<p>Pizzagirl, I hear what you’re saying. I just don’t believe that Fortgang is the right poster child for this (which is why he doesn’t give any examples, most likely). I think he’s like the “Party of the Right” people I recall from my college days, who enjoyed being provocative.</p>
<p>It also occurs to me that what Fortgang is complaining about is essentially “reverse microaggression.” I, too, get tired of people ginning up outrage over minor matters, on all parts of the ideological spectrum.</p>
<p>Regardless of what one thinks of a speaker personally, it is wrong to discredit his views (which is what the phrase “check your privilege” does), based only on his race or gender. I don’t see how anyone can defend that practice as something we ought to support.</p>
<p>That is perfectly true, but is also completely irrelevant to the present discussion. “Check your privilege” is a response, not to someone with privilege saying something, but to someone saying something that indicates that they do not realize that others do not have the advantages they have.</p>
<p>Upthread, someone tried to give an example of people taking offense when none was warranted. What if someone said “A healthy diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables,” and then someone else got offended because they couldn’t afford vegetables, they said. That is missing the point. Healthy diets do include fruit and vegetables, as far as we know; that is merely a statement of fact. Listing the ingredients of healthy diets is not an example of unconscious privilege. Assuming that healthy diets are readily available to everyone is an example of unconscious privilege.</p>
<p>A better example would be, “Why not just shop at Whole Foods? They have a large selection of fruit and vegetables.” That would be an example of privilege showing, because any Whole Foods shopper who is not clueless and oblivious to their privilege would realize that many people are not in the fortunate condition of being able to afford to shop at Whole Foods. And if some obnoxious Princeton freshman did blather on about how people should shop at Whole Foods, “Check your privilege” would be one apposite response. Although, as Hunt says, college undergraduates must be getting more polite, because I’d be more inclined to say “Shut the f up, you pinhead, unless you are planning to fund those shopping sprees yourself.”</p>
<p>Pizzagirl & Hunt, I too agree that some humorless earnest annoying leftists take offense at stupid things, and Pizzagirl’s “Hey ladies” is a good example. I didn’t think that was what we were discussing here, because like Hunt, I don’t think that was what was happening with Fortgang.</p>
<p>"A better example would be, “Why not just shop at Whole Foods? They have a large selection of fruit and vegetables.” That would be an example of privilege showing, because any Whole Foods shopper who is not clueless and oblivious to their privilege would realize that many people are not in the fortunate condition of being able to afford to shop at Whole Foods. "</p>
<p>So it shows. So what? If I post on here (as I have), I’m going to XYZ city on business, what do you think I should see, and someone else says, “I think you should hire a private tour guide”, is the appropriate response “check your privilege, not everyone can afford a private tour guide”? </p>
<p>To me, this is people being “offended” that other people have more and guilting them into never revealing it.</p>
<p>“A better example would be, “Why not just shop at Whole Foods? They have a large selection of fruit and vegetables.” That would be an example of privilege showing, because any Whole Foods shopper who is not clueless and oblivious to their privilege would realize that many people are not in the fortunate condition of being able to afford to shop at Whole Foods.”</p>
<p>But it’s about context. If one is engaged in an effort to improve the diets of people who live in the ghetto on food stamps, “why don’t they all just shop at Whole Foods” is a tone-deaf response. But If a bunch of us parents on CC are talking about how to improve our diets, it IS a reasonable suggestion to say “shop at Whole Foods.” Even if not everyone can afford it. How much do I need to know about my audience in order to express an opinion? Must I know the life circumstance of every single person in it?</p>
<p>I do think it’s a little insensitive to suggest an expensive alternative without saying something like, “If your budget could expand to it, a Rivendell Betty Foy might suit your needs exactly,” just to indicate that you know that you are making a suggestion that the person might wish they could follow, but can’t because they can’t afford it.</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you think it was at least odd if someone blithely suggested “Why not just buy a couple of yachts?” or “Just have the second footman take care of it”?</p>
<p>I think the point is that Fortgang’s views on, for example, the federal debt, are dismissed by force, with a cheap one-liner, by people who have no greater or lesser standing in debate than he does. Being the same race as some people who are poor doesn’t make you an expert on poverty.</p>
<p>However, perhaps some people (here) are dismissing his views because they think of him as a ■■■■■ (who probably went around baiting leftists until he got “check your privilege” and other similar responses), not because of his race or gender.</p>
<p>A lot of people are making assumptions about what Fortgang said when they don’t know what he said. That’s unfair. And the idea that Fortgang’s audience is too stupid to get the gist if that Whole Foods comment is plain ridiculous. </p>
<p>Why do you believe this? When has Fortgang ever given an example of what he said that resulted in the comment “Check your privilege”? Why do you think it was something about the federal debt being too big rather than a suggestion that unemployed people just go out and get jobs?</p>
<p>My daughter attended a college that was $$$$, but it met 100% of need.
One of her friends was very persistent in trying to get her to go back to his city with him for break.
She kept telling him she couldnt afford it & he kept telling her to get the money from her parents.@@
She just felt that he was clueless, without painting everyone of his sex & race with the same brush.</p>