Privilege, Power, and Difference

"Privilege, Power, and Difference" by Allan G. Johnson

In this work, Johnson argues that "a great deal of trouble surrounds the issue of difference in this society". He communicates that there are social constructions which lead to privilege for some and result in oppression for others. Collectively we don't get along with each other and we need to examine the reasons for this. He communicates that the differences we possess from each other are not the problem but rather the system that provides unearned benefits to a white male like myself and unearned liabilities to people of non-privileged groups.

Passages of Interest:

• "The existence of privilege doesn't mean I didn't do a good job, of course, or that I don't deserve credit for it. What it does mean is that I'm also getting something that other people are denied, people who are like me in every respect except for the gender, race, and sexual orientation categories they belong to.... In other words, 'To be white in America means not having to think about it'' (Johnson 24-25).

Johnson is making a great point here. It is true that as a white male there are many things that I don't have to concern myself with which many others do. I take it for granted that I will be safe from physical harm and harassment in many situations. I remember several years ago when my wife and I lived in Buffalo, NY that sometimes she wore a baseball cap to make it less obvious she was a woman when she needed to go out at night. This passage is a good reminder that their are many privileges bestowed on me as a white male in American society that many others are unable to benefit from.

• On pages 36-37 Johnson states that "The paradoxical experience of being privileged without feeling privileged is a second consequence of the fact that privilege is more about social categories than who people are. It has to do primarily with the people we use as standards of comparison -- what sociologists call 'reference groups.' We use reference groups to construct a sense of how good or bad, high or low we are in the scheme of things. To do this, we usually don't look downward in the social hierarchy but to people we identify as being on the same level as or higher than our own....Since being white is valued in this society, whites will tend to compare themselves with other whites, not with people of color...What this means is that whites will tend not to feel privileged by their race when they compare themselves with their reference group, because their reference group is also white."

I find this quote challenging and the point Johnson makes here indicates part of the reason privilege and oppression consistently continue in our society. Instead of doing what we can to help those who are oppressed and advocate for social justice we are caught up in complaining or feeling that we don't have it as good as we should have it since some of our friends and family have bigger houses, nicer cars, etc. I tend to think of myself as having a relatively modest lifestyle when I observe many of my friends. It is more difficult to compare myself with families who live crowded in small inner city apartments and it is still even more difficult to take significant action to help those who live in poverty.

• On page 40 Johnson says "in order to have the experience of being oppressed, it is necessary to belong to an oppressed category. In other words, men cannot be oppressed as men, just as whites cannot be oppressed as whites or heterosexuals as heterosexuals because a group can be oppressed only if there exists another group that has the power to oppress them."

I disagree with Johnson's statement here. It appears to me that Johnson is saying that men cannot be oppressed as men. I may be confused by his meaning of the term oppression. It seems to me that through affirmative action a white man or woman may experience some form of oppression because of preferential hiring of a person of color. Obviously the white person will typically benefit from privilege outside of this situation, but they are still experiencing some reverse discrimination. When I was in college back in the early 90's looking for jobs in Wildlife Biology I was concerned that it would be more difficult for me to get a job because of being a white male because of affirmative action concerns.

More recently, I directed an inner city mission project in New York. Since I wanted a more diverse team I held open positions and charged white students more then ethnic minority students because of our desire for a racially diverse team. I don't think this was oppressive in any sense for the white students but rather helping to level the field for ethnic students. However, this type of affirmative action can contribute to resentment in white people and potentially be oppressive in certain situations.

Questions/Comments/Point to share:

I felt Johnson raised alot of great points and I agreed with most of what he said. I think it is great for us to think about and discuss these issues of privilege and how privilege for some of us creates such a significant cost for others. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to bring about true racial reconciliation and healing to our society. I would like to ask (if you are willing to share) others in the class, are you aware of ways you have or do experience the benefits of privilege or costs of oppression?