CULTURE
The Case for Privilege — Why Being Privileged is Not a Bad Thing
We all have some privilege, whether we realize it or not.
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“Privilege is not in and of itself bad; what matters is what we do with privilege. I want to live in a world where all women have access to education, and all women can earn PhD’s, if they so desire. Privilege does not have to be negative, but we have to share our resources and take direction about how to use our privilege in ways that empower those who lack it.” — Bell Hooks
The word “privilege” has taken on a negative connotation in today’s society. It can be challenging to have a constructive dialogue about it when people are quick to label others as “bad.”
But what exactly is privilege? And why is it seen as a bad thing?
Webster’s dictionary defines privilege as “a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor.” In other words, privilege is a set of advantages that someone has.
For example, being born into a wealthy family is a privilege. Having parents who are college educated is another form of privilege. Being white is a form of privilege. Each of these examples comes with its own set of advantages.
A wealthy family can afford to send their children to private schools and provide them with extracurricular opportunities that less fortunate families cannot. College-educated parents can help their children with homework and guide them through college applications. And being white often gives people a leg up in the job market and other areas of life.
So, if privilege simply means having a set of advantages, why is it seen as a bad thing? There are a few reasons.
First, people who don’t have privilege often feel marginalized and left out. Second, people with privilege may not be aware of it, which can lead to them being insensitive to the needs of others. And third, some people abuse their privileges, which can breed resentment.
But despite all of these negatives, let’s look at the positives.
What’s Wrong With Being Privileged?
Some people have more advantages than others; that’s the nature of life.
Privilege is not a bad thing. It’s something to be proud of. After all, privilege reflects our successes or somebody else’s.
There are a few reasons why “privilege” has become such a loaded term.
First of all, the way we talk about privilege often pits different groups against each other. For example, when somebody says, “check your privilege,” they usually tell someone from a more advantaged group to be quiet because they don’t understand what it’s like to be disadvantaged.
This type of thinking creates an “us vs. them” mentality that antagonizes different groups instead of bringing them together. It’s essential to have an open and honest dialogue about privilege, but this can only happen when we’re respectful of others.
It is true that, more often than not, when you are sheltered from certain things in life, you are biased and can’t see the other side, but that goes for everyone.
Instead of using privilege to silence people, we should use it as an opportunity to open up a dialogue and learn from each other.
Second, how we talk about privilege often implies that privileged people are responsible for the struggles of those who are not. This is not true. Privilege does not mean that somebody is responsible for the disadvantaged position of others. It also doesn’t mean that someone with a privilege has never faced hardship or that they don’t deserve success.
Yes, some people are born into privilege, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be where they are. We all have different starting points in life, and it’s not fair to compare our journeys. Everybody faces various obstacles, and we all have different stories.
The bottom line is that we cannot judge somebody else’s journey or tell them how they should feel about their experiences. Instead, we should focus on our path and what we can do to help those less fortunate.
Lastly, how we talk about privilege often suggests that having privilege means you’re a terrible person. This could not be further from the truth! Just because somebody has advantages doesn’t mean they’re a horrible person. Many privileged people use their benefits to help others. Yes, some people abuse their privilege, but that doesn’t mean we should paint everybody with the same brush.
We should not judge somebody based on their advantages or disadvantages.
Lately, we are too focused on what we don’t have and not on what we can change. If you want to focus on something, focus on bettering yourself.
Focusing on privilege often leads us to ignore our advantages and fixate on how we’ve been disadvantaged.
Yes, it’s essential to acknowledge that some people have more privileges than others, creating disparities in our society. But constantly talking about how disadvantaged we are can make us feel powerless and victimized. It also takes away from our agency and individual responsibility to create change in our lives.
Stop Using Privilege as a Weapon
It’s okay to be proud of your accomplishments and to have advantages. We all do in some way.
And it’s okay to talk about how different groups are disadvantaged. But we need to do so in a way that is respectful and productive.
Tainting privilege as something wrong does a disservice to everyone.
How do you think less privileged people feel now about becoming privileged? They might think it’s something to be ashamed of instead of something to aspire to.
Let’s break the cycle of us vs. them thinking and use privilege as a way to bring us all together.
It’s time for a more constructive dialogue about privilege. One that is respectful and productive.
Talking About Privilege in a Productive Way
When we talk about privilege, let’s focus on how we can use it to create positive change instead of using it as a weapon to silence and divide us. Here are some things we can do to aim for that:
- Acknowledge that everyone has different advantages and disadvantages in life. We all have our own stories. Some of us have more privilege than others, but that doesn’t mean we’re better people. It’s not productive to compare our journeys.
- Focus on what you can do to help those who are less fortunate. What can you do to use your advantages to help others?
- Talk about how we can work together to create a society that values everyone equally, regardless of their circumstances.
- Use privilege as a way to bring us all together instead of driving us apart. Let’s have a productive dialogue about privilege that leads to positive change.
The Fish Does Not Know Its in the Ocean
We often take our privileges for granted because we don’t know anything different. It’s like the fish that doesn’t know it’s in the water. We’re so used to our privilege that we don’t even realize it’s there.
For example, a white heterosexual man has probably not experienced racism or homophobia. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be a woman or a person of color. His life isn’t perfect, but he has many privileges he’s unaware of.
It’s not wrong to have the privilege. But we need to be aware of it so we can use it to create positive change in the world.
We can’t change what we’re unaware of. So let’s start by shining some light on our privilege and using it to make the world better for everyone.
Some people will argue that we can’t do anything about our privilege. We didn’t choose it, so why feel guilty about it?
While it’s true that we can’t choose our privilege, we can determine what we do with it. I’m not suggesting feeling guilty. I’m suggesting doing something to create positive change in the world. Or you can use it to further harm; it’s up to each of us.
“The problem I find with framing the “unfair” distribution of privilege in terms of white privilege or male privilege, etc., is that it is a generally corrosive attitude for people to adopt. It promotes the development of self-destructive mental attitudes. If I hold close to the idea that the “problem” is that other people have more privilege than I do, I can only do so by disregarding any areas in my own life where I might have an advantage. I also will be less inclined to hold myself accountable for my growth since the “reason” I am not successful is something systemic outside of myself. It also leads me to view the world as only what I deserve.” — Paul Palmer
Remember that people are not defined by their advantages or disadvantages. It’s essential to respect the value of each individual.
We all have some privilege, whether we realize it or not. Being alive is a fantastic privilege that most people take for granted.
Instead of seeing privileges as something negative, let’s start seeing them as something positive — something to be proud of and aspire to.
We must not forget our agency and individual responsibility to create change in our lives regardless of circumstances.
When we start having productive conversations about how we can use our privileges for good, we can begin progressing toward building a better world for everyone.
What are some of the privileges you have in your life? What can you do to use your privilege to create positive change in the world? How can we work together to build a society that values everyone equally, regardless of their circumstances?
Let us know in the comments below!
P.D. I want to thank Paul Palmer for inspiring me to write this piece.
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I first published this article in my Substack Newsletter, “Beyond Two Cents.”
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