PDA

View Full Version : Princeton Freshman Sick Of Being Told To 'Check Your Privilege'




DamianTV
05-05-2014, 04:49 AM
A freshman at Princeton University wrote an epic rebuttal to the numerous occasions that he’s been told to “check your privilege.”

Tal Fortgang has been at the Ivy League school for only eight months, but has already grown weary of the social justice campaign that assumes he’s there because he’s a white male.

Fortgang posted his story on “The Princeton Tory,” a blogsite touted as “a journal of conservative and moderate thought,” where he explained that some opinions are disregarded merely because of the person voicing them.

“’Check your privilege,’ the saying goes, and I have been reprimanded by it several times this year,” he wrote. “’Check your privilege,’ they tell me in a command that teeters between an imposition to actually explore how I got where I am, and a reminder that I ought to feel personally apologetic because white males seem to pull most of the strings in the world.”

Short excerpt from his essay. Full Essay on link.

Checking My Privilege: Character as the Basis of Privilege
http://theprincetontory.com/main/checking-my-privilege-character-as-the-basis-of-privilege/


There is a phrase that floats around college campuses, Princeton being no exception, that threatens to strike down opinions without regard for their merits, but rather solely on the basis of the person that voiced them. “Check your privilege,” the saying goes, and I have been reprimanded by it several times this year. The phrase, handed down by my moral superiors, descends recklessly, like an Obama-sanctioned drone, and aims laser-like at my pinkish-peach complexion, my maleness, and the nerve I displayed in offering an opinion rooted in a personal Weltanschauung. “Check your privilege,” they tell me in a command that teeters between an imposition to actually explore how I got where I am, and a reminder that I ought to feel personally apologetic because white males seem to pull most of the strings in the world.

I do not accuse those who “check” me and my perspective of overt racism, although the phrase, which assumes that simply because I belong to a certain ethnic group I should be judged collectively with it, toes that line. But I do condemn them for diminishing everything I have personally accomplished, all the hard work I have done in my life, and for ascribing all the fruit I reap not to the seeds I sow but to some invisible patron saint of white maleness who places it out for me before I even arrive. Furthermore, I condemn them for casting the equal protection clause, indeed the very idea of a meritocracy, as a myth, and for declaring that we are all governed by invisible forces (some would call them “stigmas” or “societal norms”), that our nation runs on racist and sexist conspiracies. Forget “you didn’t build that;” check your privilege and realize that nothing you have accomplished is real.

But they can’t be telling me that everything I’ve done with my life can be credited to the racist patriarchy holding my hand throughout my years of education and eventually guiding me into Princeton. Even that is too extreme. So to find out what they are saying, I decided to take their advice. I actually went and checked the origins of my privileged existence, to empathize with those whose underdog stories I can’t possibly comprehend. I have unearthed some examples of the privilege with which my family was blessed, and now I think I better understand those who assure me that skin color allowed my family and I to flourish today.

Perhaps it’s the privilege my grandfather and his brother had to flee their home as teenagers when the Nazis invaded Poland, leaving their mother and five younger siblings behind, running and running until they reached a Displaced Persons camp in Siberia, where they would do years of hard labor in the bitter cold until World War II ended. Maybe it was the privilege my grandfather had of taking on the local Rabbi’s work in that DP camp, telling him that the spiritual leader shouldn’t do hard work, but should save his energy to pass Jewish tradition along to those who might survive. Perhaps it was the privilege my great-grandmother and those five great-aunts and uncles I never knew had of being shot into an open grave outside their hometown. Maybe that’s my privilege.

...

Essay continues on link...

ClydeCoulter
05-05-2014, 05:16 AM
The article still seems to based on what the parents did, not the individual.

Yes, he worked hard also.

The basis of much of the "privilege" status has to do with you being in a position because of the past that brought you to the present.

This still leaves us without the freedom of individuality, and leaves open excuse for more government intrusion to make things "equal" (in the eyes of those claiming to be trying to bring equality, saying "What about the kids whose parents did nothing or even mentally abused them?").

phill4paul
05-05-2014, 05:29 AM
Non-privileged slave trader....

http://media.npr.org/assets/news/2009/10/15/holder02_custom-baad6548f677773fceac42241cbb8fe27aa64390-s6-c30.jpg

specsaregood
05-05-2014, 05:54 AM
If somebody ever told me to "check your privilege" I'm not quite sure how I would respond. It'd be tough to come up with a friendly response; which is perhaps the point. To upset and troll you. I'm gonna have to think about that so I have something prepared in case the day arrives.

phill4paul
05-05-2014, 05:59 AM
If somebody ever told me to "check your privilege" I'm not quite sure how I would respond. It'd be tough to come up with a friendly response; which is perhaps the point. To upset and troll you. I'm gonna have to think about that so I have something prepared in case the day arrives.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k80nW6AOhTs

kathy88
05-05-2014, 06:10 AM
I'm not privileged because.... Holocaust. Whatever.

tod evans
05-05-2014, 06:17 AM
Fuckin' liberals.......

You're supposed to check your powder, and keep it dry.

otherone
05-05-2014, 06:56 AM
I do not accuse those who “check” me and my perspective of overt racism, although the phrase, which assumes that simply because I belong to a certain ethnic group I should be judged collectively with it, toes that line.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!"

....not yet, my friend....

specsaregood
05-05-2014, 08:00 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k80nW6AOhTs

That is just falling for the trap. I argue that the moment you respond angrily, get mad or upset you have already lost. The same goes for trying to justify or explain the lack of privilege like the OP article. Why get mad or justify an absurd claim which is really meant to be an insult?

I think I would respond with something such as:

Them: "Check your privilege!"
Me: "Check yourself. I wasn't privileged; I was blessed."
Or
Them: "Check your privilege!"
Me: "There is no need to belittle yourself for my sake."

phill4paul
05-05-2014, 08:05 AM
That is just falling for the trap. I argue that the moment you respond angrily, get mad or upset you have already lost. The same goes for trying to justify or explain the lack of privilege like the OP article. Why get mad or justify an absurd claim which is really meant to be an insult?

I think I would respond with something such as:

Them: "Check your privilege!"
Me: "Check yourself. I wasn't privileged; I was blessed."
Or
Them: "Check your privilege!"
Me: "There is no need to belittle yourself for my sake."

Meh, I have neither the time nor inclination to engage with anyone of this mindset. They are too thoroughly indoctrinated. Now, if I could just get them to visit my basement maybe there might be some hope from them.....

http://nonamemovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/clockwork-horror.jpg

acptulsa
05-05-2014, 08:06 AM
Don't have time to check my privileges. Today's totalitarian society keeps me too busy earning and protecting them daily.

specsaregood
05-05-2014, 08:07 AM
Meh, I have neither the time nor inclination to engage with anyone of this mindset. They are too thoroughly indoctrinated. Now, if I could just get them to visit my basement maybe there might be some hope from them.....


Well I considered it less engaging and more mocking; but fair enough.

eduardo89
05-05-2014, 08:17 AM
I'm Hispanic, so I don't have to check any privilege.

jkr
05-05-2014, 08:22 AM
check this:

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/blogs-prod-photos/1/9/5/8/9/19589896116dba9f15b492bc9e34237b.jpg%3Fstmp%3D1379 104541

PaulConventionWV
05-05-2014, 08:24 AM
I'm not privileged because.... Holocaust. Whatever.

Really? Now we have to give excuses for why we're not privileged to which people can just sit on their high horses (or rather, high chairs) and tell us whether our excuse is good enough? Give me a break.

eduardo89
05-05-2014, 08:27 AM
Really? Now we have to give excuses for why we're not privileged to which people can just sit on their high horses (or rather, high chairs) and tell us whether our excuse is good enough? Give me a break.

There is a small list of acceptable excuses:

Black or Latino or mixed race
Homosexual
Extremely liberal (only if Black, Latino or Asian)
Not Christian (must also be militantly anti-Christian)

jkr
05-05-2014, 08:36 AM
I'm not privileged because....

http://www.travelforboomers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/kent-state-shooting.jpg
http://jimbovard.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/waco-2.jpg
http://withfriendship.com/images/h/38904/Ruby-Ridge-image.jpg
http://mikeduran.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Reginald-Denny.jpg
http://tokyo5.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/lennon.jpg
http://revolutionaryfrontlines.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/us-oscar_grant-2.jpg
http://uploads0.wikipaintings.org/images/lorenzo-lotto/crucifixion-1531.jpg
http://www.silverdoctors.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/swat-milk-raid.png
ALL our brothers & sisters...


i mean really, this is TOO EASY

Origanalist
05-05-2014, 08:51 AM
Don't check it, destroy it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mSASrzCuBw

Origanalist
05-05-2014, 08:58 AM
Proof.

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8169302016/h9E51CE26/

tod evans
05-05-2014, 09:07 AM
Acquiring "privilege" is messy;

http://cdn1-www.craveonline.com/assets/uploads/2013/12/Vikings.jpg

georgiaboy
05-05-2014, 10:42 AM
This is ridiculous. Sickening, even.

Everyone in America has been blessed with immeasurable privilege.

Compared to the rest of the world we are ALL privileged.

Get a bigger view, and stop with the nitpicking over the vintage of your smartphone or the relative size of your inheritance.

Who among us has missed a meal, a roof, a frock?

Our poor people are FAT.

Check my privilege? Check YOURS, and stop with the whining.

I could go on.

tod evans
05-05-2014, 11:06 AM
This is ridiculous. Sickening, even.

Everyone in America has been blessed with immeasurable privilege.

Compared to the rest of the world we are ALL privileged.

Get a bigger view, and stop with the nitpicking over the vintage of your smartphone or the relative size of your inheritance.

Who among us has missed a meal, a roof, a frock?

Our poor people are FAT.

Check my privilege? Check YOURS, and stop with the whining.

I could go on.

Some in the US are privileged enough to get fat, have a smart-phone and nice clothes at others expense....:mad:

acptulsa
05-05-2014, 11:13 AM
What gets to me is how many people think being allowed to run around trying to lay a guilt trip on everyone they meet is a real privilege.

I prefer to avail myself of my privilege to be less antisocial than that.

specsaregood
05-05-2014, 11:24 AM
What gets to me is how many people think being allowed to run around trying to lay a guilt trip on everyone they meet is a real privilege.


Its not a guilt trip; its an insult. It's meant to imply that you didn't get where you are due to hard work, merit, or inherent abilities. ie: you didn't build that.

Philhelm
05-05-2014, 11:28 AM
That is just falling for the trap. I argue that the moment you respond angrily, get mad or upset you have already lost. The same goes for trying to justify or explain the lack of privilege like the OP article. Why get mad or justify an absurd claim which is really meant to be an insult?

I think I would respond with something such as:

Them: "Check your privilege!"
Me: "Check yourself. I wasn't privileged; I was blessed."
Or
Them: "Check your privilege!"
Me: "There is no need to belittle yourself for my sake."

I think the solution is to troll them harder, and be as offensive as possible. Lament the fact that you can no longer buy and sell Negros. Lament the fact that women dare to hold themselves as the intellectual equals of their men-folk. Lament the fact that minimum wage has limited the number of Mexicans you can employ on your plantation (this one might confuse them, however).

satchelmcqueen
05-05-2014, 03:53 PM
a big "fuck you" would be good enough.
If somebody ever told me to "check your privilege" I'm not quite sure how I would respond. It'd be tough to come up with a friendly response; which is perhaps the point. To upset and troll you. I'm gonna have to think about that so I have something prepared in case the day arrives.

Pericles
05-05-2014, 04:01 PM
It must be around here somewhere .... I had it just a few generations ago.

LibForestPaul
05-05-2014, 05:13 PM
Its not a guilt trip; its an insult. It's meant to imply that you didn't get where you are due to hard work, merit, or inherent abilities. ie: you didn't build that.

Dah comrade. Be thankful to the state for your glorious gifts of privilege.

Elias Graves
05-05-2014, 07:35 PM
Check your privilege.

Check. I got it right here. I was privileged to be born into the freest nation God has yet conceived.

DamianTV
05-05-2014, 07:46 PM
So unprivileged people are more deserving of privileges than privileged people?

osan
05-05-2014, 07:59 PM
If somebody ever told me to "check your privilege" I'm not quite sure how I would respond.

"Excuse me? Are you talking to me? Are you presuming to give me instruction as to how I am supposed to act and think? Because if you are, I will give you 30 seconds to get as much distance between us as you are able. If I find your irksome presence to be further violating my right to move about peaceably after the time is up, I will proceed to break your arms, legs, both collar bones, and as many of the bones in your hands and feet as I am able. Are we clear? One, two, three..."


It'd be tough to come up with a friendly response; which is perhaps the point.

Why would you be friendly? I would be coldly hostile such that the utterer of such offensively presumptuous inanities would know for certain that he was in the presence of the Devil Himself and would be heading for the hills. That, or were I in a mood to toy with him, would lead the poor sot on a circuitous journey of self discovery where he would assassinate himself at the end of my Socratic method.

One way or they other, I would destroy they prick.


To upset and troll you.

I don't get upset. Upset is a choice. I eliminate problems, by hook or by crook; I get them out of my hair and I leave their undies in a soiled state doing it. It is I who upset them.


I'm gonna have to think about that so I have something prepared in case the day arrives.

You can always go with something that requires little thought: "Get the fuck away from me." You'd be amazed at how effective this can be. And yes, I've used it. Growing up in NYC, one inherits any of a number of certain higly localized attitudes. This was mine. I really don't like to be bothered.

osan
05-05-2014, 08:02 PM
I'm Hispanic, so I don't have to check any privilege.

I'm lily-white, and neither do I.

VIDEODROME
05-05-2014, 08:05 PM
Its not a guilt trip; its an insult. It's meant to imply that you didn't get where you are due to hard work, merit, or inherent abilities. ie: you didn't build that.

So what if I didn't? What if I am privileged?

What if 'privilege' is something to try and gain through networking? These days if you manage to get a decent job, you probably have privilege either from family connection or social connections you created yourself.

osan
05-05-2014, 08:06 PM
Really? Now we have to give excuses for why we're not privileged to which people can just sit on their high horses (or rather, high chairs) and tell us whether our excuse is good enough? Give me a break.

We don't need no steenkeeng justifications.

parocks
05-05-2014, 08:19 PM
If somebody ever told me to "check your privilege" I'm not quite sure how I would respond. It'd be tough to come up with a friendly response; which is perhaps the point. To upset and troll you. I'm gonna have to think about that so I have something prepared in case the day arrives.

If the person who is telling you to "check your privilege" gives you your grades, you really can't come up with a nice retort. If you have something that can be taken away from you if you're videoed or otherwise recorded saying something that some others might not like, you really can't come up with a nice retort.

Basically, if there consequences, you can't say what you want, if there aren't, it shouldn't be hard, at all, to figure out something to say right on the spot.

"WTF is that? You gonna try to get me fired for saying things you don't like? Shut the fk up. You suck, your opinions suck, you're turning America into a garbage country. Where the hell do you get off on telling me I have to check my freedom of speech? You aren't in charge of me. Suck it."

Pretty much something like that is appropriate for anybody trying to correct you for anything, modify your behavior. But, again, if there are consequences, you can't do that. It helps, if you happen to look like a homeless person, if you're really comfortable that you almost certainly have better degrees than they have.

parocks
05-05-2014, 08:23 PM
a big "fuck you" would be good enough.

Yes. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" And then explain why that person is the worst person in the world.

amy31416
05-05-2014, 09:11 PM
Tell 'em that your meth head mama is turning tricks in the trailer park to help buy your books, but she seems to be forgetting to send the cash, so it's all good.

rp08orbust
05-05-2014, 09:42 PM
There is a small list of acceptable excuses:

Black or Latino or mixed race
Homosexual
Extremely liberal (only if Black, Latino or Asian)
Not Christian (must also be militantly anti-Christian)

Being Latino only granted you an automatic exemption from privilege checks before George Zimmerman. Now, in any conflict, skin pigment levels must be compared to determine who is in need of a check.

Czolgosz
05-05-2014, 09:46 PM
Dear Tal,

Welcome to Humanity.

Sincerely,

Cz

PaulConventionWV
05-05-2014, 10:30 PM
Don't check it, destroy it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mSASrzCuBw

I don't understand. Why hasn't he killed himself?

NewRightLibertarian
05-05-2014, 11:03 PM
Its not a guilt trip; its an insult. It's meant to imply that you didn't get where you are due to hard work, merit, or inherent abilities. ie: you didn't build that.

Yep, and that you need to pay up what you've worked for to government in order to make things 'fair.'

tommyrp12
05-05-2014, 11:52 PM
I just don't know anymore, everything is offensive to everyone. HATE SPEECH!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY_UVYVf-m8

Better watch it quick as I was posting this YT took that copy down.

BamaAla
05-06-2014, 01:04 AM
If somebody ever told me to "check your privilege" I'm not quite sure how I would respond. It'd be tough to come up with a friendly response; which is perhaps the point. To upset and troll you. I'm gonna have to think about that so I have something prepared in case the day arrives.

I don't think people actually say that to your face; it seems to be an online phenomenon.


I just don't know anymore, everything is offensive to everyone. HATE SPEECH!


Better watch it quick as I was posting this YT took that copy down.

WTF? What did the sign say? That was just, I don't know, disturbing...sad, I have no words.

Antischism
05-06-2014, 03:17 AM
I don't like the phrase because it creates a lot of misunderstanding and some people use it maliciously, but I guess that's the case for a lot of things, especially when context is involved. The phrase isn't meant to shame anyone (though it can be used in that way, context is always important) rather, it's kind of like a nudge to make sure you understand your position when making certain statements. For example, a straight male going on about how homosexuals don't really have it bad and just need to suck it up would be speaking from a point of privilege, or rather, a lack of a specific disadvantage or disadvantages faced by specific people. Since they haven't faced these specific disadvantages, they can more easily brush it off or speak down on it because it hasn't affected their life in any way.

It's not about shame, it's simply the acknowledgement that being male/straight or whatever it is, keeps you from having to face certain disadvantages, like how people of color are profiled by police much more often. So in that case, being white means the chances of being profiled by the cops in America are significantly lower than if you had been born with darker skin. Think U.S. post 9-11 and how a lot of people who looked middle eastern were being profiled as terrorists at airports. Not resembling that "mold" of what terrorists are apparently supposed to look like meant you had a specific "privilege" or lack of disadvantage.

Again, this is why that phrase is terrible. It's much more productive to explain why a person's opinion is misguided with a solid counter-argument than yelling CHECK YOUR PRIVILEGE as some sort of end-all rebuttal.


Edit: Also, LOL @ that YouTube video. Jesus, that is one weird, grating sound the person was producing. I'm really curious what the sign said. Wait, just saw a higher quality video. Sign says: :WARNING: Masturbators, Thieves, Liars, Drunkards, Fornicators, and Homosexuals :JUDGMENT DAY:

MRK
05-06-2014, 03:24 AM
Ex-lacrosse player here.

Upon first reaction of hearing someone say "Check your privilege," I immediately think of cracking someone in the face with a metal pole.

Just my first synapse response.

MRK
05-06-2014, 03:27 AM
Being Latino only granted you an automatic exemption from privilege checks before George Zimmerman. Now, in any conflict, skin pigment levels must be compared to determine who is in need of a check.

Coming to a TSA Rapescan center near you:

http://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/scio-sensor-kickstarter-650x0.png


Meet SCiO. It is the world's first affordable molecular sensor that fits in the palm of your hand. SCiO is a tiny spectrometer and allows you to get instant relevant information about the chemical make-up of just about anything around you, sent directly to your smartphone.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/903107259/scio-your-sixth-sense-a-pocket-molecular-sensor-fo

FloralScent
05-06-2014, 04:10 AM
I don't understand. Why hasn't he killed himself?

Because he doesn't consider himself white.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3cGfrExozQ


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iSrGQ1cwxM

amy31416
05-06-2014, 06:18 AM
Coming to a TSA Rapescan center near you:

http://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/scio-sensor-kickstarter-650x0.png



https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/903107259/scio-your-sixth-sense-a-pocket-molecular-sensor-fo

I need that.

Brian4Liberty
05-06-2014, 06:50 AM
Cultural Marxism.

BamaAla
05-06-2014, 10:24 AM
I don't like the phrase because it creates a lot of misunderstanding and some people use it maliciously, but I guess that's the case for a lot of things, especially when context is involved. The phrase isn't meant to shame anyone (though it can be used in that way, context is always important) rather, it's kind of like a nudge to make sure you understand your position when making certain statements. For example, a straight male going on about how homosexuals don't really have it bad and just need to suck it up would be speaking from a point of privilege, or rather, a lack of a specific disadvantage or disadvantages faced by specific people. Since they haven't faced these specific disadvantages, they can more easily brush it off or speak down on it because it hasn't affected their life in any way.

It's not about shame, it's simply the acknowledgement that being male/straight or whatever it is, keeps you from having to face certain disadvantages, like how people of color are profiled by police much more often. So in that case, being white means the chances of being profiled by the cops in America are significantly lower than if you had been born with darker skin. Think U.S. post 9-11 and how a lot of people who looked middle eastern were being profiled as terrorists at airports. Not resembling that "mold" of what terrorists are apparently supposed to look like meant you had a specific "privilege" or lack of disadvantage.

Again, this is why that phrase is terrible. It's much more productive to explain why a person's opinion is misguided with a solid counter-argument than yelling CHECK YOUR PRIVILEGE as some sort of end-all rebuttal.


Edit: Also, LOL @ that YouTube video. Jesus, that is one weird, grating sound the person was producing. I'm really curious what the sign said. Wait, just saw a higher quality video. Sign says: :WARNING: Masturbators, Thieves, Liars, Drunkards, Fornicators, and Homosexuals :JUDGMENT DAY:

That's sort of what everyone was getting at. It probably isn't used to shame often, but it is certainly used to discount someone's arguments/views/ideals/opinions wholesale based on their sex and/or race. It's a tool of the hard left to look down their nose, over their glasses at white men and deride their very existence without even having to worry about the content of their message. Well, the hard left and libertarian superstars like Cathy Reisenwitz...

specsaregood
05-06-2014, 10:48 AM
If the person who is telling you to "check your privilege" gives you your grades, you really can't come up with a nice retort.
In such a case I would take it as a clue that I shouldn't be paying for that person to give me anything. I'd probably lodge an official complaint of racism and discrimination/bias. Maybe even consider suing them for a refund tuition paid.

Antischism
05-06-2014, 10:53 AM
That's sort of what everyone was getting at. It probably isn't used to shame often, but it is certainly used to discount someone's arguments/views/ideals/opinions wholesale based on their sex and/or race. It's a tool of the hard left to look down their nose, over their glasses at white men and deride their very existence without even having to worry about the content of their message. Well, the hard left and libertarian superstars like Cathy Reisenwitz...

Well, it ultimately depends on what the argument is. To use homosexuality as an example, I certainly can't pretend to know what it's like being one or how it feels to deal with the disadvantages that come with it seeing as I'm straight. One can try to understand it and empathize, but once you start pretending to know or downplaying the disadvantages of others, it's likely you'll be called out for speaking from a position of privilege. Granted, I agree that it's a lazy counter-argument and it's used unfairly/insultingly by some people, which is unfortunate. I certainly cringe when I hear it since often it's used to quickly dismiss an argument/opinion without making the effort to explain a position more clearly and have a proper debate.

Danke
05-06-2014, 10:54 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l48RIKPOZuM

parocks
05-06-2014, 05:02 PM
In such a case I would take it as a clue that I shouldn't be paying for that person to give me anything. I'd probably lodge an official complaint of racism and discrimination/bias. Maybe even consider suing them for a refund tuition paid.

Seems time consuming and expensive.

specsaregood
05-06-2014, 05:48 PM
Seems time consuming and expensive.

So is Princeton.

parocks
05-06-2014, 06:16 PM
So is Princeton.

And that's just extra time consuming. I'm long out of school, but even then, there was PC, and you basically just had to deal with it. All evidence is that it's worse today. If Princeton is bad, you can transfer to Yale? Is that going to be better? No.

Jingles
05-06-2014, 06:50 PM
Whoops double posts :rolleyes:

Jingles
05-06-2014, 06:58 PM
I absolutely abhore the people that use this statement. It just goes to show you collectivism leads to racism/discrimination no matter what and individualism/liberty leads to peace and equality.

Like there is a total difference between equality and what these people do ("EQUALITY MEANS BEING EXACTLY LIKE US! WE'RE SO OPENED MINDED WE'LL MAKE YOU SO AS WELL AT BARRELS OF THE GUNS OF THE STATE" Rather than, you know, all people have equal rights because every individual owns themselves and has the right to property and the fruit of their labor and to be free from aggression against them). These are the kind of people that view being homophobic as "Not enjoying to have male bits wiggling about in your face and not enjoying to watch gay sex/finding it beautiful" as opposed to its actual definition. Everything is about race/gender/sexual orientation to these people. Which is why I hate these people because we really don't care about race/whatever because we believe all people have equal rights/liberties because they own themselves/are individuals. To them equality is meeting some poorly constructed statistic based on race/gender/etc... rather than equality of rights.

I guess I'll just post some of my favorite pictures on this topic.

http://i.imgur.com/INPKm6E.png
http://i.imgur.com/ln7UAi4.png

And your rights really do end where their feelings begin (in their minds).

Lucille
05-07-2014, 05:01 PM
Check Your Argument
http://www.libertylawsite.org/2014/05/05/check-your-argument/


...Fortgang writes with passion, but his piece does not get to the root of what is wrong with the phrase nor does it show how it reflects more generally the pernicious norms that infect many of our universities. (I consider the norms of society as well as the law of the state a fit subject for this blog). Even if his family’s name had been Rockefeller or Frick, this kind of attack should not be welcome in intellectual discourse.

“Checking your privilege” does not impugn the logic or evidence behind any argument, but calls attention to the identity of the speaker. It is a variation on a classic fallacy–the ad hominem argument. Plato’s contentions in The Republic are not in need of reformulation because he was an aristocrat. Rousseau’s claims are not refuted because he treated his lovers and children badly.
[...]
This ubiquity of “check your privilege” suggests that political correctness is now entering a second generation and gaining a second wind. While political correctness previously concentrated on race and gender, the new focus on inequality seems to have emboldened the campus left to put class back on the list of identity politics. Of course, using the phrase “check your privilege” to cut off debate on campus is not nearly as destructive as what communists did to people who were from the “wrong” class. Many children of privilege then were sent to reeducation camps to reflect or were even silenced never to speak again. But it stems from the same impulse to replace reason with power.

This new form of an old disorder also shows that despite the orthodoxy on many campuses many left-liberals remain very afraid of classical liberal and conservative dissent. Just as students who protested Condi Rice’s prospective graduation speech at Rutgers showed strength in numbers but weakness in intellectual confidence, so do those who parrot this new campus slogan. If your underlying argument is flawed, you do need a force other than logic and evidence to sustain your position. Political correctness is an admission of intellectual frailty.

h/t VD (http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-second-wind.html): Political correctness is vital to the Left, because disqualification is the only form of argument they have left to them

Teenager For Ron Paul
05-08-2014, 12:21 AM
Become a Buddhist. Privilege does not exist.

Bonus: Liberals don't insult Buddhists either. You're in the clear from this bullshit.

Spikender
05-08-2014, 01:26 AM
Man I see this Check Your Privilege stuff all the time.

Only a matter of time before people started using it in real life arguments with people.

Luckily I keep my privilege close to my hip, ready to go off at a moment's notice, so it's pretty easy to check when someone asks.

Feeding the Abscess
05-08-2014, 02:08 AM
Check Your Argument
http://www.libertylawsite.org/2014/05/05/check-your-argument/



h/t VD (http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-second-wind.html): Political correctness is vital to the Left, because disqualification is the only form of argument they have left to them

In addition to the sentiments expressed here, the concept of 'check your privilege' is utterly backwards. Rather than casting aspersions on the State for its persecution of minorities and other undesirables, ire is raised, drawn, and imprinted on those fortunate enough to have largely escaped this barbarism.

I guess it's not horribly surprising, since the casters of this bullshit 'check your privilege' spell are lovers and worshipers of the State, and criticism of the current construct of society necessitates that the State receive a large chunk of fault; like with any other fervent religious following, dissent from their god is not allowed.

Origanalist
05-13-2014, 01:58 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJpvFnL6dOk