Summary
Highlights
Thomas Owen discusses why talking about and acknowledging privilege is often awkward and difficult, and why the idea of losing it can be scary. He argues that embracing privilege loss, especially in the context of social justice, can benefit individuals, relationships, and the planet.
Owen shares his personal experience of living a 'double life' – recognized for privilege in Auckland (white, male, employed) and experiencing a different hierarchy of privilege in an indigenous community in northern Canada. He describes the physical sensation of losing 'speaking rights' and how challenging even minor privilege shifts can be, prompting his research into privilege loss.
He defines privilege as 'private law,' meaning advantages and access for some but not others. While acknowledging white privilege, he expands the discussion beyond race to include class, age, gender, sexual orientation, employment, health, and more, noting that privilege is often invisible to those who possess it, like an 'invisible door person.'
Owen rejects the binary of 'have versus have-not' when it comes to privilege, emphasizing that everyone is complex with multiple identity categories. He uses the metaphor of 'levers' that are turned to privilege or disadvantage depending on the social structure (patriarchy, heteronormativity), and notes that these structures change across space and time. He stresses that not all privileges are equal in their impact on human well-being.
The speaker explains that facing privilege loss often coincides with the first realization that such privilege existed. Societal conditioning, through media and education, normalizes unequal privilege. He highlights two ideologies – meritocracy and individualism – that make it particularly difficult to see and appreciate privilege, as they challenge one's sense of self-worth and achievement.
Owen outlines common 'privilege deflection' techniques, including denial, justifying inequality as the natural order, and delegitimizing the non-privileged. He also identifies more subtle deflections, such as insisting on absolute comfort in discussions about privilege and 'privilege solidarity,' where people with shared privileges comfort each other against threats to those privileges.
Acknowledging that losing privilege can be scary due to material rewards and social rejection, Owen argues that the benefits far outweigh the costs. He highlights that privilege blocks meaningful connection and that losing it leads to a more accurate understanding of society and oneself. He calls for collective wisdom to embrace this loss with dignity, fairness, and courage, especially regarding the shared privilege of consuming Earth's resources, which he deems a necessity for a more equal world.