The Acknowledgment of August
I have a lot of privilege, and that’s okay.
While some may not appreciate the idea of privilege as a point of refection, it has provided value for me in orienting my perspective toward gratitude. As I see it, privilege is the amount of social advantage (often unseen and sometimes unearned) in a given situation. Privilege isn’t a judgement (bad or good), but it is inherently advantageous for the beholder. Most people like to have privilege, and most of us would want others to have privilege too. I say all this, because I want to start from scratch with you. Privilege (in its millions of expressions) plays out between people in life’s various situations. Sometimes these privileges align to help us achieve a suitable outcome.
The Acknowledgment of August is meant to explore the concept of privilege. It’s also meant to help you imagine me more correctly, because I hope this is just the beginning and you’ll explore other challenging concepts with me too.
Some of my privilege I may have earned, most I have not.
In some ways privilege can be societally earned. For example, an esteemed professional might notice this feeling when entering a room. But privilege is also inherited from the body and the environment we occupy.
Some of my privilege came with the body in which I found myself
I am a freckled white man with no autoimmune diseases or physical inconsistencies (all my fingers and toes). I was born in rural America, near a ghost town, far from other people entirely.
Some of it came with the mind I fell into
I’d consider myself to be a smart person, someone who figures things out quickly and naturally is giving to (useful for) others. My hyper-vigilance both serves me and sabotages me. My creativity nature is both valued and undermined. My resistance to authority generally causes more problems than advantages but sometimes this too serves me.
Some of it came from the evil of my shared ancestors
We can quibble about this some other time if you disagree, but I think generally that the descendants of white people (or if you prefer, the European colonizers) embedded some advantages in our system. Some of them were not particularly well hidden. Even though I was very isolated, I benefit from the system and it’s labor, from the spaces I occupied and how all of that environment was acquired across time. Generational wealth is an obvious advantage to anyone who understands how compounding interest works. Assuming we make “wise” investments, money invested sooner lets one earn more rewards sooner. Since the effects are exponential, something must be done to rebalance this equation.
Some of it came when I tasted better or easier ways
I prefer to source coffee beans and grind them to make coffee in the morning.
I prefer to use seasonings that go beyond salt and pepper.
I prefer to eat flavorful food.
I learned about myself when I travelled to other countries.
All of these are fine expressions of life, but they also reflect my situational advantage.
Some of it didn’t fit so I removed it
I began to see life as an exploration of self. I didn’t like how passive television makes me, so I stopped getting cable in 2005.
Some of it didn’t make sense so I changed it
I didn’t like my form, so I changed my ways. I started a service company to control my time. I changed my diet to heal my body. I changed my exercise to understand my body.
Some of it became a part of me and I identified with it
I like my brain, my mind space is my safe space. You can’t have what’s in here unless I share it. I like to share it, but sometimes I don’t think you’ll understand.
Sometimes I wanted for better but I didn’t achieve it
I’ve started projects that I haven’t completed. I’ve tried until tears to help others but failed them.
Seeing my privilege in life’s context ideally allows me to choose better.
When I don’t see it, I should try harder to find it.
It will help me to be grateful.
To find comfort in my self, here, wherever I may be.
There are no things (objects) I wouldn’t give up for a society that provides basic security for all. A society that protects the freedom of one another from violence and coercion. A society which through mixed methods provides universal access to safe shelter, to medicine and care, to quality education, to fresh air, food and water. For these basic things, it is best if we cooperate. Energy and money spent on these systems is not wasted, it is invested, and it needs to be continually invested. We owe it to each other. With these we might have the opportunity to thrive.
We do not deserve anything more. Everything else is privilege we should share until each of us holds this most basic form of opportunity. If we find ourselves with more power, then we should try to put it to good use (all while being a humble listener).
