Abby Browne, a great friend from Vermont, wrote an email to me after reading my post about privilege. She had some good things to say, at least things that I needed to hear, so I asked if I could post them. Here are highlights:
Privilege. What does it mean? Unfortunately it seems as though it's another one of those abstractions that we all take for granted, and that people like you and me, are labeled as having it. Though I don't entirely disagree. Sure, it's socially constructed, what commonly used abstraction isn't? To me, I see privilege more as opportunity than just economic stability, though they do relate. You and I never questioned where our next meal would come from growing up. We never hoped that we would be fortunate (there's another one of those words, fortunate) enough to have shelter in a storm, because we never doubted having a home. We have families that love and support us, and due to our circumstances, we were able to go to college (even if we're paying for it twenty years later), and able to support ourselves effectively. Of course it wasn't necessarily a simple process, but we do not have the limitations that so many people have across the world, and that is what makes us privileged.
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When I think of poverty, I think of those without homes, without jobs, without food, without any sort of shelter, without the economic means of supporting their families. Poverty to me is a much more physical, concrete, thing than privilege. Yes, I think we should fight poverty. When half of the world overconsumes, is overweight, and wastes enough food to feed those impoverish countries, then something should be done to make sure that no one is left out.
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We are lucky that we have choices that don't sacrifice our personal nourishment. We are lucky that we can sit here and discuss our privilege. Would we be talking about this if we were too busy hunting for food, whether in a trash can in the park, or across the savannah? It's not just money, it's not just choices, I certainly don't think it's material possessions or power. It takes an amazing person with something much more than the physical world to see life like the Zionist woman did [a South African Zionist woman, of grandmotherly age, who had to walk several miles to work every morning, and lived illegally with her son and his family in government housing, during Apartheid, and would joyfully sing praise to God. She was happy.]. It seems to me that it's much easier for us as humans to fall into material self-doubt, hatred and greed than find the good in every situation. Is that our culture, or our human nature? Or is that our next discussion topic?
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Poverty is real, privilege is real, and a greater equality - a greater global, social equality should be sought. We just need to fight the battle with as much self-awareness as possible. We need to be able to identify our human needs and our cultural needs, distinguish the two, and do our best to act in the best interests of both. It feels daunting, but necessary. Poverty and privilege are ideas, but they are also very real, and that while discussions are good, they must never lose sight of nor distract from this reality. It's a little clearer now... :)
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