This is going to be a controversial take, but I believe this confusion comes from applying the wrong word to the concept being conveyed. The word “privelege” means to grant an advantage/immunity to an individual above the usual rights/advangates people get. I acknowledge that language evolves and the word privelege can evolve to mean a lack of impediments that some people suffer under. But that sort of evolution usually takes generations.
There’s a perspective matter at play as well: If the “baseline” rights and advantages of “usual” are somewhere below what “joe average” white man gets, then Joe isn’t average any more. And that’s a perspective shift we need the whole population to acknowledge.
Personally, I’m fine with acknowledging that I don’t suffer the impediments of race or gender that many people do. I suffered under different impediments though: As a kid I was very small, not really having my teenage growth spurt until after I left school. I was also poor. These impediments, while not related to race or gender were no less real. Growing up, I sure didn’t feel priveleged. Does a gay, financially secure black girl feel priveleged? I recognise that today, I am priveleged the way that term is applied in modern discourse. I am also neither short, nor poor any longer. But for all that, I still feel like “joe average”.
I can see how telling a white man who is burdened with some sort of impediment that he’s “priveleged” because he doesn’t suffer under the impediments you suffer is going to be a hard-sell. I believe we’d all be better served with a different word to convey this concept. We already acknowledge that the current term of “privelege” is misinterpreted and misunderstood. I am not smart nor connected enough to come up with a new word and spread it, though.
Driving is one thing that I really look forward to AI taking over. I think my kids will be the last generation to learn how to drive. It’s weird, AI is being held to a much stronger standard than humans. It is already better than human drivers, but it seems it won’t take over until it’s near perfect.
Humans can drive really well, until they get fatigued or distracted and then they suck. But if a robot vehicle has an accident, whose fault is it? The owner of the vehicle? Or the company who makes the AI? This, and whatever we will do with the thousands of people who make a living driving are among the burning questions we need to resolve.
I kind-of get it. I’m not a car person, but I felt a twinge when I sold my old Pulsar. It was a fantastic car, and the main reason I sold it was because I bought it for a different stage in my life (when I was single). With the four of us, it was simply too small.
So I now have an Outlander. I’ll have a similar twinge when I sell it, too. It has already taken us on adventures. Plus, mum rode in it - no future car will have that. I’m not looking forward to whatever makes us get rid of it.
I guess my point is it’s a bit sad to say goodbye, but you’ll always make new adventures!
Daily Discussion Thread: Tue 05 Dec 2023
Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.
As a trans man, Max Simensen says he has unique insights everyone could learn from (www.abc.net.au)
Daily Discussion Thread: Mon 04 Dec 2023
Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.