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magical thyme

(14,881 posts)

36. the reason I asked is because I just struggled with a jury duty...

Sun Mar 2, 2014, 11:49 AM

Mar 2014

such that I changed my answer 3 times trying to decide my response.

I found it helped to reframe my question, and "Male privileged" was one of the frames I used.

The other frames I used were "Able privileged," "Straight privileged" and "Pretty privileged." That gave me 3 frames I am "privileged" and 2 in which I am discriminated against.

I concluded that "White privilege" and "Male privileged" are divisive terms, but mainly because they are memes that have been beaten to death here at DU.

People are confusing "factual" with "divisive." The fact is white people are privileged within our society. Males are privileged. Able-bodied people are privileged. And pretty people are privileged.

Statistics and studies show that they consistently get more opportunities, better opportunities, better rewards for less work, and less punishment for rule-breaking. And in the case of pretty people, even their parents favor them over the ugly duckling kids, and will even blatantly punish the ugly kids for the pretty kids misbehavior.

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Is the term "White Privilege" a racially divisive term [View all] pipoman Mar 2014 OP

wha?? boston bean Mar 2014 #1

Anyone who chooses the affirmative is probably either a wingnut or a dumbass. n/t demmiblue Mar 2014 #2

The question isn't whether the term is accurate. Igel Mar 2014 #39

By all means, we must not raise the white man's hackles. Squinch Mar 2014 #78

I think you could word this a little more A-Schwarzenegger Mar 2014 #3

I think the poster may be trying to ask boston bean Mar 2014 #5

Ya think? Heidi Mar 2014 #8

or if it is reverse racism??? boston bean Mar 2014 #11

Sometimes you just have to shake your head. Heidi Mar 2014 #14

I think the term A-Schwarzenegger Mar 2014 #10

This early in the morning? boston bean Mar 2014 #12

It's Saturday Night! A-Schwarzenegger Mar 2014 #13

No rest for the wicked, Heidi Mar 2014 #16

If one is a racist, and doesn't like being called out for it, the answer is surely "yes". Scuba Mar 2014 #4

:thumbsup: Heidi Mar 2014 #9

Amazingly, someone actually alerted on this! Tanuki Mar 2014 #21

Perhaps someone who doesn't understand basic logic. Scuba Mar 2014 #23

Some people can't tell the difference between reading something they don't like to read, and a RC Mar 2014 #56

For the record, I didn't alert on this or any post in the thread.. pipoman Mar 2014 #100

There's no check mark for finding the term 1awake Mar 2014 #6

Only in that debates about it seem to divide the white people I want to know Heidi Mar 2014 #7

Boom! Squinch Mar 2014 #79

Ha!! Number23 Mar 2014 #80

Truth. nt laundry_queen Mar 2014 #84

Is the term "rich" socially divisive? nt Democracyinkind Mar 2014 #15

It is better to convince than to ventilate. I don't doubt for one second that white privilege is Douglas Carpenter Mar 2014 #17

That's the way I see it. pintobean Mar 2014 #19

That is my take on this whole subject on DU and why I have a problem with it. RC Mar 2014 #57

Yes... KansDem Mar 2014 #18

There is a difference between rights and privileges. kwassa Mar 2014 #50

which is exactly why it is a very useful word. bettyellen Mar 2014 #55

right on Quayblue Mar 2014 #62

That's it, absolutely. RC Mar 2014 #58

Depends on how it is used. Scruffy Rumbler Mar 2014 #20

Is "male privilege" a gender-based divisive term? magical thyme Mar 2014 #22

I feel very confident gollygee Mar 2014 #24

+1 Starry Messenger Mar 2014 #25

the reason I asked is because I just struggled with a jury duty... magical thyme Mar 2014 #36

great post! kwassa Mar 2014 #45

Not a fan of the term. It is clumsy, quinnox Mar 2014 #26

Personally I think "racism" is a good word. (nt) Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #27

Well the other poll was an absurdly skewed push poll, Waiting For Everyman Mar 2014 #28

Using academic terminology in a non-academic setting can lead to misunderstandings Fumesucker Mar 2014 #29

Stunned by this thread. Daemonaquila Mar 2014 #30

This trouble that people have is also why this will probably remain a predominantly white ScreamingMeemie Mar 2014 #35

Nailed it! Number23 Mar 2014 #81

The concept is absolutely real and valid; the term itself is terrible. Lizzie Poppet Mar 2014 #31

My sentiments exactly. pipoman Mar 2014 #32

White privilege is always applicable, though. The issue of misinterpretation in on the interpreter. kwassa Mar 2014 #41

Not, I'd argue, when it's the more intuitive interpretation. Lizzie Poppet Mar 2014 #63

I don't agree. kwassa Mar 2014 #68

That's not what I said. Lizzie Poppet Mar 2014 #72

then start the discussion with privilege, and what it means. kwassa Mar 2014 #74

Words mean something pipoman Mar 2014 #92

How is your poll more valid than the poll where 93% said that white privilege is real? kwassa Mar 2014 #95

The number in the other poll pipoman Mar 2014 #96

I think you are the one playing with words, in this instance. kwassa Mar 2014 #97

1/3 of respondents in the poll disagree apparently. . pipoman Mar 2014 #99

Who is the audience? You can blame the audience all you like but they aren't who gets the downside TheKentuckian Mar 2014 #89

Funny how that works. kwassa Mar 2014 #91

Exactly. Putting up barriers to even grasping the situation is counterproductive by definition. TheKentuckian Mar 2014 #104

How could it not be? Mojo Electro Mar 2014 #33

Even if it is true? We shouldn't speak the truth? kwassa Mar 2014 #40

Same Reason RobinA Mar 2014 #87

That Boom Sound 416 Mar 2014 #94

Nope. Iggo Mar 2014 #34

I would imagine Boom Sound 416 Mar 2014 #37

what a bizarre statement. kwassa Mar 2014 #44

I think the two are closely related. Boom Sound 416 Mar 2014 #54

Not related at all, really. kwassa Mar 2014 #71

Nice post Boom Sound 416 Mar 2014 #93

I don't think so, and I don't recall it getting a lot of attention until recently WhaTHellsgoingonhere Mar 2014 #38

No, you forgot "White MALE Privilege" itsrobert Mar 2014 #42

Heterosexual white male non-disabled full-head-of-hair privilege (nt) Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #51

Hey now, I resemble that outrage. RC Mar 2014 #64

No, it's simply a matter of fact nt MrScorpio Mar 2014 #43

Exactly ismnotwasm Mar 2014 #102

Meanwhile, in the real world... Comrade Grumpy Mar 2014 #46

It has increasingly become a highly charged term and... NYC_SKP Mar 2014 #47

+1 Blue_In_AK Mar 2014 #53

Yes, it is. But that is hardly decisive. cthulu2016 Mar 2014 #48

If all whites could just acknowlege their privilege 3 times a day, every day, Nye Bevan Mar 2014 #49

You might be right. kwassa Mar 2014 #52

I personally don't think the term is racially divisive, ZombieHorde Mar 2014 #59

No. To believe there is no white privelege is to believe there is no racism. TransitJohn Mar 2014 #60

^^^ THIS ^^^ etherealtruth Mar 2014 #61

What's the difference between the two? pipoman Mar 2014 #65

You're either being TransitJohn Mar 2014 #66

I have no idea why you wouldn't answer that pipoman Mar 2014 #67

What do you think is divisive about this term, since you started this OP? kwassa Mar 2014 #85

amen. nt La Lioness Priyanka Mar 2014 #69

Thread. Winner Number23 Mar 2014 #83

people who like to pretend white privilege doesn't exist La Lioness Priyanka Mar 2014 #70

Yes, unfortunately, it kinda has become that way. AverageJoe90 Mar 2014 #73

It is after a fashion el_bryanto Mar 2014 #75

We're already divided Warpy Mar 2014 #76

more concerned about whether or not it is accurate nt Deep13 Mar 2014 #77

Add any racial term to the word "privilege" and it becomes about race Corruption Inc Mar 2014 #82

yep Puzzledtraveller Mar 2014 #86

only to the willfully ignorant bobduca Mar 2014 #88

Other: Ask the audience. TheKentuckian Mar 2014 #90

Well, excuse me for telling you that your skirt is showing. Baitball Blogger Mar 2014 #98

Just about everyone has privilege The Straight Story Mar 2014 #101

The term was created in order to divide MO_Moderate Mar 2014 #103