One paragraph on 'Privilege'

What I don’t like about the whole ‘privilege’ movement is that it focuses on bringing down the privileged rather than lifting up the disadvantaged.  Admonishments to check your privilege are all about orienting your thinking to the ways in which you had it easy rather than all the obstacles you overcame through effort and ability. The privilege movement obviates against people’s agency. It encourages the disadvantaged to regard themselves as victims and inclines the advantaged to feel ashamed of and not responsible for their achievements. In the social justice space it creates a horribly toxic and bitter race to the bottom regarding who is the most oppressed. Is Obama more or less privileged than Stella Young? Who cares! Bob Hawke doubtless had mountains of privilege of all varieties but leveraged it to benefit huge cross-sections of society because he remained committed to helping the disadvantaged. He may well not have been so successful in that endeavour if he hadn’t been privileged. What counts is whether you’re a good person doing your best.