Privilege and Other Adventures...

I read a fantastic article likening Straight White Male Privilege to the lowest difficulty setting in an RPG video game.


You can share in the genius of the analogy here.


So, this got me reflecting on various and sundry conversations I've had with various and sundry folks about privilege and power.  It's a fascinating topic to me.  And an important one.  We cannot begin to unravel the complicated knots of the human dramas around us without first honoring just how complicated they are.  Part of that is an honest look at who we are and where we stand in those dramas.


Let me get this out of the way, being privileged is not a call to shame.  There is nothing wrong with privilege!  *I* am a child of privilege (being a straight white female has a lot of perks as well--especially being one from a middle class upbringing).  These musing are not meant to judge or belittle.  They are simply musings about power and the allocation of it in our world.  I'd just like to understand why we feel this need to be the underdog all the time.  Those of us who have been lucky enough to be born into privilege can honor that with some gratitude.  We can say thank you for what we've been given by first acknowledging what we've been given.  It does not take away from our hard work and effort to recognize the head start granted to us.  I can still screw up my life, I can still fall on hard times, I can still wallow in the mire even though I was born to privilege.  Don't panic, none of those experiences will be taken from the privileged (we somehow have this need to define our worth by how many obstacles we've overcome).  I will, however, be more able to contribute to the world in meaningful ways if I swallow a spoonful of humility every morning.  When I realize that what I have is really not mine to begin with, well, I think I'm a little more willing to share it.  The scarcity model will never heal humanity's rifts...


Why bring this up?  Well, it ties right in with thoughts I've been mulling about dealing with honoring the complexities of a problem before attempting to apply solutions to it.  We cannot hope to address issues of social inequalities without an understanding of the underlying issues.  Privilege and power are some of those underlying issues.  There are generational ripple effects of marginalizing a group of people.  We may not see all the effects fully unfold for several generations.  


It takes more than a cursory interest in social justice to create effective and lasting change.  One must delve a bit more deeply and be willing to problematize seemingly commonplace issues.  Until you can get more of a perspective on the "other side", all you will do is push around the same tired rhetoric.  Until we recognize the place of privilege, we won't be able to make many gains in balancing inequalities that surround us.  Ignoring or minimizing the challenges facing those around us does NOTHING to further progress (the idea of being "colorblind" is misdirected even if it is well-meaning).  Don't we all want our struggles (and successes) to be valued for what they are?  Don't WE want to be valued for experiencing them?


Perhaps we should stop more often and humanize the experiences of others...

What I Am and What I'm Not (and how I'm comfortable with both)...

My thoughts originated from low blood sugar.  As I got some food in my stomach, they evolved from something visceral to something I'd like to chew on.  Join me for this journey.


Today is Mother's Day.  I like Mother's Day.  I like the idea of setting apart one day to celebrate motherhood. The idea of designating specific days to commemorate events or honor people is something I agree with.  We become a little more appreciative of those events or people as they are brought forefront into our minds.


That being said, I do NOT like getting a flower on Mother's Day.

I am NOT a mother.  Plain and simple fact.  This is a day to honor MOTHERS, not potential mothers.  You may disagree and that is fine, but here are my thoughts...


My worth is not defined by what I do or what I have potential to become.  I am worth something simply by virtue of being a human being.  I have recited the words, "I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who loves me" since I was 12.  I said it every Sunday and Wednesday for six years.  So, I do not need to be remembered as a potential mother on a day set apart to celebrate actual mothers in order to feel like I'm worth something.  By giving out the token flowers in a single's ward to all the single and childless women, you make me feel like I should be feeling sorry for myself.  I do not, in the slightest, feel any sense of resentment that women who have actually birthed and/or reared children are being celebrated and I am not.  


I do not like the idea of honoring all people on Teacher Appreciation Day simply because we all have the POTENTIAL to be teachers.  People who don't fight the effectual battles with unruly behavior, test scores, or unsupportive parents and administrators should not get the coupons, balloons, and chocolate reserved for those of us who DO.  Why should I be recognized as part of a group I really don't belong to?  It cheapens the intended effect.


Secondly, a token flower to honor the women who surround you EVERY SINGLE DAY is offensive.  Why?  Well, because you ignore us the rest of the year.  How about you honor us by treating us like thinking and feeling human beings?  How about you honor us by acknowledging our presence in the hallways at church? How about you honor us by sitting by us during the meetings?  Learning our names? Making friends with us?  Being genuine human beings in our presence?  We are not all beautiful, witty, flirty, thin, charming, or whatever characteristics you are looking for in a potential mother to your own children.  But, we are all worth the effort it takes to humanize us.  And we are not all hungrily hunting for husbands.  You don't need to panic about that.  Treating us like ladies and respecting our contributions outside of our potential to breed is how you can honor us.  Don't spend an entire year ignoring our presence only to present us with a token flower and wish us a happy Mother's Day.  The insincerity again cheapens the intended effect.

I understand the intentions behind the flowers are good.  I get that.  Let's move beyond ritualistic tokens and bring some personalized interactions into the mix.  I am a person and long to be recognized as such.  


And let's leave the day to those who really deserve it, shall we?

New Stuff is AWESOME...

Pretty much awesome.  Yes, I've posted it on a doesn't-need-to-be-named social networking site.  Still pretty much awesome.

Pretty much awesome.  The video isn't as intriguing as the last one.  The song, however, is still pretty much awesome.

Pretty much awesome.  The video and the music are stunning.  Yeah, pretty much awesome.

Pretty much awesome.  The video reminds me of the animations in old Monty Python material.  Both are pretty much awesome.

Pretty much awesome.  After serial watching "Breezeblocks" I finally clicked on the suggested songs.  Awesomeness pretty much ensued.

No words will do this justice.