You Don't Understand

[GoodLiving]

Not really disagreeing, but when you phrase it that "our system fundamentally favors certain groups of people over others" it sounds as if the fix is as simple as swapping some magic software, implementing a couple new laws, or changing political parties in leadership. This "system" is not something that is intentionally put into play by a certain person or group of people, it's more like basic human evolution. Some people are just tougher or smarter than others and find a way to do better than those around them, while others are content with poverty, mediocrity or just crying in their beer.

A lot of it has to do with how you are raised and schooled. For sure, many have an advantage here, but there are also many that fail to act when opportunity presents itself, or make stupid decisions and blow opportunities time after time. Wealth and success tends to find it's rightful owners and no amount of giving or hand outs will change fundamental behaviors. I'm sure most of us see examples at each end in our own families or friends network.

I absolutely believe our system favors certain folks and I do think this system was intentionally put in place by leadership (long ago and today those in power perpetuate it). The solution isn't about swapping in software or simple changes but folks are working on it. Our US culture is based on the myth of individualism and boot straps to stroke our egos about being the best. How we're raised and schooled is an easy way to say "I earned it" instead of recognizing our privilege of being white, male, middle class, able bodied with mental health allowed me to struggle less. Lots of wealth and success have gone to folks that I wouldn't consider a "rightful owner" - what does that even mean? Think about all the handouts you (I'm being collective in this you, not focusing on trying to tear down Fishindude) might have received such as GI Bill or student loans or family members who share their wealth (through gifts or inheritance) or not being impacted by redlining that continues to happen to this modern day. Yet, there's this illusion that if you're successful it's because you as an individual earned it and those that aren't it was because of something faulty in them. That's why there's disparities in wages based on gender or race, it is based on a system designed centries ago to keep the wealth(and power) with certain folks and to ensure it doesn't get into the hands of others.

[disneysteve]

Very well stated, GoodLiving.

The challenge is to get everyone to see their own privilege. So many simply don't.

[Snave]

If you have the time, check out the collaborativefund.com and read the article on 1/7 titled Two Worlds: So Much Prosperity, So Much Skepticism. It is a fantastic read discussing the disparity of some versus others in the pandemic. It goes through the financial numbers on how for many there is so much wealth at this very point even in a pandemic, while others are literally trying to steal food to survive. The statistics they share are unbelievable and pretty eye-opening. They even hit on social media and how that impacts our views. It discusses how just 10-15 years ago pre-social media how we were all in our own bubble typically living and associating with those in our community, that for the most part, were in a similar situation as everyone else around them. It is long, but I would think if you are on this site and care about your finances, it would probably be an interesting article to read. It got my mind racing in regards to what will happen when we come out of this pandemic based on the stats they shared. My favorite is a line towards the end discussing how we now have access to so many different views b/c of social media and when that happens it just makes people angrier when they realize others have different opinions than them. I find that to be so true! Worth the read when you have 10 minutes.

[Like2Plan]

Interesting quiz I found on buzzfeed

How Privileged Are You?

https://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/how-privileged-are-you

[myrdale]

Sorry for my delay in responding to yall's comments to my post. Life has been busy as always.

I whole heartily disagree with any statement that propagates this myth of White Male privilege. If you want to be successful, then do the following: graduate from high school, don't have children until you're married, if you're going to go to college for a degree, go for one that has value. If you're not going to college, then go to trade school.

If one person spends $50,000 on a degree in mechanical engineering, and someone else spends $80,000 on women's literary history, who do you expect is going to pay off their loan first?

Alternatively consider if instead of an engineering degree, it was $10,000 at a trade school for welding and they came out making $60,000 per year?

If one person graduates from high school only and gets a full time job in construction starting at $40,000, and someone else drops out because they got pregnant in the 10th grade and is working at a retail job part time, who is going to be more successful?

If one person earns $90,000 and someone else earns only $40,000 and they both decide to take out a loan on a $30,000 car, who is going to sweat the payment the most?

Say the only mill in town shuts down. Who is going to do better, those who stay there hoping the business will come back, or those who move a state over to where a new mill just opened?

Where you end up has far less to do with where you started than what you worked towards and the decisions you made along the way.

[myrdale]

Some people are just tougher or smarter than others and find a way to do better than those around them, while others are content with poverty, mediocrity or just crying in their beer.

Wealth and success tends to find it's rightful owners and no amount of giving or hand outs will change fundamental behaviors.

I could not have said it better myself.

[disneysteve]

this myth of White Male privilege.

We will definitely have to agree to disagree if you believe the whole concept of white privilege is a myth.

[Fishindude77]

I whole heartily disagree with any statement that propagates this myth of White Male privilege.

Where you end up has far less to do with where you started than what you worked towards and the decisions you made along the way.

Amen !
This stuff get's tossed around as if one should feel guilty for being born white in a stable family.

I have five siblings, all got the same opportunities. Two of us are financially successful and retired, two are a wreck, two are middle of the road okay. I'm the only one that has not been divorced.
It really is all about the decisions made along the way. And actually taking a chance and making a decision in some cases right or wrong is far better than sitting on your hands and not acting.

[GoodLiving]

I whole heartily disagree with any statement that propagates this myth of White Male privilege.

Well, coming from someone who has a lot of privilege, I still disagree because what I know that the challenges I might face don't have anything to do with the color of my skin. If you don't have to question it than you might not understand. I don't have this lived experience but I believe the people who have shared theirs with me and I've witnessed it. And like DS said, we'll probably have to agree to disagree.

“After all, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.”


― Ann Richards

[disneysteve]

This stuff get's tossed around as if one should feel guilty for being born white in a stable family.

Nobody is saying you should feel guilty about that. You had no control over it. You should, however, recognize the huge advantage it gave you in life over those not born white in a stable family.

I have five siblings, all got the same opportunities. Two of us are financially successful and retired, two are a wreck, two are middle of the road okay.

The fact that you all got similar opportunities is irrelevant here. The point is that all 6 of you likely got opportunities that simply don't exist for many other people. Sure, some of your siblings failed to take full advantage of the opportunities they had. That's on them for sure. But that's entirely different than all of the folks who didn't get to make those choices because those opportunities weren't on the table for them. You weren't all starting from the same place. If it was a 500 yard foot race, you and your siblings might have started on the 200 yard line while others were back at 100 or 50 or 0 yards when the starting gun fired. Who is more likely to win the race?

That's what privilege is all about. Recognizing that the deck is stacked and seeing where you stand in that stack. And then taking actions to help those further down the stack.

[Like2Plan]

... Think about all the handouts you (I'm being collective in this you, not focusing on trying to tear down Fishindude) might have received such as GI Bill ....

I am kind of curious as to why you would put the GIBill into the category of a "handout"? You do realize that you have to serve in the military in order to qualify for this?

https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/