"Privilege" or "advantage"?

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I don't see anyone or any group to be privileged in any society that is free and democratic. I see every citizen as equal, and "privilege" or "advantage" are just relative terms.
They are not objective. They are not absolutes.

No. The problem is not some white privilege. Being able to jog without worry the cops are going to taser or shoot you for no reason is just how it should be, nothing more nothing less. Being black and having to worry about being shot while jogging or driving is blacks being discriminated against.

Besides outright discrimination, being as qualified as a white person, dressed as professionally as a white person but not getting the job because the employer perceives you as less well dressed, people assuming you are the bellhop etc. All of these put most blacks at a disadvantage compared to most whites. But likely does not equate to automatic, that is one reason the expression "white privilege" is inaccurate.

Coming into my house is a privilege,
Not a right.
And *I* am the one who bestows that privilege.
Do I bestow an "Advantage" by allowing someone to enter?
Perhaps, but that is using a different context.

I agree with you and Magz:
"My understanding is that a "priviledge" needs some society that gives special treatment to the priviledged."

In my example, I am a society of 1.

OK, I'll join you down the semantics rabbit hole

In my language, privileges are always aquired in some form, advantages can be something that you're either born with or you acquire (there's also privileged=protected like the client-lawyer relationship, but not relevant here):

Because I'm tall, I have the advantage of being able to reach on top of things (unearned). Because I'm highly specialised and competent in my field, I have the advantage of being well-paid and choosing what kind of job I want (earned).

Privilege can also be either earned: if I get hired as a foreign specialist in certain countries, I will pay less tax than the locals (for a limited period of time), or unearned: because my boss is related to me I get preferential treatment at work and it can be fair or unfair (always debatable).

The only examples I can think of (in my culture) where people had privileges from birth were the old aristocracy or royal family. Is it fair to assume that this is how white privilege is seen in the US?

I googled for examples of privilege and found this:



In my language, neither the word advantage nor privilege have a negative connotation in themselves, unless they are accompanied by words like unfair, unearned etc also known as favouritism, nepotism or bias. It seems to me from the above quote that in (American?) English the term privilege gained a strong negative connotation and is considered by default unfair, unearned and used in an abusive way.

Am I starting to understand the issue better?

Once again, where I live, not being harassed or killed by police (along with other things) is considered a right, not a privilege (and no, the system isn't perfect here either but we have discrimination and hate crime laws to help with the process). In this scenario, my concern wouldn't be that white people have an unfair "privilege", but that black people's rights are being violated and this is indeed a very serious and dangerous problem.

Last edited by BenderRodriguez on 10 Jun 2020, 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

For what it's worth, I think so.  "Privilege" is often used negatively when the more appropriate term may be "Social Advantage" -- an average white male (AWM) is treated well by others because those others choose to treat him well.  If all AWMs were treated the same way as the average black male, you would likely see a lot more AWMs involved in those "Lives Matter" movements.

It's a similar idea to the one that goes, "If men were able to become pregnant, only then would you see any real research into male contraceptives".

You would have to "bring it home" to everyone before any real action gets taken.  But, since wealthy white males rule the world, life will never be that difficult for them, as they can shelter in place on their multi-million dollar estates with the high-tech security systems and armed guards roaming the grounds.

^
Privileges brought by money and power are very hard to fight against and historically speaking, all attempts have failed and lead to new forms of abuse.

Since I'm aware that for the time being we can't change human nature, my personal choice is to concentrate on improving what we can by ensuring that everybody has the same rights and they are actually being respected and compensatory measures that give disadvantaged or disabled people access to a good education, income, residence and other basic needs.

It seems like advantage/disadvantage/privilege are subjective.

Like, some say, "autism is a curse", other say, "autism is a gift".

I've heard people say "check your privilege". How would I do that?

IOW think about how social relations in america really work. think about how you [as a white amuuurican] may have been advantaged, on average, compared to POC born here.

Poor is an advantage?

It teaches you the value of hard work and you avoid "affluenza" (affluence)?

Plus, you are more free, less worries about assets.

Looks like "Context" is important.

This. The "white privilege", defined as being approached with basic respect and friendliness by default, shouldn't be anyone's "privilege", it should be the social norm of civilised people.
The "white privilege", defined as a right to live your life without fear of getting tasered or shot for innocent activities - it's astonishing that in the 21st century, in a first world country, it still needs any discussion. It's no "privilege" of whites, it's a drastic violation of basic human rights of American Blacks!

Good example
In my language, "privileges" are always granted but not necessarily earned.
There needs to be someone (singular or plural) in power to grant or deny them.

Indeed, me lady.
In this context, it is.

If 'You' Don't Understand the Difference
Between Advantage And Privilege, You Haven't
Been to A Modern Dance Hall and Observed the
Behavior of Young Homo Sapiens Sapiens in Action of
What Really Counts in Life 'Tween What Makes us Truly
Equal:
We Are
Born And We Die.
Sociology Suggests that the
Ethnicity with the Highest Levels
of Social Esteem is indeed among the Assessed Least
Privileged, Least Advantaged Socio Economic Group: Black
American Males; Throw All the Words/Tools/Stuff Out the Window As Sociology
Also Rates Greatest Female Attraction to Males as Confident Without Fear;
You Can't Buy Confidence Without Fear; This Pride is Real and IS Earned.

It's Unmistakeable in the Dance Halls these days;
Increasingly, White Males are the More Timid Wallflowers, indeed;
Granted that is Anecdotal; but a Study with Photographic Evidence in 298 Case Study Events.

Truly though it does not matter, 'Black or White'; If You Earn the Fearless Confidence; You don't
Need any words at all to Be A Fearless FLoWeR (Note: the emphasis on Flow in Capitalization); Now,
True, i have reams and reams of Photographic Evidence in Over 2,000 Photos that shows precisely how
This Works in Empirical Measure of Ecstatic Glowing Eyes and Smiles of the Female Form/Essence; and True
Not only is Melatonin of Skin not an issue; You can even be almost 60 and Have Two Women on Your Arms
Within a Crowd of Very Confident Fearless African American Males at all of Your sides; what makes advantage
and real privilege in Life; Having Enough; Being Happy; and Needing absolutely nothing, No 'Stuff' from anyone
else to be Naked and Complete Now; yeah, yeah, being Retired and Financially Independent Helps; but none
of the Women had any idea of that; as i never bought myself one drink; or anyone else either with totally
empty pockets in all 298 Case-Study Dance Events; Wearing Shorts And A T-Shirt; Nothing Fancy Just me.

Depending on the Field of Study one Chooses; Participant Anthropology Observer has its inherent Rewards.

Other than that; Dance in Moving Meditation is Literally assessed by Science as a Fountain of Youth; could
be in part why the Women-at hand-per the evidence below assessed me as 35 Years-old; as i broke the bad news
when they said CAN WE HAVE Your Number; that i was approaching the 60 i am now then on March 12, 2020,
When Covid19 Closed Spring Break Dance Down. Additionally, Moving Meditation removes all Illusory Fears
In 'Real Time' Biofeedback of Regulating Emotions and Integrating Senses as well. It requires no Human
Tools; Just Naked Homo Sapiens engaged in the Original Human and Still Evolving Most Language of
Non-Verbal Reciprocal Social Communication, Now; Otherwise Known; Yes, Felt and Sensed in
Regulation of Emotions and Integration of Senses from Head to toe; God Yes, JUST DANCE.

'Some Folks Dance;
Some Folks Do Not Dance"

-Guardians of the Galaxy
Circa Teens of the 2000's

Some Folks Are Fearless
As 'The Meek' this way in
Naked Grace Naturally iNHeRiT
THe All Natural Benefits of the 'GooD EaRtH.

- me; many others too...~
~Always Now~ For Real too!~

HeaR is A Picture of the 'GooD EartH' Below.

You Earn This; But only When You are Fearless
And Free Do You get the Privileges that Naturally
Come With Fearless Naked Confidence Complete And Free As Happy
AS Heaven Comes for Real Now Within; And Yes on the 'Outside' too...
Trust me; my name wasn't always 'Chad'; And i Will Prove 'That' too;
And it doesn't matter as 'they' Vote for Me NoW As The Guy Who Dances
Fearless Freest; My Given Alphabet Soup Tool Name Doesn't even REALLY count.

If one Really Wants an Example of a Highly Visible
Male who has no REAL Advantage or Privilege
As Far As That Rates For Genuine Fearless Confidence:

Compare Trump
to Obama; Who Gets
All the Birthday Wishes on Whose Birthday;
You can't Buy the Privilege and Advantage of REAL Respect:

You Earn It Naked in the Flesh and Blood oF Fearless
Free Confidence in Having Enough Naked Complete to be i AM.

Please note: i checked the Dictionary first again;
But When it comes to Real Life, What's Inside
Counts Most, Overall In Heaven or Hell Now, at Least.

Privilege And Advantage is Being Born;
The Rest We Do or Do not Do Now Breathing
Until We Die at Least Until Last BLiNK oF LiFE NoW.

Meh,
Just in my Humble
Meek And Gracefully Strong Opinion..

But i cannot Lie, '23andme' tells me i Do
Have 1 Percent Nigerian Advantage And Privilege;
It's All the Same Privilege and Advantage:
We aRE ALL Born With And Die For Real: LIFE NOW;

AND A Chance to Make IT or Break IT Now For ReaL NOW.

In My Opinion, Life is Good; i Feel This; i Sense this For ReaL NoW;
HeHeR, to Hell with all the Words And Other Tools, Just Give me Naked Breath
(Dance) and a 'Couple of Friends at my Side' who are as Fearless FREE as i AM.

It's True i was White And Was the Smartest Kid in the Class at 13-Years-Old;
But it is also True; this gave me NO SOCIAL STATUS IN ADVANTAGE OR PRIVILEGE
IN THE REAL WORD THEN; that i could Actually Feel and Sense with Others; and now too;
It's truly all about How You Carry or Do Not Carry Yourself; Know, Feel, And Sense Yourself;
Then Naturally When at Peace of Mind/Body/Soul Whole; what so many folks DO NOT HAVE
from Head to Toe for Real; sadly for some ACroSS An Entire Life Span Now; Truly Worth the Word: Sad.

My My (me) Being A Nerdy White Boy Is A REAL
LIFE Challenge to Overcome for Greater Social Acceptance!

Again; It's in the Dance and Song of Life;
Not So Much With Birth or Death in what
Creates US Truly Equal: We LiVE, We Die; But the Best ParT iS
We LiVE NoW; For Those Who Truly BReATHE Fearless Free As Enough Eternally NOW.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263756/