Oblivious Privilege Denial?

[garrethdsouza]

http://aphro-ism.com/2015/08/19/weareal ... ck-vegans/

[knowledge is power]

A link would be good, I can't seem to copy this into my browser.


Everyone here is aware of the privilege we humans have over animals. Why is it so hard for some here to believe we have privilege over others? Please educate yourselves. Knowledge is power (yeah I know )

[garrethdsouza]

http://tinyurl.com/pgluo9k

[brimstoneSalad]

Privilege is real, but it is a factor of all adjectives, and depends on the context.

Somebody might be more privileged for being white, more privileged for being male, less privileged for being short, less privileged for being an atheist, more privileged for speaking English, less privileged for being bald, etc.
And it depends on the cultural context.

The sum total of what we are, or are perceived to be, factors into the net privileges we have over or under others in the social pecking order. Some variables are more or less weighted than others. Some may seem more or less just.

The trouble comes in making assumptions about people's net privileges based on one or two limited qualities.
And worse, using rhetoric like "check your privilege" as an ad hominem fallacy against others' arguments.

Obviously not everybody who uses the word "privilege" makes those mistakes, but at least on the internet, the word has picked up those connotations, so you should try to be understanding of why some are wary due to misuse of the concept.

The word "privilege" is so contaminated by rhetoric, that at a certain point (if you're looking to educate) it may be more useful to use different terminology.

[Kyron]

@brimstoneSalad

You explain things so much better than I ever could. *claps*