Privileges

One of the common societal and psychological problem that we constantly have to deal with is privilege. The people around us with any gender, race, age are all given with certain privileges. We don't have all the same privileges, but any one of us, especially the ones reading this post, have at least one - access to internet, able to speak the universal language, access to electricity, etc. We often don't look at our own privileges, because it just so easy to take them for granted. And granted, some privileges are given to us when we were born. We often look at other people's privileges that we do not have, and agonize about how unfair for us to not have them. Then there are people whom appreciate certain privileges and consider themselves lucky to have them, of which then soon translate to responsibility.

Throughout history, no one can deny the fact that a lack of privileges is a main reason people make profound social changes for. War of 1812 started when we do not have the privilege to be represented in parliament, Feminism started when women do not have the same right as men. And currently, the black right movement that's surfing on top of internet wave is louder then ever. I have encountered a number of articles that comes out to speak up their opinion of black awareness. Some I agree with, some I think are written by self-deceptive idiots. It is hard both morally and reasonably to take a stance on the whole thing, but it is because I do not have either the white nor black privilege. In my numerous attempt to form my own opinion of racial awareness and privileges, I realized that I cannot have one that is completely fair.

Having a certain privilege places you in a certain environment that is uniquely to people with such privilege. For the outside eyes, we see benefits, yet we don't know the consequences that comes with it. And believe me, all things have good and bad consequences. It's just a matter of how much. What we should do with privileges, is simply be aware of it. We can simply understand that they are in a unique situation that we will never be in, then walk away. I don't think it is fair to point fingers at one another and say, you have privilege X, Y, and Z, and I don't. I think it is not point fingers and say, you have privilege X, Y, and Z, I have privilege A, B, and C, those privilege do not make us better or worse of a person, it just makes us different.

That being said, it is also important to acknowledge that each one of us have certain kind of priviliege that not a lot of other people have. It is obvious to point out privileges in well-to-do families, but being able to find your privileges in your painful background is a very good tool to have. In Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath, Gladwell talked about how people who were born in challenging family backgrounds raise to the top of society through the unique and harsh environment in childhood and early adulthood. While this phenomenon does not happen to all people born in that environment, we know, through pop science, that there is at least a hope, a chance. I would say being born in difficult family environments is a privilege because you have the experience to go through hardship that not a lot of people will. And hardship is very good for the soul because it forces you to stay sane by practicing hope and hard work. Both hope and hard work are necessary for a healthy and successful life.

Personally, being a minority is a privilege. It gains me access to people of my own kind. We are friendlier to each other, we help each other out. Being a minority also gives me the privilege to practice dignity, to have a clear view of the common misconceptions, to be lesser fearful of failures due to my minority status. Being a minority instead of being white in America is like climbing the Himalayas instead of the Sierra Nevada, it's more difficult, but the gains are incomparably enormous.