How do you feel about the word "privilege"?

submitted by moody_ape from self.GenderCritical

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[–]jkfinn 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

No, I wouldn't. I wd never give up a perfectly good english word just because it's often misused or used manipulatively. It's not supposed to be a weapon but a description of those who possess more social power than another group or person within that group being referenced. Male privilege, white privilege, class privilege are, for example, perfectly just, convincing, and accurate designations for those belonging to these groups.... only the degree of applicability is different with each member.

[–]Anna_Nym 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I think "class privilege" is useful because there will always be a class that holds privilege over other classes.

But I don't think "male privilege" or "white privilege" are useful because they presuppose the conclusion. Power can shift. Because men historically were privileged along the axis of sex doesn't mean they always will be (although I'm fairly glum about this one!). Because white people were historically privileged in the US along the axis of race/ethnicity doesn't mean they always will be, and with "white privilege" there is the additional complication of not having a clear, coherent definition of which groups count as "white."

I think privilege as an analytical tool is overbroad. I see it as a way to dodge performing a specific, situational understanding of power dynamics. But those specific, nuanced, thought-through analyses are exactly what we need on the left right now. There's too much use of phrases to short-circuit really looking at and seeing how phenomenon are operating. That's what gets us things like "cis privilege."

[–]moody_ape[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I see. To me the problem is the meaning of the word for people outside the political bubble. Someone commented about the different usage of the word (common and academic) and I think it shows the problem I'm trying to discuss. But I think I understand what you're saying. It's kinda like replacing the word "woman" for something like "people with ovaries".

[–]jkfinn 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm glad you understood my point.