Reflections On The Perception Of Privilege

Will Barratt, Ph.D.

While I practise non believe inward the importance of coincidence, I sometimes notice similar things happening inward a unopen fourth dimension period.  I know that this is by too large a affair of selective attending on my part, but it is a please all the same to notice coincidences.

The inaugural off incidence: I was conducting a staff evolution workshop on educatee learning too social course of instruction at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater for the educatee affairs staff too I introduced myself past times saying:  “Hi, I am Will Barratt.  I am an one-time white guy, too I am the kid of privilege.”  I idea it was solely fair to contextualize myself inside social course of instruction since I was talking almost social class.  After I was done amongst my presentation people came upwards to the front end amongst questions too comments every bit usual, but 1 comment stood out for me.  “You said you lot were privileged too and then you lot didn’t apologize for it.  You made us bargain amongst it.”  I had non intended to challenge people inward that way too it was overnice to know that was how my introduction was perceived.

The instant incidence: In my enquiry squad coming together a calendar week later my operate at UW-Whitewater 1 of the squad members noted that he had a comment made to him later a mock interview inward the project search process.  After his mock interview he was given 2 comments inward detail "Don't order 'Child of Privilege" "Admitted privilege--deliberately position himself inward the seat of outsider."  The enquiry squad members had spent a yr talking almost social course of instruction hence the comment that he was privileged was for him a contestation of fact.  Apparently such a contestation makes other people nervous. 

The 3rd incidence: I am re-reading Vance Packard’s 1959 classic on social course of instruction The Status Seekers. 

Sociologist August B. Hollingshead of Yale University flora that psychiatrists—supposedly uninhibited, open-minded individuals—“tend to react amongst embarrassment when the inquiry of social course of instruction is raised.”  One responded to a straight inquiry almost the social classes inward his town of New Haven, Connecticut, past times saying, “I don’t similar to recollect also much almost this. (p. 6)

Is it to a greater extent than socially acceptable to last inaugural off generation on campus than to last the kid of privilege?  Is at that topographic point perceived virtue inward humble beginnings?  Are people beingness judged for the social course of instruction standing of their parents?  Are but about of those judgments negative if you lot were the kid of privilege?

I was an Ivy League professor’s kid.  I didn‘t grow upwards wealthy, but I had a lot of experiences too met a lot of famous too talented people.  I was an Eagle Scout too went to Philmont ranch, to Schiff, too to the National Jamboree.  I had access to computers inward high schoolhouse inward 1966.  I had a bully college too graduate educational activity amongst piffling debt.  I had potent menage unit of measurement support.  Even when I was of an historic current to last held accountable for my ain life I silent had privilege to pull on; when I was working on my dissertation I could telephone telephone my sister, or my father, or my married adult woman for advice since they all had a Ph.D.

Being the kid of privilege enabled me to sense social course of instruction contrast too that has enabled me to watch social course of instruction inward for certain ways.  First generation students sense social course of instruction contrast on campus too that enables them to watch social course of instruction inward other ways.  The telephone commutation to seeing social course of instruction was the contrast betwixt how nosotros grew upwards too the settings inward which nosotros notice ourselves now. 

Zachary D. Nicolazzo inward Men Behaving Badly: Making Connections betwixt Moral Development too Fraternity Men (http://bit.ly/xbUKyn) uses the phrase bad-dogging to depict how men are sometimes treated when they misbehave.  I direct maintain loved this phrase since I inaugural off heard it.  Are the children of privilege beingness bad-dogged but because of the menage unit of measurement of origin?  Is it my error that you lot direct maintain difficulty amongst my having had to a greater extent than economic, social, too cultural resources every bit a kid too every bit a college student? 

We should all last held accountable for our lives later a for certain point.  I should last held accountable for agreement my privilege, for what it has meant, for what it means, too what it volition mean.  I should last able to read Peggy MacIntosh’s White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack (http://bit.ly/xVgLud) too empathize both whiteness too social course of instruction privilege.  Similarly others should last held accountable for agreement their attitudes toward privilege.  Social course of instruction conflict is complicated, too nosotros all demand to empathize the pieces nosotros co-create.  Social course of instruction does non be without our consent.  

keywords: social course of instruction privilege prestige rich guilt 

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