Lecture: The Pathology of Privilege

Introduction

• The speaker thanks the audience for attending despite it being a Friday night in New Orleans, emphasizing the honor of speaking at the conference.
• The talk is titled "The Pathology of Privilege," focusing on the issues of privilege and systemic inequality.

The Problem with Proving Privilege

• Anti-racism work often involves proving the existence of privilege (white, male, class, etc.).
• Convincing people of their unearned advantages doesn't guarantee they will give them up.
• Society encourages multiplying advantages rather than sacrificing them for equity.

Derrick Bell's Holy Grail

• Derrick Bell posed the challenge: how to convince privileged individuals to sacrifice their advantage for equity.
• The speaker doesn't claim to have the solution but suggests privilege is toxic even to those who benefit shortly.

Misunderstandings About Privilege

• The speaker clarifies that they are not asking for sympathy for the privileged.
• The harm privilege does to the privileged is not equivalent to the harm done to the marginalized.

Analysis of Privilege

• Without understanding the dysfunction of privilege, movements for equity struggle.
• Privilege creates a zero-sum mentality, hindering the creation of solidarity.
• Assuming white allies will stay in the fight solely for altruistic motives is risky.
• The liberation of marginalized groups is tied to the liberation of privileged groups.

Historical Context and Personal Experience

• The speaker's experience in New Orleans fighting against David Duke's political campaigns.
• White privilege allowed six out of ten white people to vote for a known Nazi.
• The need for white individuals to recognize how privilege blinds them to systemic problems.

Privilege and Systemic Dysfunction

• Privilege creates expectations and entitlement.
• When the world changes (globalization, cultural shifts, demographic changes), privileged individuals face anxiety and threats to their identity.

Rising Expectations and Social Unrest

• The theory of rising expectations explains why social unrest occurs when progress is perceived but not delivered.
• White individuals face a unique kind of anxiety when their expectations based on privilege are not met.

Economic and Social Impacts

• The opioid crisis and rising suicide rates among working-class white individuals relate to unfulfilled expectations.
• Misogyny and toxic masculinity are linked to entitlement and privilege.
• The rise of figures like Donald Trump is seen as a response to these anxieties.

Strategies for Addressing Privilege's Dysfunction

• Empathy and compassion are natural responses but are suppressed by privilege.
• Proper diagnosis of societal issues is crucial for addressing the dysfunction caused by privilege.
• Privilege harms both those who possess it and those who are marginalized by it.

Conclusion

• Ending with a quote from James Baldwin on the necessity of giving up old privileges to set oneself free for higher dreams.
• The speaker emphasizes the need for everyone to be liberated for true freedom and equity.