In the reading Privilege, Power, and Difference it really made me think about privilege and how it shows up in our everyday lives. One thing that really stood out to me was Johnson's point that our differences are not actually the problem. The real issue is that society places more value, and opportunities on certain groups over others. Due to society's treatment it really reinforced that inequality isn't just about individual choices, it's also about the systems that have been in place for a long time.
Another point that stuck with me was how privilege can be invisible to the people who have it. The quote “that privilege is often unrecognized due to a "luxury of obliviousness" or "epistemic privilege," Johnson explains that many people don't recognize their own advantages because they've always seen them as normal. I think this is something I reflected heavily on being a biracial person who can be white passing. Understanding the privileges I have compared to other biracial people who are not white passing. It reminded me that learning about privilege requires people to be open minded, as well as people need to be able to self-reflect in order to fully grasp privilege.
The last talking point for me was Johnson's point that we can't solve problems if we're afraid to talk about them. He argues that words like privilege, racism, and sexism often make people uncomfortable, but avoiding those conversations only allows inequality to continue. It is SO important to have uncomfortable conversations, this is how we can learn. If we do not say what is wrong, how can we change it? It is like the saying “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
Argument Statement:
Allan G. Johnson argues that inequality isn't caused by our differences but by systems of privilege and power that give some groups more advantages than others. He believes that recognizing how these systems work and understanding our own role within them is the first step toward creating real and lasting social change.
Allan G. Johnson argues that inequality isn't caused by our differences but by systems of privilege and power that give some groups more advantages than others. He believes that recognizing how these systems work and understanding our own role within them is the first step toward creating real and lasting social change.
