Privilege or Not? Why does it matter?

I have to say I am disappointed and a bit sad. I have waited to post my college freshman’s diversity/privilege workshop experience but really need some insight. She is going to a school that offered diversity, community, her major, as well as an outstanding faculty. However, part of the orientation focused on diversity… specifically “White Privilege.” The questions were geared towards demonizing (maybe too strong a word) students who grew up in a more affluent background … the male, white students apparently the most unfortunate group. At the end of the exercise the kids were sorted into the haves/have nots… you can imagine how embarrassed and really singled out my student and the other white students felt.
So I ask the question: At what point will our society stop making assumptions about people based on the color of their skin? Why is it assumed that if you are white your life is easy? How can anyone truly know who a person is based on socio-economics and color? What happened to giving people credit based on their academics, drive, and contributions? Fortunately, she still loves the school but definitely did not think that they would contribute to ANY student feeling inferior.

Could you name or pm me the college so I know not to look at it for my youngest? Thank you

Martin Luther King Jr very famously said: “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

Clearly in the US liberalism and our education system have strayed very far from Martin Luther King’s dream. To me this is very sad, and is not going to lead to a good result in the long term.

Who was in the have not group? Was it based on color? Socioeconomic status? it sounds like the whole thing was an exercise in prejudice, itself. I would also like a PM with the name of the school. (Did they mention disabilities, medical or psychiatric?)

I like this exercise on privilege and I think it’s more nuanced than just race. There is also socio-economic privilege, ableist privilege, sexual orientation privilege, etc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD5f8GuNuGQ

I actually would expect most people to feel uncomfortable in a discussion of it and I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing. I don’t think it is about feeling shame or guilt. I think having some sense of understanding that it really is easier to move about the world as a white, Christian, cis-gender person without fear. If kids were truly feeling demonized, it probably wasn’t handled well.

Discussions of privilege aren’t limited to colleges.

They’re also done in public and private sector employers…including fortune 500 corporations.

And a large part of the discussion is to provide historical and sociological background and how discriminatory behavior from the recent past(Civil Rights act was passed in the mid-'60s…not that long ago) and socio-economic differences influences how contrary to popular myth promoted by some that we all start from the same starting line and have the same opportunities to succeed when the reality may not be as cut and dried.

It’s not too different from what some aristocratic/upper-class parents in many societies…including the US used to do when they inculcated the idea of noblisse oblige in their children precisely because of the great advantages/privileges they have in relation to the majority of people in their society.

It is true that, in general society, people get stereotyped by race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, social class, etc., often in ways that affect how they are treated, regardless of whether or not the stereotype is true for the individual or is relevant to the situation.

However, the terminology of “privilege” may not be the best to use to describe the situation, since “privilege” in this context may be seen as implying an unearned advantage that should be taken away, rather than a common standard of decency that should be extended to everyone.

Sounds good to me. Oh my, the students had a bad experience.

How often have the students ever been singled out because of the privileged status in a negative way before? An eye opener to be negatively singled out on something you have no control over. Too many take too much for granted. This will give them pause I hope so they can envision standing in someone else’s shoes.

My experience was that so many took so much for granted that I could not. None of the rich white kids did anything to merit their status. Likely unaware of how privileged they are. Kids take for granted their status quo. Excellent workshop! Having money did not let mommy and daddy shelter these students from reality.

Most stereotypes were part of the discussion (I did not mention all)… at the end the definite “losers” were the white, straight kids who grew up in homes that were at least middle class. I absolutely think talking about life experiences is important and truly understanding another person’s life is crucial. What I think is sad is creating an environment where anyone is made to feel less than for no other reason than the color of their skin, the zip-code they grew up in or that they choose to be straight. Singling people out is not a way to have constructive dialog and appreciation of another’s perspective.

^^It may sound good but the end results quite often contradict designers original intentions. Just ask Chairman Mao and Hugo Chavez and see how their experiments turned out.

I have also heard from other parents this same type of workshop at other schools… it seems to be a trend.

How presumptuous, @wis75. I try not to make assumptions based on race or class.

The key part about the concept of privilege is that it was unearned by the child/individual concerned because it was bestowed by accident of birth, not by his/her own efforts/accomplishments such as being born in an upper/upper-middle class family with its associated advantages;…a head start beyond what most kids have. To fail to acknowledge this would be the equivalent of denying a clear summer’s day sky is blue.

It doesn’t necessarily mean such advantages should be taken away or that it’s guaranteed for life. Especially considering one can squander such advantages*…but the key point was that the child/individual concerned had advantages s/he could squander which most did not have.

  • Saw plenty of this among upper/upper-middle class undergrad classmates during and after college as a student who attended a private LAC on a near-full ride FA/scholarship package.

But how did the groups get determined? How did someone know that Johnny was rich? And what if Johnny’s dad is in jail & his mom is a crackhead - and he spent his teen years in and out of foster care? Even if the kids self-sorted, do you think Johnny would want to (or should have to) reveal his background? Let’s stop assuming we know what others’ lives are like. There are better ways to discuss the issue of privilege than this, I would think.

re post #8. Sometimes a negative experience is the best way to learn. A one time only workshop is not an entire semester. The real world is full of negatives, can’t always have everyone getting positives. A phrase from my H- “fill in the blank did not enter my brain”. I do not know of a better way to give a student that awful feeling of being substandard.

@wis75, Why would you want to give a student the feeling of being substandard? Did you hit your children so they would understand how unpleasant physical violence is? Or did you trust that as rational human beings they could understand words?

“you can imagine how embarrassed and really singled out my student and the other white students felt.
So I ask the question: At what point will our society stop making assumptions about people based on the color of their skin”

"What I think is sad is creating an environment where anyone is made to feel less than for no other reason than the color of their skin, the zip-code they grew up in or that they choose to be straight. "

Isn’t this really part of the awareness? Because this is what those in minority groups often face constantly, if not daily - not just in one orientation exercise.

Anyone remember the blue eyes/brown eyes experiment with Jane Elliott in her classroom? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/02/jane-elliott-race-experiment-oprah-show_n_6396980.html
I had a teacher do the same with birthdays once - pinpointing how prejudice feels for something one doesn’t have control over.

Sounds like your student got a small feel for that today even if for a short while - yes, it is uncomfortable isn’t it. How lucky for it to be for just a fleeting moment.

Did posters come here with an attempt to have a thoughtful understanding (second/third hand by the way) of the activity or just to lash out at liberals? And bringing Mao and Chavez into this is so far from the point it is laughable.

@wis75 In life everyone will have bad experiences that is a given. Sad that you are ok with anyone being made to feel sub-standard, definitely not an attitude that will build bridges or foster understanding amongst people in our society.

Race is already beat to death in the race thread. On class, I do think some people live in a bubble or at least a different economic universe than I do. There was one poster who insisted anything below $2 million a year was middle class.

On the other hand, if the differences were described as an unearned disadvantage that should be removed with respect to those who have to contend with this disadvantage, rather than an unearned advantage that should be removed from those who have it, it would probably be less acrimonious.

For example, some people are more likely to be treated with respect than others on the basis of aspects that are unearned and/or irrelevant to the situation. Casting being treated with respect as an example of “privilege” that should be taken away from those who have it implies that everyone should be treated with disrespect, which is the exact opposite of what the desired outcome is, which is to have everyone treated with respect. In other words, the unearned disrespect that some people face is really an anti-privilege that should be removed, rather than an indication of a privilege that should be removed from those who are treated with respect.