Is Privilege Really A Privilege

Hey, I'm sorry for the quality but I feel this is something that really needs to be said.

Here's the written form if you couldn't hear me too well.

Is privilege really what society claims? I mean those who are seen with perceived greater privilege are tortured in society. Like the media gets to say what's what. A privilege would be growing up in a rich family. A disadvantage would be growing up in a low-income family. Living in a capitalist society can grant you financial literacy, which is the key to raising your mental and physical health. We must remember someone else's privilege is not cause to blame them for our disadvantages. I want to disprove that being male, white, and/or straight is a privilege, and saying otherwise would spit on those that worked so hard to bring in a fairer set of rules.

You know we seem to judge those with 'privilege'(white, male, straight, religious) to the point where it could be seen not as a privilege but rather a target for ridicule. Those who refuse to see past their own suffering only cause more harm to the younger generation, like in ‘Being Judged’ by Mikomi Sora. “My pain, that I can never describe, Leaving all those who see me judge what I feel, Not knowing how I walked over thorns just to heal” She expresses how angry she is at people not calling her invisible pain, real. This is something rich people have to deal with quite a lot.
TV is a representation of how society views different groups of people. It brings unlikely people together when done right, however, shows like Black-ish and American Housewife only divide. Unfairness should be brought upon by natural disasters, not by jealous words. The ones we ‘need to protect’ are the ones causing the most social damage.

Martin Luther King Jr. did not want his kids to grow in a time where ‘white’ people are constantly the butt of jokes, yet considered the oppressors of minorities. Martin Luther says “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. African-Americans have been through a lot in history, literal enslavement, with decades of injustice left to endure. However, the only way to honor the sacrifices of the past is to recognize that you don't have to be a victim. Sora's poem also speaks of giving up in the face of adversity, even just a little bit. “My breathing slows down, my screams die away, Though agony remains, I control what I say". There are two shows that I'm going to compare that deal with black families and what they deal with in society. Black-ish is a show about an upper-middle-class family that deals with personal and sociopolitical issues. However, the title itself is a warning to all the harmful stereotypes in this show, with most of the humor being prejudiced against white people. They claim to celebrate black success in the show, yet they still feel the need to prove themselves to everyone. African-Americans are supposed to celebrate black culture but instead humiliate 'white people', how their families used to be ridiculed. Like Coiler says, When you blame the world for your suffering, you’re not helping yourself feel better. When you hold onto your bitterness, you end up intensifying your pain. The Fresh Prince, however, is a breath of fresh air and does a better job of not shying away from the success black people have achieved, while also acknowledging flaws. In an episode where Will and Carlton go pledge a fraternity, one of the members says to Will that Carlton isn’t getting in because of how he dresses and where he’s from(00:35-00:40). Carlton defends himself saying “Being black isn’t what I’m trying to be it’s what I am, I’m running the same race and jumping the same hurdles you are, so why are you tripping me up”(2:12-2:20). The episode ends with Will going home with Carlton. Carlton’s father drops even more knowledge. “I have worked very hard to give my family a good life and suddenly somebody tells me there’s a penalty for success...when are we going to stop doing this to each other”(3:59-4:12) (4:20-4:24).

These words also describe how rich or seemingly rich people are treated in this world. Tv shows and movies display rich people as vain and disconnected from the world while simultaneously showing a family who barely scrapes by, ruthlessly judging the rich for not donating all of their wealth to the poor. Something the aforementioned family feels unobligated to do. Some say ‘The American Dream’ is dead. When really this is a simple case of how bad are you willing to work for it? Lucky for us, this is 2020, not 1920. There are free online sources on how to better your life in every aspect. Of course, what I said varies in levels of difficulty, but doesn’t make it impossible. Sometimes you have to let go of something you want, that’s not meant for you. Typically there’s one CEO for every 10,000 to 100,000 workers. The CEO isn’t better than the other workers just has a riskier job, so if the company is doing well he’ll be compensated greatly. What gets people into trouble is this assumption, that rich people think they’re better so they ‘talk trash’ about the rich. In reality that’s just their insecurities talking. In ‘Being Judged’ she speaks about us being similar yet them not noticing. “We’re similar, you and I, We both endure hardship, Though we don’t see eye-to-eye”. Saying rich people don’t understand what normal people are like, is putting your pride into the wrong thing. Instead of putting effort into bettering your circumstances, you’re reinforcing whatever bad behavior got you into trouble in the first place. Trapping you, never really feeling content with your life, building up your anger, and starting the cycle all over again with children you’re not ready to help. "As counterintuitive as it may be, the more you feel deprived, the more you need to give. Offering kindness is the surest antidote to 'Poor me.' That's Nancy Coiler, a psychologist. You wouldn't judge someone who grew up poor, so why would you judge someone for growing up rich. It's their character that matters, and you shouldn't assume it.

Revenge over Justice
I've always been happy to be a girl. I never felt like I was limited to certain jobs. Honestly, I thought the whole 'girls aren't exposed enough to stem' was ridiculous because you're into what you're into. We have all these programs to ensure girls are afforded all the opportunities they weren't in the past However, I believe boys have been pushed to the sidelines. There's more expected from you with half the help. Especially mental help. What’s special about this poem is it relates to everyone, “Though I wish you could see, My pain and my strife, I would never be so heartless, never be so cruel, As to have you feel what I’ve endured”. There’s a song in High School Musical called ‘I Don’t Dance’ which gives further examples of how serious it is to judge others. The point of the song is, boys like Ryan get automatically labeled 'gay'. So Chad is like I don't want to dance because I don't want to be labeled 'gay'. "There's just one little thing, That stops me every time" Obvi (00:39-00:45) And Ryan is like screw those people do what you want, "I'll show you that it's one and the same, Baseball, dancing, same game" (00:17-00:22). I’m not here to convince you whether he’s gay or not. (Whispered I mean obviously, he's not but whatevs ) My point is how the assumption is handled. Being a girl who likes sports, isn’t treated the same as a boy being into any of the arts. Especially, with the generalizations around being gay. However, most people’s reaction is “Of course he's gay, he doesn't even have a girlfriend.” “This is obviously hidden gay representation.” What these people don't realize is that this generalization is the whole problem. In one statement, they've stereotyped gay people and undermined the whole point of the song. Mixed messages in everyday life tell guys it's okay not to be macho or into stereotypically male things, but will turn around and say someone like Ryan is 'clearly gay' and wonder why some men have trouble being affectionate toward other men even their sons. It is your fault I want you to feel bad, and not do it again!

All of these subtopics have something in common, they are trapped in a victim mentality, slowing down any future progress in society. I need to stay calm and slow to anger. There is a loud minority that swings the pendulum to the extreme making decisions that act as if the last 70 years have been a stalemate, that there isn’t anyone strong enough to change the system for good without villainizing the other side. I find that kind of pessimism is poisonous to any future good works. To not fall prey to this line of thinking we must remember not to treat individuals as their group’s perceived worst attributes. I know I'm smart. "A rebel who sets out to crush the system ultimately is revealed to be a part of it or ends up ushering in a new order that's fundamentally the same or worse than the original status quo" - Unknown. We need to remember we are all humans with feelings. Life being unfair to everyone is what makes life fair, and should motivate us to help others not tear each other down. Remember that just because you're upset doesn't mean anyone is owed you anything, so hold on to those that want you to better yourself, and aren’t simply yes men. You know I didn't if I should include certain lines because I worry the only ones who will hear this are those who feel like a burden. I decided to cut them out.

If you guys want me to talk more in-depth about any of these topics, or have any suggestions I'm happy to listen!