There is an AMAZING Ted Talk by Social Psychologist Paul Piff that deals with his research into how people behave when they feel wealthy. There's so much more in his presentation, that deals with social heirarchy, inequality and emotion shape relations between individuals and groups. He has written about his research, "specifically, I have been finding that increased wealth and status in society lead to increased self-focus and, in turn, decreased compassion, altruism, and ethical behavior."
Does money make you mean?
One of the goals of the civil rights movement was to ensure equal opportunity for every U.S. citizen, irrespective of race. When the civil rights movement began, the legal system did not grant the same rights to blacks and other minorities as it did to whites. Today, those laws have been changed, leading some to argue that the U.S. has achieved a level playing field for all. Is the field level? Is success based exclusively on merit and luck, or is race-based "privilege" still a factor? How was affirmative action policy crafted to address issues of privilege? Has it been successful?
Consider the following definitions. What are the differences between them? How do they compare with the dictionary definition of "privilege"?
"unearned power conferred systemically" (Source: Peggy McIntosh, 1995)
white privilege (hwait 'privilidz), social relation, [ad. L. privilegi-um a bill or law in favor of or against an individual.] 1. a. A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by the class of white persons beyond the common advantage of all others; an exemption in many particular cases from certain burdens or liabilities. b. In extended sense: A special advantage or benefit of white persons; with ideological reference to divine dispensations, natural advantages, gifts of fortune, genetic endowments, social relations, etc.
2. A privileged position; the possession of an advantage white persons enjoy over non-whites and white individuals enjoy over non-white individuals.
3. a. The special right or immunity attaching to white persons as a social relation; prerogative. b. display of white privilege, a social expression of a white person or persons demanding to be treated as a member or members of the socially privileged class.
Now consider changing "white privilege" to "male privilege", is there much difference? Or "American" or "Western" or "European" or "Christian" "Jewish" "Muslim" depending on where you were born. Basically, think of any situation where by some random chance thing, you have an edge in the game of life and how it affects you.
ADDENDUM (8-22-14)
A friend of mine had this in her facebook newsfeed. I thought it appropriate a good addition to the viewpoints of Privilege.
Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person
