It seems we have had threads like this the last few years. Some of us live in places where these sorts of exercises happen long before college. Maybe it would be a good idea to give a preview somewhere on individual college websites for first year students before orientation? At least on some threads, it isn’t clear to me parents know exactly what happened, just that their kids are upset. I am always upset when my kids are upset, so I certainly understand that reaction. Maybe it would be better if parents could discuss the concept of privilege, whether they believe in it or not, with their kids before orientation so it isn’t such a shock to some. Because even these exercises aren’t operating on a level playing field, since some will have had prior experience…
Maybe we could have a sticky along with shopping for X-long sheets? I’m not really kidding. That might be very helpful to some?
The point is education, and this type of education does sometimes happen before college. Those students are privileged and advantaged in these exercises. imho.
"It is usually only those whose privilege is being pointed out who answer with “but we are all equal.” It is usually those with the most to lose who say “we shouldn’t focus on our differences but on our similarities.”
Truth. Exactly why these types of activities must continue.
Thus far, this year, there have been 4 unarmed blacks, not fleeing the scene, killed by police per the WaPo database. 3 more were armed only with toy guns, but some airsoft weapons are almost indistinguishable from real firearms. BLM seems to promote a mythology these astronomically rare events are far more common than they are.
And yet we have trigger warnings for courses;, safe spaces so those with different views do not need to be heard - or are even forbidden entry to said safe space; housing separated by race and gender identity so there is no danger of someone feeling uncomfortable and yes, speech codes to prevent hurt feelings.
But somehow THIS is an okay thing to do because those who might feel uncomfortable - ‘they’ deserve it and ‘they’ have been given the gift of a learning opportunity.
Got it…
How DID they separate the groups…all those who know someone with a pickup truck to the right, all those who don’t to the left?
The ‘privileged’ group are seen as having been born with original sin and must follow these newly prescribed ways of atonement to gain potential salvation. Absolution of original sin is not possible because the sinner is born damaged - due to nothing they did or didn’t do. Secular religiosity. So nice.
In some regards, yes, in others, no. Isn’t part of the issue the beliefs we have about our circumstances and those of others? I don’t particularly object to the type of exercise in the link, but I’m not sure it addresses the underlying beliefs and how to deal with those per se.
And this thread shows exactly why there is such a huge divide.
Someone says black lives matter and they are accused of not valuing all lives.
Someone says all lives matter and they are accused of being racist.
Privelage is now used in such a negative connotation
I believe that 90% of our US population are good people and truly want everyone to accept everyone for who they are. Then you have 5% on the extreme right espousing hatred and racism and whatever. Then there is 5% on the extreme left who are also racist. Both extremes are fueling the violence and unfortunately they are the loudest.
I choose to focus on the middle 90% who are truly good people on both sides of the aisle. The extremes are keeping us all divided!
Being a “truely good person” requires more than “accepting everyone for who they are.” I’m sorry. That is the lowest level of “being good.” Being a truely good person these days requires working to break down the barriers that exist for some people. And the FIRST step in breaking down those barriers is acknowledging they exist. Until you acknowledge that YES your gender, race, socio-economic background made your life easier because you didn’t have to face blockades that are put up for people that are a different gender, race, socio-economic background - you cannot be a “truely good person.”
“NOT seeing” race or class or sexuality is not the same as accepting that society still DOES treat people different based on those characteristics.
If I were a student, I would not want to do the Privilege Walk. I would not necessarily want everyone to know my responses to all of those questions. It’s a question of privacy. I’d feel hat some of those things are nobody’s business.
That said, I’m all for making people aware of privilege. I do think having people take those tests in private is very good.
No one should be embarrassed in a diversity workshop by the college they are attending over things they cannot control. Race, socio-economic status or gender etc. The workshop should have focused on bringing people together instead. I would be livid if this had happened to my child. I am glad that your child is looking past it.
The only classmates of my children who failed to finish college did things that their socio-economic status had nothing to do with. They fathered children out of wedlock. They failed classes. They decided that college was not right for them despite having the funds to attend.
@dietz199 - These differences are being “highlighted” so that the people who say “we are all equal, can’t we all just focus on our similarities” understand that in the US in 2017 people are NOT treated as equals. Pretty sure that “these differences” are highlighted EVERY SINGLE DAY for the people walking around who have those differences. They only have to be highlighted for the people who are NOT being treated differently for the color of their skin, their gender, their orientation.
Why limit it to color, gender and orientation. There is clear privilege for tall women, being slender verse overweight is a privilege, IQ, heck NOT having a southern accent makes you privileged, being a middle child docks a few privilege points, did your parents vaccinate you - no - doc a few points, did you eat a lot of fast food and haven’t been introduced to say…papaya…again dock a few points. Hey, if your female and have rather large frontal assets…it’s a detriment and therefore a docking of points. Without certain table and social manners you will lose a lot of privilege when applying for that post college luncheon job interview. If you are a new immigrant and know another language…MAJOR privilege points.
So, why the focus on race, gender and orientation? Did the short, large chested and not skinny white women score less on privilege than tall, slender project runway bodied women of color? The other differences are just not very good at drawing $$ or attention.
Re Post 63 “How DID they separate the groups…all those who know someone with a pickup truck to the right, all those who don’t to the left?”
At my kid’s school, it was akin to “stand up if your parents are married to each other and have not divorced” and “stand up if you had ___ books in your home”. And more, of course.
@bhs1978 - I look at it like this. We teach “tolerance” in a lot of places. But tolerance is a really, really low bar. It bascially means you are willing to tolerate/suffer/accept people or ideas that are different from yours.
I would hope that we would move beyond tolerating difference to embracing difference.
Is tolerance good? I suppose it is better than intolerance.
But is tolerance the gold standard of how we should be treating each other - no, I don’t think so.
I feel the same way about people saying “I don’t see race” or “most people accept others for who they are.” Ok, good first step. But why not try for the gold standard?
And, sadly, I think you would be suprised at the reality of life for non-white, non-straight people in the US. If 90% are really that accepting…it doesn’t explain the daily interactions that minorities of all types experience in every aspect of their lives.
My child’s secondary school did this, but the privileges were different-seniors vs. frosh, jocks vs. nonjocks, drama kids vs. nondrama etc etc. Sadly, it just drove the kids apart more, and, in her words, just made them dislike each other more, and dislike the administration that made them go thru it. That exercise wasn’t repeated. There is a real risk of these events backfiring. proceed with care.
@CValle
And your post is in my opinion part of the problem
“I don’t see race”…not good enough
“Most people accept others for who they are”…not good enough
“Tolerance”… not good enough
“We are all equal, can’t we just focus on our similarities”… not good enough
I will continue with my view of tolerance and acceptance. I treat all others respectfully and equally. I will continue my low level of goodness. But I am afraid that no matter what I say or do it will never be good enough in your eyes. And I find that quite unfortunate
At least for me it highlights the failure of these approaches.
Personally…we own a pickup truck…which H uses to go fishing. He fishes on a private charter that’s out for 10 days. So I can honestly answer ‘yes’ to those questions.
Did you ever wear a uniform to work… Well, um the 80’s in corporate America. Male or female it was a grey suit. About as much of a uniform as you can find.
Did you ever ache all over from a job. Yup, worked at bakeries during college. Probably clocked 10 miles a day behind the counter. Did this while living at home and having college fully funded by my blue collar parents.
Can you avoid people who see things differently than you (paraphrasing) NOPE, live in a county where I’m the political outlier. Would have to jump into said pick-up truck and drive for hours to find a place where I was not the minority.
Did you grow up in a neighborhood where most hadn’t gone to college and were blue collar. Yup. All many first generation immigrants. Most wound up owning their own businesses or amassing some form of wealth. But the question doesn’t address the nuance.