I guess if you like to misunderstand and then rail against liberal-leaning internet catchphrases, then yes, it's a fantastic article. The point of "check your privilege" that this random dude missed is that the power systems in place today tip the odds in his favor (however, he did acknowledge that concept, but called it a conspiracy.) IIRC it started on social justice blogs on Tumblr as a step in a process of being a better ally to traditionally underprivileged groups, and then morphed into a catch all phrase. I will say that like any complex idea boiled down to three words, "check your privilege" is woefully unsuitable to the job it's been tasked to do. I guess if you don't believe in the self-perpetuation of traditional power systems (or don't see that as a problem), then this is a fantastic article. A really feel-good piece about a member of the majority overcoming vague and toothless oppression at the hands of the snotty baristas at the local vegan cafe. A fantastic outlet for the righteous indignation of a right-wing college-themed blog.
Not having heard of this phenomenon until this point, I wonder: if the catchphrase has morphed into something significantly different than what it was intended for, and then it was used against him in a manner in which it was not intended, then does it really matter--in terms of how it was applied--how it was intended? It seems the article is not about the original intent of the "check your privilege" concept, but more about how it's being applied (or misapplied) by those wielding it as some sort of reverse-racism club. Pardon the poor analogy, but it makes me think of the Crusades. The Crusaders were badly misusing Christianity as a justification for killing non-believers. When looking at what they did, did the original intent of what they used as justification mitigate the atrocities? Of course not. By the same token, the original intent of the "check your privilege" concept has no bearing on the validity of the actions of those who are currently misusing it. Similarly, their misuse only serves to detract from the original message. Long story short--if the people saying "check your privilege" are doing so in a dismissive, condescending manner, it's not the "privileged" person's fault for interpreting the message thusly.
I chuckle when a white hipster from Portland who is in his 20s, and who studied overseas through college, lectures other people about "checking their privilege."
Is it me or is this "outrage" the very thing this earlier piece was speaking to? http://time.com/79590/donald-sterling-kareem-abdul-jabbar-racism/
I don't think that it morphed into something significantly different than its original meaning. I just think that the scope in which it is applied has broadened too far. Like I said, it was used as a step one could take in the process of understanding the experience of people from different backgrounds than you. Its meaning hasn't changed, but now it has turned into a command, one which is likely to be exclusionary or at least perceived as exclusionary. I wouldn't blame someone for not knowing what it means or why it's used. But the article purports to know what it means, dismisses its meaning as conspiracy and/or personal attacks, and then goes on to become a puff-piece for his particular family history and the American dream.
Bull. I'm descended from a line of Irish Catholics who barely survived the potato famine, and Scottish indentured servants.
Again, this is based on my limited understanding and exposure to this phrase and the application thereof, but it appears (at least in this piece), that the comment is being used to be dismissive. It seems to me that is the exact issue of it's intended purpose as you describe it. Rather than causing one group to consider others' perspectives, it's being used to invalidate others' perspectives. Or to put it differently, rather than say "Think about how your upbringing and heritage have impacted your viewpoint," people are essentially saying, "Your experiences differ from mine, so your opinion is worthless." If that's not a significant difference, I don't know what is.
Semantically speaking, the meaning is the same but the communicative intent is different. I would also question this person's interpretation of the phrase. He speaks in generalities and isn't exactly a non biased observer
I would actually be very curious to hear from a cross-section of people who have adopted that mantra into their lexicons. I wonder what the prevailing viewpoint is amongst the who feel inclined/empowered to instruct others to "check your privilege."
Cool, man. I'd always encourage anyone to do some research like that instead of relying on a hit piece on a politically charged blog. The social justice blogs on tumblr are a good place to start if you're curious
Odd how it's the disadvantaged females and minorities at Princeton, of all places. Maybe someone who can only manage junior college should tell them to check their privilege?
