So over the weekend I ran into this article on thought catalogue on a woman who is tired or being ashamed of being rich
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/being-privileged-is-not-a-choice-so-stop-hating-me-for-it/
The response letter speaks volumes (albeit, in a sassy manner) and points out an important discussion on privilege and in my opinion, intersectionality
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/your-privilege-isnt-the-problem-you-are-the-problem/
What are halls thoughts/responses to the letters? What do you think is the best way to start a conversation on privilege?
Okay, full disclosure- I am a woman of privilege myself. My parents are also paying for college, and I understand what its like to have a guilt and discomfort upon looking around to see individuals with less.
ReplyDeleteThat said, this lady needs to be chewed out. To me, she is the exact person that Marilyn Frye was discussing when in her argument on oppression. Because you bump up against difficult things in your life does not a victim make! Her head must be a mile up her ass to think that it is mildly reasonable to complain about her life being easy.
To me, the problem with her argument is that she maintains that she has been done wrong because she is not able to be comfortable in her privilege. I think, rather, that this is a sign that our society is doing something right! We should not feel comfortable with a system that allows some to be significantly better off than others on the basis of their parents! We should feel uncomfortable with our privileges, because otherwise the society likely won't see change! Instead of bitching about how hard her circumstance is, it seems to me that a feminist would instead be working to change the system that grants her that arbitrary privilege in the first place.