Privilege , Power and Difference by Alan Johnson
Quotes
"I also don't mean that something as minimal as mere tolerance or refraining from overt violence. i mean that you'd think we could treat one another with decency and respect and appreciate if not support the best we have in us. It's what I imagine Rodney King meant by "get along"."
I believe that Alan Johnson raises an important opinion here that can be applied into todays society very easily. Everyday in the news - no matter your political opinion or stance in the world - but America itself is incredibly divided. Some would argue that this divide is greater now than ever before. Alan Johnson highlights in his book some of the exact things that plague our country today. This quote goes onto to support something Alan Johnson mentions a few paragraphs later following a discussion with his female coworker and he goes on to describe aspects that he would never even consider doing. Things that I - as a female - come second nature, but to someone who has never had to worry about how someone looks at them, or if someone is hiding in their car these habits and safety precautions may be considered 'extreme'. This state of paranoia, and concern of safety for women cannot be classified as people 'getting along'.
"The trouble around difference is really about privilege and power - the existence of privilege and the lopsided distribution of power that keeps it going,"
This quote connects to some of the opening sentences of Privilege, Power and Difference where Alan Johnson discusses privilege, and white privilege in particular. Growing up as a white female, white privilege was not a term I heard. Nor was it something I ever considered. But as I became friends with people from different backgrounds, and expanded who i spoke with through the means of social media this term became more apparent to me - and just how privileged I myself am, in comparison to some of my friends. Alan discusses white privilege, and privilege itself a few different times throughout his book but i think this mention of it is incredibly important as he goes on to explain how talking about power and privilege isnt inherently easy.
"Two Types of Privilege"
I chose to narrow this specific quote - really the whole paragraph following it down to its title. I believe that this paragraph is arguably one of the most important. It breaks down what privilege is and divides them into two types. Unearned Entitlements which are things that all people should have, for example feeling safe in a public space. The second kind of privilege is pretty much a mirror unearned entitlements, and is instead Unearned Advantage which is when these entitlements (feeling safe, being respected, etc) are restricted to a certain group of people.
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| Getting Along, Why its so important that we as a society acknowledge each others differences but dont use them to alienate each other and instead embrace them. |
Reflection
One point I'd like to share and something that Alan Johnson's book helped me realize. Is that analyzing our lives to help ourselves understand if we are privileged and how exactly this privilege alters our life from another. For example as a white woman i have never had to worry about racial violence, or racial discrimination. But as a woman i have had to worry about my safety in itself, for example i work part-time at a restaurant where all the servers and workers are female except for the kitchen. It is likely daily that my coworkers expierence some kind of comment about how they look, or similar gesture. While this can happen to a male waiter it is much more common for female waitresses to experience.
