General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "Let's work to end racial discrimination" is a better approach than "whites are so privileged". [View all]Waiting For Everyman
(9,385 posts)Firstly, it turns active discrimination which can be identified and fought, into the flip slide of itself, passive privilege, a vague all-encompassing blame game which changes nothing. In doing so, the issue becomes less clear, and people who have nothing to do with perpetrating it get blamed for it. So substituting that term creates more confusion, and results in more injustice. When seeking justice results in more injustice -- that isn't very credible.
Secondly, it's inaccurate. Privilege denotes benefits in EXCESS of what is the NORM. Treatment of whites should be considered the norm, and treatment of people of color should be improved to meet that standard. Use of the word "privilege" means that abusive, unacceptable treatment of people of color becomes our standard or norm. Is that what we're trying to say? So is the word useful, or not? Is it appropriate, or not?
I say it's a bullshit term, just another attempted corruption of language by fad fuzzy thinkers of the moment.
In fact, it reminds me of something that might've been thought up by someone who was intentionally trying to render the rights movement ineffective (Karl Rove would be proud of whoever it was). Look at this thread, or others, and the dissension it causes is easy to see.
(And that goes for using it about males as well.)