That struck a chord in me, a bad one. The author went on to say that it was not bad, but it is the way it is, that we all evaluate things based on our own circumstances. I accept that. What I am having issues with is the notion that I live a privileged life.
I need to understand what exactly make me have a privileged life. So I thought about my life, which is written about extensively in these blogs, going back years (imported from the now defunct yahoo 360).
Lets see, childhood - dad was a functioning alcoholic policeman, mom a stay at home mom; we lived in the suburbs with other working class people.
Dad got promoted to Sergeant, and we moved to another part of town, at the time thought to be probably upper middle class. Maybe my privilege started here. I got to earn my own money babysitting, and doing chores…
High school- oh yes, I had to buy my own clothes so I would know what its like to support myself, which meant I had to work summers….definitely privileged.
College- dad said don’t expect us to pay , you should just meet someone and be a mother and wife like your mom..Yup, privileged. (I managed to buy a car for $50 that my friends helped me keep running. One wheel drive and three working brakes- it was awful)
Post college- Oh, don’t think just because you worked and put yourself thru college we are going to let you move in with us again ( I was paying my parents rent until I was a sophomore in college, and said screw that and moved out…)
Numerous jobs, some Ok, divorce, followed by most pretty lousy, moving myself across country in a VW (everything I owned fit in the back seat) - privilege alright
Struggling for years to get more skills and promotions to find that decent job, from 1979 to 1993 I had so many jobs I can count them all- some lasted literally a day or so (that was a dry cleaner- I got fed up and threw a rack of clothes on a work table, only I missed and they went on the floor and had to be redone)…trust me, not privileged.
I have made a comfortable income I would say for the last 8 years or so. Getting here I have been sued, thrown in jail (OK I was booked and released, and the charges were dropped later), and seen plenty of the underside of our economy.
At one point I tried to get assistance to buy food, not welfare per se, just some food stamps or something, and was turned down because I won’t sell our only car, a 10 year old VW..” but if I sell the car, how do I get to work? We live 20 miles from town? Sorry, you can always quit and go on assistance, you do have a child? “That’s when I decided our system wasn't working…that if people wanted a hand up, not a hand out, they should get it, but this welfare state mentality sucks….
and we decided to move from the country to the city and get decent jobs and pull ourselves up, because nobody else was going to, so that’s what honey and I did.
So yes, I guess I have a privileged life- privileged that I have the opportunity and ability to compete in a free market economy and be the best I can.
So excuse me for doing what I had to do to get where I am, but please don’t describe it as a privileged life…I have never been to the Hampton’s
Well now, that should set the record straight. And btw, your story sounds very familiar to my ears. Most "privileged" folks know what hard work for little pay, is like. Some people see an oportunity and take it, others just take from where there is no oportunity.
ReplyDeleteNice post, I enjoyed reading it.
:-)
ReplyDeleteI love when people ASSUME. Grrrrrr!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny all the hard work, study, risk-taking, criticism, jealousy (and consequent attempts to hold you back or not help you one whit) and so on such people don't see because they are too busy engaging in instant gratification instead of the responsible behaviors of those whom they judge.
ReplyDeletethis is common.. rather than discuss the issues they attack you for either lacking life experiences or have a narrow mind..
ReplyDeletesome people are just jealous of ya LOL
ReplyDeleteOne can say you have earned your privileges.
ReplyDeleteThis sort of thing can be quite relative, according to what you see around you, what you have lived through, where you would like to go.
What does a person do in a place, an economy, where there are no jobs?
I feel that it is blind luck that we were born in a country with such opportunity. I was born in Canada, and now live in the USA. Beyond that, we create our own destiny. I would say that you have worked harder than I have in the whole histories of our respective lives. If you have more of anything, it is how it should be.
ReplyDeletePeople who think that those who have anything just came by it by something other than work usually think that way because they don't understand the work that was involved. Some people are honestly shocked at how much a hard working person can accomplish in one day.
I still have issue with the word privilege...
ReplyDeleteI keep thinking about this. I feel privileged to have hot water on tap.
ReplyDeleteI worked through school also, sometimes holding down two jobs. My summer abroad was working in a hotel in Switzerland. :-)
I understand now (I think) that this word has certain connotations for you and brings up images that do not correspond to you. But we are probably somewhere in the middle of all that exists on the scale of privilege.
I give it thought also (obviously) and guess its what people want it to mean. To me privileged represents those in life who dont have to struggle, who have every advantage. I am not one of those people.
ReplyDeleteI think the offensive nature of the comment comes from the sense of understanding privilege as an advantage that is not available to everyone, and specifically something that is not earned. When you have fairly earned your income, diplomas and degrees, it is demeaning to say you are privileged in the sense I just indicated.
ReplyDeleteI think thats a fair analysis
ReplyDelete