I guess the reason they don't delve too much into intersectionality is because the intended audience's brains would probably be overloaded with that information...
It would have been helpful for the author to give them more metaphors relating to the specific privileges/disadvantages. It leaves too much to the imagination, and some people really are too dense and/or ignorant to not only understand privilege, but what privileges they have.
I agree completely. If you ever watch a bunch of geek dudes get called out on any ism, prepare for the avalanche of defense. The mention of classism would definitely have exploded some brains.
I'm glad to see someone as prominent as Scalzi talking about it at all. The current "brogrammer" culture could use a serious privilege check right now. I think we may be entering the most severe backlash since Backlash was published.
that's not concrete or a goal, really. understanding and acceptance doesn't equal any actual solutions. people know they don't earn all they get. they have defense mechanisms about it. so why even have the privilege discussion? they already have the information. poking at them to get them to cop to it in language you prefer isn't, to my way of thinking, a means of getting stuff done.
is any of this going to result in people who don't look like john scalzi being mentored in the specific key positions that would lead to a scalzi-level career? probably not, these discussions have been going on for years now and the people who make publishing decisions haven't really changed who they want in those slots.
discussion is fine if it's going to lead to concrete goals and clear paths. it's not so great if it just leads to people saying 'i haz white privilege'. ok, now what? how does that change anything? it doesn't.
I disagree with your statement that people know they don't earn what they get. I think in many cases they genuinely don't. And that's the problem. I also think that without a basic agreement and understanding of certain ideas, there is no chance of anyone else moving forward - that's why education matters. You can't have an election until people understand the concept of democracy, for example.
Credit for the metaphor relating privilege to difficulty level goes to Luke McKinney "Being a straight male is tremendous fun and sexuality's lowest difficulty setting: You know what you want and everyone else in your demographic will praise you for being able to do it. No one else on the spectrum of sexual orientation can say that." Be warned that the source is a Cracked Magazine(tm) article, so don't expect it to be more than it is.
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It would have been helpful for the author to give them more metaphors relating to the specific privileges/disadvantages. It leaves too much to the imagination, and some people really are too dense and/or ignorant to not only understand privilege, but what privileges they have.
Other than that, a good introductory article.
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I'm glad to see someone as prominent as Scalzi talking about it at all. The current "brogrammer" culture could use a serious privilege check right now. I think we may be entering the most severe backlash since Backlash was published.
Reply
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is any of this going to result in people who don't look like john scalzi being mentored in the specific key positions that would lead to a scalzi-level career? probably not, these discussions have been going on for years now and the people who make publishing decisions haven't really changed who they want in those slots.
discussion is fine if it's going to lead to concrete goals and clear paths. it's not so great if it just leads to people saying 'i haz white privilege'. ok, now what? how does that change anything? it doesn't.
Reply
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Be warned that the source is a Cracked Magazine(tm) article, so don't expect it to be more than it is.
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