People need to start reminding themselves what a privilege is. amirite?

Assuming you never were in a situation where losing your bed was a possibility. If you would compare yourself to someone without a bed for reasons beyond their control, and ask why you have a bed and the other person not, then the answer is privilege. You might say owning a bed is a basic human right, but then the question is where is that other person's bed? Because if that person can't invoke that right, then it literally is not a right which every human inherently has. However if you can just expect to have a bed without justifying that expectation, then you defacto have the right to have a bed.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

unless you are ultra rich how is it not a possibility? you can easily get cancer or some other kind of expensive disease. have to owe millions in medical bills and cant afford rent anymore and get thrown on the streets.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Something being a basic right doesn't preclude it from being a privilege. The mere fact that not everybody has access to it means that if you do, you have an advantage they do not, or a "privilege".

by Anonymous 2 years ago

then everything you have is a privilege, because someone doesn't have it

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Yes

by Anonymous 2 years ago

And what is the basis for the comparison? There is always someone in the world who has nothing that you have. Is then everyone priviledged?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

But the point isn't to make many distinct observations between person to person. It's to cover large demographics and to define the specific privileges that those within a certain demographic are afforded. Think about how the term is used. White privilege, male privilege, (even white male privilege as another demographic) , thin privilege, pretty privilege, etc. There isn't a lot of value in analyzing privilege between two individuals.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Based on what I'm reading here, If I'm sleeping under a bridge (home) for as long/late as I choose, eating whatever I like and paying for it with money given to me by strangers, (don't have to work) having no mortgage or bills to pay.....I'm privileged. Isn't it all just a point of view?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

God people like you should not be allowed to share opinions

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Well, thankfully we have laws to protect us from people like you 😉

by Anonymous 2 years ago

It actually does preclude it from being a privilege though. The person without the basic right is lacking basic rights. The person who has them is not privileged.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Privilege isn't something that you can earn. It's something that is given to you by circumstance.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Surely there are some privileges that are earned though, right? Take physical fitness. Attractive, physically fit people are going to experience all sorts of social/professional benefits. Attractiveness privilege. Have they not earned that through their discipline in the gym and kitchen? Or are things like that excepted from the privilege category?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

But depending on your view point, nothing is earned. Every advantage or benefit a person has is directly or indirectly due to their environment, and everything bad that happens to someone is a result of things stacked against them that is out of their control. The argument can easily be made for either side, it all depends on your personal views on which side you will believe.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

What's the difference between "earning" and being given something? Unless earning means forcefully taking something, it's the same thing. Its obviously a privilege to have been born in a bountiful land, full of opportunities. Opposed to, being born in a wasteland, without a crumb of opportunity. You may have picked the bountiful fruits yourself, but that's only because you could. Ableism is real. It's a privilege to be able to do anything. It's a privilege to be able to "earn". It's a privilege to live in a society that deems you worthy of having a bed to sleep in and a roof over your head. It's a privilege to live in a society that thinks you're deserving of earning rewards and praise.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Yep I agree

by Anonymous 2 years ago

This is gonna sound weird but I am so glad English is my second language and that my mother tongue isn't the one being destroyed by self righteous idiots. These political obsessions people have with things like ‘privelege' is removing meaning from certain words and making the whole language more obscure.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

I fail to understand how I'm privileged because I left home with $100 to my name. At 18 years old. I busted my ass at hard working physical & stressful jobs since the age of 13. I've endured several hardships. Had to work more than 1 job at times. I got scammed here and there. Made some bad decisions. Learned from it. I stayed away from drugs, alcohol, gambling. I avoided frivolous spending and lifestyle. Got job promotions. Worked my way up. Invested in my own education and personal betterment. Never received any social assistance. I lived well as a result of my decisions, determination and focus. I carved out my own piece of this world. Now I'm getting set up for retirement. So I'm privileged? Because I am not a visible minority I am privileged?

by Anonymous 2 years ago

A privilege is a special right. Something like men and women being allowed to marry while same sex couples are not. Or if you are rich and fines become so low, you can comfortably ignore laws that are only fined when broken, that can be considered privilege. All this other nonsense about what you have or you don't has little to do with privilege.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

That's a lot of typing for "I don't understand what people mean when they talk about privilege".

by Anonymous 2 years ago

except OP is right

by Anonymous 2 years ago

The use of the word "underclass." Hmm.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

This is why relativity is so important. You only demonstrated one point of view. Now show it from the pov of the person who lacks basic human rights. Your pov is the privileged pov compared to theirs.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Privilege doesn't mean you don't go through hardships, it just means that it isn't made harder because of circumstances you can't control.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

so unless you are some quadriplegic from birth with learning disabilities in nigeria and had your whole clan killed by your brother you are privleged and cant complain

by Anonymous 2 years ago

To me privilege means having an advantage given to you that you didn't work for.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Privilege is not the absence of challenge, it's having less challenge than most.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

>You are not privileged just because some people have it worse than you. By definition, you are. A privilege is defined as an advantage available to a certain group. If you have it better than someone, you have an advantage over them. > Let's give an example; I have a bed to sleep in at night. That absolutely does not make me privileged! This is a basic human right and just because some people dont have a bed to sleep in doesnt mean that I am privileged because I do. Yes, it does. You are part of the group of bed-possssors. You have access to a bed, where others don't. It's an advantage. You are thus, by definition, privileged.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

My problem with this is what does this conversation accomplishes? If homeless person A had a tent and homeless person B doesn't, does that make A more privileged? By your logic, yes. A has some form of shelter while B does not, but I'd hardly call A privileged. This way of thinking and arguing about semantics doesn't do anything other than cause a divide.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

Or taken to the extreme, Person A is a slave laborer in Auschwitz, while Person B is in the gas chamber.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

>My problem with this is what does this conversation accomplishes? Knowledge of reality, and how best to improve it, of course. Hell, even on a basic level, acknowledging are privileges is necessary to be grateful. Whining "Well, it's not a PRIVILGE that I have this privilege over you!" is no use. >If homeless person A had a tent and homeless person B doesn't, does that make A more privileged? Yes. >A has some form of shelter while B does not, but I'd hardly call A privileged. So? We understand a glass of room temp water is hotter than an ice cube. We know that doesn't make room temp water hot. And? These are relative terms.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

We don't know you lol you could be Joe Biden for all we know. But I would say that a bed isn't a privilege BECAUSE it isn't a right. You have to buy it. Being a celebrity inherently is a privilege, the average person doesn't get invited to walk the red carpet or headline the O2 arena. And you can't obtain that unless you're a celebrity Privilege boils down to because you're X, which is largely out of your control, you're entitled to Y. An average person can be a celebrity, but it is incredibly difficult or lucky.

by Anonymous 2 years ago

You have a good point in the first part tbh, about buying a bed

by Anonymous 2 years ago