What is privilege

[We Never Know]

That's not what is usually meant by privilege. It generally refers to advantages one has, often without being aware of it. If you're a tall, straight, good looking, white Christian male, your life will be easier than if you are not all of those, and as I said, possibly without being aware of how those things give one advantages. Of course, if you're intelligent, well educated, or wealthy, you also have privilege, but that is more apparent.

This meme is just a reworking of the welfare queen trope, and is an effort to indoctrinate whomever it can to believe that government help looks like what is reported there - nothing but a chance to be lazy and game the system.

What people that promote this kind of thinking actually object to is any help whatsoever for the needy, so they frame them as lazy and corrupt. What they actually object to is child tax credits, stimulus payments, the SNAP program, and the like. Just more hatred and bigotry, and nothing to do with privilege, which you can be sure the authors of this actually enjoy.

"White" makes it about race. I think she was referring to anyone in general.

 

[Heyo]

The usual context in intra-country discussions is one
group accusing another of having it. But if merely being
in the country is a privilege, then everyone is or is not.
Not useful.

That's why you count your privileges. Being privileged is not a black/white thing, you can have multiple privileges of diverse value. And being a citizen fits my definition of privilege (which is having special rights - not things) as rights come with citizenship. E.g. I have the privilege/ unalienable right to life which you lack.

 

[Revoltingest]

That's why you count your privileges. Being privileged is not a black/white thing, you can have multiple privileges of diverse value. And being a citizen fits my definition of privilege (which is having special rights - not things) as rights come with citizenship. E.g. I have the privilege/ unalienable right to life which you lack.

The term "privilege" has many contexts. The OP
is much narrower than being a citizen of a country.
It addresses differences in privileges that different
citizens would have, primarily getting government
largesse without working.

 

[Debater Slayer]

“Privilege” is the fruits of success or fortune (primarily success) of a group/ family/ individual, as well as any genetic characteristics that are an advantage in a particular area.

It is not something to regret. It is not something to be ashamed of. It is not something to apologize for. It is an opportunity... and people utilize those opportunities, that edge they have, those advantages in their lives, to make their dreams a reality. Or, at the very least, to bring some measure of improvement or comfort to their lives.

I feel no regret. I feel no shame. And there will be no apologies. Be angry, be resentful, be jealous, claim it is not fair all you want. It is not fair. I have advantages you do not have, and you have advantages I do not have. People have to accept it. Humans are not equal. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. Some are developed, some are inherited. It makes no difference. An advantage is an advantage and you either utilize it or you do not. But do not sit there yelling at the universe about how life has treated you unfairly, complaining about other people’s “privilege”, when you can be out in the world developing your own... for yourself, for your family, for whatever group holds meaning to you, and for your descendants.

While I agree that the definition of "privilege" that you used applies in some cases where it is a result of hard work or effort, that's not always the case. In many countries with corrupt governments, for example, privilege can merely be a result of having friends in specific places or getting rich through unscrupulous means such as bribery, tax evasion, or even theft.

Another example is when two people work similarly hard and only one experiences a fair outcome because of factors such as racial or gendered discrimination, religious prejudice, etc.

I personally find "privilege" to be a much less useful and much more subjective and vague descriptor to talk about injustice and inequity than other terms that focus on the factors leading to the inequity in the first place. Compared to a starving person, someone barely getting by on a blue-collar wage is "privileged," but that doesn't tell us anything useful about any underlying social issues.