Privilege Changes Everything

Privilege Changes Everything

As I read Allan Johnson's work "Privilege, Power, and Difference", I was struck by the idea that you need power and privilege to make a difference yet it's those without privilege and power that need the changes to happen in order to make a difference.  Many who live with privilege don't often see themselves as privileged and don't feel like they need to be part of the solution to break these barriers that others face.

Johnson states "Problems of and defensiveness apply not only to the language of race, but to an entire set of social differences that have become the basis for a great deal of trouble in the world."  (p. 2)  This statement really made me think about the issues surrounding race and racial inequality and how it can stir up deeply rooted emotions.  These emotions lead to defensiveness and can invoke physical violence or other negative situations such as rioting.  Our country has experienced so many non-peaceful events and tragedies due to the racial divide.  These violent racial situations have often led to more attacks and rioting.  The Rodney King case was mentioned in Johnson's article but similar incidents have occurred around the United States.  Trayvon Martin, a young black man was shot and killed by a white man who was part of a neighborhood watch group in Sanford, Florida setting off racial tension throughout the area.  In Missouri, a Ferguson a white police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black man and set off a series of violent protests.  Three months later, when the officer was found "not guilty" more protests erupted.  Even the elections of our two most recent presidents, Barrack Obama and Donald Trump, both stirred up the racial divides within our country.  This problem is epidemic and the social inequality continues to divide our country.

Another important point that Johnson addresses is that privileged groups need to be part of the solution.  The problem is that these people with privilege often don't see themselves as needing to be part of the solution.  They see racism as the black man's problem, feminism as a woman's problem, etc. but don't want to put themselves at risk for others.  People's perceptions and quick reaction of defensiveness over privilege is also part of the problem.  Treating others with decency and respect, and be accepting of our differences seems like it should be easily attainable, yet we know this is not the case.  Another part of this issue is that everyone's experience with privilege is based on someone else's lack of privilege. All of our lives are shaped by these privileges although we had little control over it.  A change in environment can change one's privilege.  This all reverts back to Johnson's reference to Rodney King's question "Can't we all just get along?"

Diversity is not the problem, it is how we use it that is the problem.  "The trouble is produced by a world organized in ways that encourage people to use difference to include or exclude, reward or punish, credit or discredit, elevate or oppress, value or devalue, leave alone or harass." (Johnson p.19)  This diversity is supposed to be a good thing along with "tolerance" and "appreciating differences" but it actually the avoidance of negativity and words like 'privilege","racism", "sexism", "classism', among others in discussing the causes of privilege and oppression.  The ability to gain privilege happens when you can prove yourself to belong to a certain category just as you can loose privilege if people think you don't belong to a certain category according to Johnson.  He also points out that people are labeled when it lowers their status such as "She's part Jewish", "woman doctor", or "black writer". (p. 34)  A final quote, which resonated with me was on page 40, "Just as privilege tends to open doors of opportunity, oppression tends to slam them shut."

via GIPHY

In his work "Privilege, Power, and Difference", Allan G. Johnson argues that privilege is something instilled in us based on what we learn from society.  Based on which categories you fit into based on other's perception can give or take away privilege.