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The impacts of social class
The impacts of social class
Christian beliefs about justice
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Capitalism and systems of privilege are complicated: The following statements stood out to me in this chapter: “Part of such feelings (negative) comes from the misconception that privilege is something that is just about individuals.” “…each particular form of privilege is part of a much larger system of privilege.” “…once we see that each form of privilege exists in relation to all the rest, we can stop the fruitless habit of trying to figure out which is the worst or most oppressive.” Privilege is not about the individual, it definitely is more complicated than what I thought was initially suggested in the text. I do not think everything can ever be equal or fair. The world and humans just do not work that way. We are imperfect and selfish …show more content…
I think we all desire innately to dominate and be in control, it is human nature. While reading the text I felt like it gets so complicated, why make it so complicated? Has this overall focus on what privilege is and how it works in society created more issues about privilege? I believe we need to focus on others and not ourselves which is biblical principle.
As a Christian I am commanded by God: “…37And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38"This is the great and foremost commandment. 39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'…” (Matthew 22:37-39). Furthermore, I believe racism, privilege, and domination are really about selfishness and pride. If my neighbor is everyone but me, and I love my neighbor as myself, the problem is …show more content…
solved. After reading this chapter and especially after watching the TED Talk I see privilege as a neutral subject.
It is there and always will be. It does not matter the race, gender, or lifestyle. I do not believe I understood it correctly with the authors approach in the book. Therefore, the TED Talk really helped me not see privilege as positive or negative, it just is. Justin Ford did an excellent job delivering a more clear explanation of privilege for me. In every culture and with every group of people I believe it exists. If you have humans you will have privilege of some nature. I do believe that you can be privileged and unprivileged at the same time. This is where it gets complicated and I now see it differently. In the previous chapter I probably acted defensive because I did feel or see that you can have privilege and be unprivileged also. This chapter and especially the video clarified this and neutralized my attitude. I am still not sure why we use that word when it tends to polarize people and actually emphasize what we are trying to diminish. The authors last sentence in the chapter “We won’t get rid of racism, in other words, without doing something about sexism and classism, because the system that produces the one also produces the others and connects them”. I just do not know if I agree with the author, for me it is all about pride. Pride has nothing to do with race, class, or
sex. The definition of pride is the following: -a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired. -a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people -a feeling that you are more important or better than other people -a feeling of happiness that you get when you or someone you know does something good, difficult, etc. REFERENCES http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pride https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=definition%20of%20jpride
In conversations many people get defensive when someone says, “You have this because of your privilege” they feel as though that the person they are talking with doesn’t understand that they have worked hard for what they have, however that is not the point that anyone is trying to make. What someone in that position is saying is that although you have worked hard to get where you are your journey have been well furnished with privilege on account of your race. It is said to think about that you got somewhere in life due to the color of your skin, but it is also sadder to think that someone got declined a job, got stereotyped, or got overlooked because of their race or
Today in the United States of America people are both privileged and oppressed based on their diversity markers and social locations. These advantages and disadvantages are put in place by the people whom are in power, or otherwise known as the government and other leading officials. This is a major issue in today’s society that often tends to be masked by the many other issues within the country as well as by the privileged people. Many people who experience privilege tend to believe that privilege and oppression do not exist and that everyone has equal opportunity, but that is not the case privilege and oppression does exist and it can be seen every day in society. After a careful review of Dena Samuel’s “Matrix Model of Oppression and Privilege” I identified myself as rather privileged due to my social and diversity locations on her model.
When I read “Checking My Privilege” written by Tal Fortgang, a freshman at Princeton University, it made me stop and think. What does privilege mean, how should it be used and does it affect me and my life? Fortgang never really states the exact meaning of the word privilege but goes on to complain about the mistreatment of the word and how it is a form of reverse racism; could that be true, I wondered? However, he also claims that privileges do not exist based on race or gender, and that is something I do not agree with. I imagine many people will not agree with his stance on the word privilege or mine, as a matter of fact. Mainly because the word privilege has a different
Peggy McIntosh wrote this article to identify how her white privilege effects her life. Each statement is written as a privilege that Ms. McIntosh does not need to consider or fear as a white woman. From financial credibility to national heritage, this article makes a valid point regarding the way white people can be arrogant and naïve when the same treatment is not being given to their neighbors, coworkers, and peers. There can be two responses when reading this. The first would be a person of color. They will appreciate the attempt at realization of what white people take for granted. The second would be the reality that smacks the white people in the face when they realize how true all 50 statements are. Once this begins to sink in, many will start to broaden their competence realizing the unfair treatment of the people in this world. Moving down the timeline, we can see how the acknowledgement can mend broken relationships. Owning the reality and doing something to change it can give the people of different races the treatment they deserve (McIntosh,
What I mean by this is that their privilege is dependent on where they are located and are dominant in that area. The example in the essay “The Unexamined” that Ross gives when he was going to Rome illustrates this very clearly. As he says that the white people have the privilege of being unexamined, it depends on how good they fit in with others in the same area. When he was in his city everyone around him had similar features so he would blend in easy. In this case nobody would examine him, or point a finger on him, hence the being in a privileged group opinion he had about himself. But all this would change as soon as he moved to another place, where people have different features then his. He would stand out from the rest, losing his group’s privileges as unexamined. So in order for Ross to maintain his group’s privilege he has to maintain his geographic location. Another example that shows that privileged groups maintain their privilege by staying in the same location is of that of people who are part of a gang. Being in a gang you have the privilege of having power over other people who are not part of your gang. Everyone is afraid of you and nobody would come against you. I’ve seen this in a lot of different movies that I like to watch during my free time. Members of different gangs taunt everyone that come in their territory. They are the ones that make the rules in that area. They have the privilege to rule other people’s lives. But if they move to a different area that’s not part of their gang they lose their privilege. They are not in control anymore. Nobody cares who they are no one is afraid of them. It’s like they don’t even exist anymore. These two examples show that groups can maintain their privilege by staying in the same geographic area, otherwise they would lose it and be no more than a regular group with no power or even a slight importance
Privileges are things that a person receives that gives them an advantage over most people (Merriam-Webster). These are benefits that only certain people receive for being in a certain group or discourse. Peggy McIntosh, director of the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, wrote “White Privilege and Male Privilege” and states “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privileges, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege” (605). She argues that whites and males receive certain privileges, yet they do not even notice them. This shows that different races and women are still put at a disadvantage, but the people who receive the benefits are blind to the problem. Many people will argue that she is correct while some others will explain why this not is the case.
Privilege is a topic with, any definitions and many angles of interpretation. My definition describes privilege as a step-up or positive opportunity in a specific situation or circumstance that is not available to everyone. These privileges are sometimes earned while others are totally unwarranted by the recipient. An example of what I consider an unwarranted privilege would be a child living in a certain county and being able to attend a highly sought-after school strictly due to the way an area is zoned by the county. The privilege of a military veteran having his tuition paid for by the Government is a earned privilege by my beliefs. Privilege far extends far outside the boundaries of education. You will find privilege in virtually all facets
... Members of the dominant groups are taught not to see privilege. Being white in the United States opens doors to whether or not we approve of the way we have been granted dominance. McIntosh, pg. 78, p. 78. 5-6) Johnson compares social systems to Monopoly.
With all of these facts, the author tries to prove that racial differences and privileges appear exaggerated and unrealistic. The privileged and less privileged exist at all levels of society. Duke wants white people to understand that they are in the same position as all other races. The awareness of “white privilege” is only a fallacy that causes feel of guilt without foundation.
Making oneself aware of the privileges you have makes you appreciate the struggle of those around you. I have to say that I am more guilty of ignorance than I would like to admit. I really identified with the following statements in the article. #3. If I need to move, I can be pretty sure renting or purchasing housing in an area I can afford in which I would want to live.
According to Schwartz-Nobel, America will lose as much as 130 billion in future productive capacity for every year that 14.5 American children continue to live in poverty (Koppelman and Goodhart, 2007). Sadly the seriousness of poverty is still often clouded by myths and misunderstandings by society at large. This essay studies the issue of poverty and classism in today's society.
The best way I could describe privilege is having an advantage by default.The most common one is white privilege. A lot of people would not exactly see this right away. Although, there is happen to be privilege. White privilege happens
Such a simple but revealing quote captures the essence of a new form of racism that has evolved in America. Appalling cases of overt racism still manifest themselves, but the racism of today has become considerably more subtle than in the past. This subtlety is likely the cause of America’s disillusioned attitude towards racism. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “The absence of brutality and unregenerate evil is not the presence of justice.” Many have falsely assumed that with the eradication of explicit segregation laws, the problems of race and more importantly racism had been solved. The racism of today might not be as embedded within the law, but the racism of today quietly, yet undeniably, benefits and privileges certain groups over others. I would challenge society to reconsider its definition of racism, and use that new understanding to help make for a better tomorrow. The first step is for society to concede that America has produced a systemized hierarchy, one that has become known as white privilege.
The word “Privilege” is defined as being an immunity granted to a person or group of people that is meant to give one an advantage over others or benefit them in a useful way. Privileges are supposed to help people, but some do not want to accept the privilege and they should not be forced to partake in the advantage. Some privileges could be dangerous if a person partook in it and they could end up harming others. For example, there is a “grandfather clause” that allows certain people to drive a boat without taking safety classes or tests other people are forced to take. This could put someone who does not know how to drive a boat safely to drive one legally. Some topics are controversial when it comes to a privilege, like whether owning a
Money can give people a lot opportunities and privilege. Financially privileged people have no trouble getting materialistic things such as big houses, expensive cars, and jewelry. Being privileged can also provide better scholastic education as well as respect. On the other hand, a lack of money, as a person might guess, limits opportunity and lower a person’s status on the privilege pole. In order for an underprivileged person to have all of those things, they have to work hard to get to get the luxuries of nice houses, cars, and jewelry. As far as education goes, the underprivileged might not go to the best schools but they get an education that will prove to be more valuable in life; they learn to earn respect, appreciate what they have and how to survive with just the necessities and what’s really important in life. So when a person looks at each group and tries to decided with one gets the most out of life, they will see that underprivileged individuals get so much more out of life than a person who came up in affluence and privilege.