Privilege doesn't mean anything for how good your life is. Poor people can be miserable, rich people can be miserable, there's no correlation.
Check Your Privilege!
- Thread starter Colour Scientist
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This is a very frustrating test to me, simply on the grounds that many questions do not even apply.
For example: I do not have a religion. I have never had a significant other. What does "I am a man" mean in this context? The word "race" carries a different meaning to me (i.e. I do not think that the term is even meaningful in the species we all share). Tuition is state-financed in my country, and so on. I will just assume that it is irrelevant if they apply or not and I will have to guess on some of them. That said, the test gave me 56/100, which is quite privileged.
For example: I do not have a religion. I have never had a significant other. What does "I am a man" mean in this context? The word "race" carries a different meaning to me (i.e. I do not think that the term is even meaningful in the species we all share). Tuition is state-financed in my country, and so on. I will just assume that it is irrelevant if they apply or not and I will have to guess on some of them. That said, the test gave me 56/100, which is quite privileged.
My parents are both heterosexual, alive and married. My God how do I sleep at night with such unchecked privilege.
And I would say that this is an entirely valid evaluation. If the objective is a net increase in happiness or well-being, and your position puts you in a state where further assistance would result in a zero sum change at best, then it is of no use to ask you to do more than you are already doing.generals3 said:
Setting aside politics, I think we're on roughly the same page in this regard. The chief difficulty in the social justice arena is that people on all ends of the fence have problems meaningfully and honestly evaluating where they and others stand, and my argument here is that the idea of privilege checking should be just that and nothing more. Not a bludgeon (which it is currently often deployed as), but as a tool for helping assess and evaluate how to best apply one's resources to making a better world for themselves and others.
I didn't understand whether I was supposed to leave half the questions checked or unchecked because of the constant changes between "I have" and "I have never"
So I got 57 out of 100.
Quite privileged.
Fair enough I suppose.
So I got 57 out of 100.
Quite privileged.
Fair enough I suppose.
78/100. Straight white male living in Canada, not surprised at all.
The test is a bit weird at points trying to not be America-centric and then immediately being America-centric (i.e. going out of it's way to not specify white in the race questions and then immediately pulling out an "are you white?" on you). It also uses some less controversial measures of privilege like living/dead parents, poverty and mental health that seems to make the test results a bit different then the usual definition of privilege.
If anything it's interesting to see that the concept of "privilege" goes a bit deeper then the usual race/gender rights thing that's prevalent on the internet.
Also it's important to remember that, as the test points out, there's nothing wrong with having more or less privilege then anybody else even if tumblr SJWs would like you to believe it.
The test is a bit weird at points trying to not be America-centric and then immediately being America-centric (i.e. going out of it's way to not specify white in the race questions and then immediately pulling out an "are you white?" on you). It also uses some less controversial measures of privilege like living/dead parents, poverty and mental health that seems to make the test results a bit different then the usual definition of privilege.
If anything it's interesting to see that the concept of "privilege" goes a bit deeper then the usual race/gender rights thing that's prevalent on the internet.
Also it's important to remember that, as the test points out, there's nothing wrong with having more or less privilege then anybody else even if tumblr SJWs would like you to believe it.
49/100 and I'm a white cis-scum male that's only ever had my sexuality questioned because I haven't had a girlfriend in many, many years. So apparently because someone once thought I was gay counts as me not being privileged. Oh woe is me. Boo-fucking-hoo.
Of course it's not a secret codeword. They're quite open about it, actually.DANGER- MUST SILENCE said:
64%: Quite privileged.
As expected really and I have never felt the need to seriously complain about anything in my life because of it.
As expected really and I have never felt the need to seriously complain about anything in my life because of it.
How Privileged Are You?
You live with 37 out of 100 points of privilege.
You?re not privileged at all. You grew up with an intersectional, complicated identity, and life never let you forget it. You?ve had your fair share of struggles, and you?ve worked hard to overcome them. We do not live in an ideal world and you had to learn that the hard way. It is not your responsibility to educate those with more advantages than you, but if you decide you want to, go ahead and send them this quiz. Hopefully it will help.
Woohoo I think I've won and got lower then everyone else so far. Dunno what I won but well, a wins a win.
Does this mean my voice carries more weight in future threads or something? Or do I just get a pity party?
Anyways that test was a load of bull for the most part..
Heck one of my "privileges" was that I studied abroad and went to boarding school...
Nevermind that it was cos I was kicked out of my old school and that boarding school was kinda a last chance school for troubled kids of all sorts... It had its good moments but Id wager most people wouldn't have liked that environment, let alone consider it a privilege compared to a more mundane school environment.
Edit: Nvm, 2 people beat my "score". Goddamnit, if it wasnt for private school and studying abroad counting as privileges I'd totally have bought home the gold.
You live with 37 out of 100 points of privilege.
You?re not privileged at all. You grew up with an intersectional, complicated identity, and life never let you forget it. You?ve had your fair share of struggles, and you?ve worked hard to overcome them. We do not live in an ideal world and you had to learn that the hard way. It is not your responsibility to educate those with more advantages than you, but if you decide you want to, go ahead and send them this quiz. Hopefully it will help.
Woohoo I think I've won and got lower then everyone else so far. Dunno what I won but well, a wins a win.
Does this mean my voice carries more weight in future threads or something? Or do I just get a pity party?
Anyways that test was a load of bull for the most part..
Heck one of my "privileges" was that I studied abroad and went to boarding school...
Nevermind that it was cos I was kicked out of my old school and that boarding school was kinda a last chance school for troubled kids of all sorts... It had its good moments but Id wager most people wouldn't have liked that environment, let alone consider it a privilege compared to a more mundane school environment.
Edit: Nvm, 2 people beat my "score". Goddamnit, if it wasnt for private school and studying abroad counting as privileges I'd totally have bought home the gold.
I got 47/100, and I feel it should have been a higher number v: Though, my current life situation feels a lot more comfortable and "privileged" than the one I grew up with. When I compare myself socioeconomically, or even the whole general area where I live now, to back in my hometown, it makes me realize how good I have it compared to most of my friends and family.
55/ 100
I thought it would be higher since I am living with my parent but in saying so some of the stuff doesn't apply to me much like having a partner.
I thought it would be higher since I am living with my parent but in saying so some of the stuff doesn't apply to me much like having a partner.
yepp cis white cis scum reporting for duty, had a solid 42/100 on this "quiz".VanQ said:
This quiz is loaded, I feel like there were certain sections where if you were going to checkmark one (or not) then you were going to checkmark the next 5-6 because they were all related/would happen most likely.
one example:
Sure, my parents are married and alive and heterosexual, but one isn't my real parent, and they both have had 2+ jobs my entire life clawing their way up the economical ladder so I had to single handedly take care of my brothers 90% of my free time growing up because of that. (Not pouting/minding it, just stating this generalized quiz is kinda crap and doesn't consider alot of relative things)
All that being said, I think my score probably could've been higher, while some parts of my life haven't been easy, I've always had food in my stomach and a roof over my head, so relatively I could be doing way worse than many people in certain areas of living.
31/100
Straight, white male, but that's about where the privilege stopped. I'm a progressive and atheist in a very conservative/religious US state (West Virginia). Never went hungry, so I did have an advantage over other people my age, but we were never beyond lower middle class. Started work at 15 so I could afford a vehicle at 16. Father committed suicide about 4 years ago...so...yeah, that line of questioning was dumb.
Oh, and my lovely missus of 4 years is black, which seems to agitate both white folks and other black folks. Seems to really rankle black men more than black women that she's with me. My personal favorite is when she or I is called a "race traitor" by our respective ethnic others. You can imagine the other shit we get called, which I can't type here without setting off a filter I'm sure.
Straight, white male, but that's about where the privilege stopped. I'm a progressive and atheist in a very conservative/religious US state (West Virginia). Never went hungry, so I did have an advantage over other people my age, but we were never beyond lower middle class. Started work at 15 so I could afford a vehicle at 16. Father committed suicide about 4 years ago...so...yeah, that line of questioning was dumb.
Oh, and my lovely missus of 4 years is black, which seems to agitate both white folks and other black folks. Seems to really rankle black men more than black women that she's with me. My personal favorite is when she or I is called a "race traitor" by our respective ethnic others. You can imagine the other shit we get called, which I can't type here without setting off a filter I'm sure.
49/100. That's actually a lot less than I was expecting, considering that I'm a white straight male.
Truth be told though, I think the test only works well in an american perspective because since I'm from the UK, I could get financial support from the government and I have health care benefits from the NHS which I think is a massive privilege over the US (Where a medical bill can mean bankruptcy from what I've learned). Also the definition and perspective of a College changes depending on where you live since going to college is a lot less of a big deal in the UK whereas going to University is more in line with the test. Furthermore, I hear much less incidents about racial, religious, sexual orientation, or gender issues in the here in the UK on the news and a lot more support for equality, I mean hey; channel four hosted a televised gay wedding musical with Stephen Fry (also homosexual and a national treasure considered to be an excellent representative of the UK) as the host. Would that happen in the US, in every state?
Truth be told though, I think the test only works well in an american perspective because since I'm from the UK, I could get financial support from the government and I have health care benefits from the NHS which I think is a massive privilege over the US (Where a medical bill can mean bankruptcy from what I've learned). Also the definition and perspective of a College changes depending on where you live since going to college is a lot less of a big deal in the UK whereas going to University is more in line with the test. Furthermore, I hear much less incidents about racial, religious, sexual orientation, or gender issues in the here in the UK on the news and a lot more support for equality, I mean hey; channel four hosted a televised gay wedding musical with Stephen Fry (also homosexual and a national treasure considered to be an excellent representative of the UK) as the host. Would that happen in the US, in every state?
I'm not (and that quote is not) suggesting you should feel guilty about other people's racism, or atrocities committed by previous generations. The suggestion is that you should be aware of the bigotry of others and not let it slide because it doesn't affect you or your group. That's what "checking your privilege" is about. Recognizing and calling out bigotry that does not affect you or even benefits you/your group. Like a lot of straight people who never stop to think about how much being denied equal marriage rights effects the lives of LGBTs, because their marriage rights aren't in question. I don't think most of these people are trying to be mean, they just don't think. They never consider or "check" their privileged position in society.shootthebandit said:
Just as a side note I heard from an Israeli man some time ago that when he was in school they went on a field trip to German concentration camp sites with German students. And at that point the German kids felt guilty and the Israli kids felt like victims. Which I found incredibly fucked up and unnecessary, since it was obviously the intention of such a mash up, but there you go. Some people are trying to propagate these hatreds and guilts for things done by our long dead ancestors, but that's not what this is about.