitable to write my second blog on the power of privilege. Privilege is something that advantaged groups have a hard time seeing. This is not always just because they are cold hearted mean spirited bigots, but because when you are privileged you do not have to be aware of it. As Allan G. Johnson points out in his book on privilege, power and difference (2006), being part of an advantaged group in society allows you the privilege of not having to face the negative consequences of inequality because your privilege is considered normal. What I mean to say here is that you may not feel anything positive coming our of your privilege because you are 'merely' being treated like a normal member of society due to it.

For example: When I meet my friends at a restaurant for dinner I hop on the bus, have my pleasant social dinner and head home. Apart from any interesting events that conspire between my friends and I, most of my experience is not noteworthy.

However, would my experience be different if I was in a wheelchair? Perhaps the already full bus during dinner time rush hour would not be able to pick me up and due to that I would arrive late or not at all for that matter. What if the restaurant that my friends chose for us to eat at was a small one without enough room for me to fit through the door or sit comfortably at the table? Would I have been forced to leave? How would my friends treat me differently? Would they even be my friends?

In other words my able-bodied privilege is something that I don't have to think about. However, I experience the positive effects of it every day without batting an eyelash.

When asking yourself my favorite question: "Why" is this protest against inequality going on right now, try to remember that you are blind to your privilege. Furthermore, keep in mind that you did not earn your privilege in an equal society and therefore, you do not fully deserve it. You may refute me and say that you have worked hard, you didn't live outside your means and you always did the 'right' thing, but you have to ask yourself: to which groups do I belong in this society? How would my life have been different if I were psychologically ill, non able-bodied, non-heterosexual, female, part of a disadvantaged racial minority group or addicted to drugs? Does the current application of the capitalist system still seem fair from that perspective?

Should we be using our tax dollars to bail out giant corporations who made bad choices given all the privileges that they are alloted? Why is it okay to help the privileged and not okay to help the disadvantaged? Why should the distribution of wealth be coming from the bottom up? Shouldn't the people who are already part of an advantaged group, who have the most money be contributing the most? Let me put it this way, if you were a wealthy white man would you ask your female friend who is a single, unemployed mother of three, with a psychological illness to lend you money because one of your business deals went sour?

I sure hope not.

Anyways, to anyone who has taken the time to actually read my rant, I thank you! Until next time, keep asking 'why'-it makes life so much more interesting!