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I hate when people criticize others for a privilege when they benefit from a privilege themselves.

posted 5 years ago by samoanjoes (58613)
6 replies | jump to latest

I hate hearing about white privilege when the person saying it probably has able-bodied privilege .

I hate hearing about rich privilege when the person saying it probably has the privilege of living in a first-world country.

I hate hearing about straight privilege when the person saying it probably has a house to go home to.

Privileges can intersect. Why do people feel the need to randomly point out a privilege they think someone has when they're benefitting from some form of privilege of their own? And to make it worse, when you mention that, they tell you that you're deflecting. It seems hypocritical. I have some form of privilege, and so do you. Do we really want to rank oppression? Let's just move on.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

So... because everyone has privilege of some sort we are to ignore inequalities because what, they can make it up in another area? I wonder if you've thought this through.

So let's take the scenario where a white disabled person is refused entry to a venue. Are they within their rights to complain about able bodied privilege or should they just consider themselves lucky that they're not disabled AND black?

I see what you're selling, but I ain't buying.

[–] samoanjoes (58613) 5 years ago

I think you have me wrong. I'm speaking about where people generalize even though someone hasn't done something wrong. In the example you gave, that person was mistreated and they can point out specifically who did it so they have every right to complain. People online criticize me just for being white even though they know nothing about me. For all they know I could be missing all my limbs and dying while I live in a war torn country.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Ah ok, well I believe the only way you can change preconceived notions about you is by your own actions. People might assume I'm a certain way because I'm a white male, but if I treat them with respect I generally find it's returned, regardless of any prejudices they may hold because of the way they have been treated in the past.

But let's be realistic, I don't know what it's like to be a black single mother or the challenges that would present to you, just as that person wouldn't know what it's like to be a white gay male. It doesn't mean we can't listen to each other's struggles, and cut each other a bit of slack when we point out priveleges others enjoy that we don't.

Fact is some people have it a lot worse than others, regardless of any privelege they might have in other areas. I think it's unkind to get annoyed because they would prefer that to change.

[–] samoanjoes (58613) 5 years ago

Yeah that's exactly my point. I hate the idea where being a white male automatically means that you're the most privileged and can't complain about anything in your life. Everyone experiences things differently.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I hear you, but by the same token us white dudes have done pretty well in terms of privilege historically, so you can understand why some people still have an attitude about it. Of course that doesn't mean we can't complain about anything, if it does I think many white guys missed that memo! I think you'll find on most internet forums it's often the white guys that shout the loudest about all manner of things, be it gay people, immigrants, feminism, refugees, trans people. When people push back on that you get people start complaining that they're being discriminated against because of their whiteness, but I often think "well, if you weren't a total jerk in the first place..."

Like I said though, just show them you're a nice guy and they'll come around :)

[–] ultravioletx (10237) 5 years ago

Agreed. White guys complain just as much as any other group, yet white guys fail to demonstrate how they have it as bad as the groups they are complaining about.

Its easy to see the significant difference of how black people are treated by the cops even when they are unarmed and innocent of a crime. Yet whenever a person of color is cast in a historically white role, here come the white right-wingers to claim white people are victims.