34 upvotes, 2 direct replies (showing 2)
That's always been a stupid quote.
1. It uses the definition of privilege where it is an advantage over others ("that rich man has a privileged life") rather than the concept of privilege in the context we're actually talking about, where it is just not having the negatives associated with a particular characteristic (e.g. white privilege is not having to deal with problems because of your skin colour). The former clearly does not apply for many men.
2. How would, say, black people no longer being stopped by the police more, or women being equally considered for job applications, ever even remotely affect a white man (for example)? There would be zero impact on their life in any way that could be called 'oppression' at all.
Comment by Penultimatum at 21/01/2025 at 01:22 UTC
21 upvotes, 1 direct replies
How would, say, black people no longer being stopped by the police more, or women being equally considered for job applications, ever even remotely affect a white man (for example)? There would be zero impact on their life in any way that could be called 'oppression' at all.
Both your examples are roughly zero-sum situations. More people being more fairly considered for job applications will mean currently-privileged people will have worse odds of getting a job, as there is no correlated increase in total jobs available. And people being less likely to be stopped will, at least for some crimes or infractions, lead to more of others than before being stopped in order to meet quotas.
The latter is obviously fixable in large part by ending quotas (which at least is mostly relevant just for traffic laws rn afaik), and isn't a huge deal even currently anyways. But the former is part and parcel of any job market. It's an understandable concern, even though it should be selflessly accepted as a privilege to be lost.
Comment by MyFiteSong at 21/01/2025 at 03:11 UTC
23 upvotes, 0 direct replies
or women being equally considered for job applications, ever even remotely affect a white man (for example)? There would be zero impact on their life in any way that could be called 'oppression' at all.
Because the hiring process used to be that you looked at all the applicants, then selected the white man you liked best. With more competition, white men have to be better than they were to get the same jobs they were handed a generation ago, and they're not happy about it.