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This Simple Comic Perfectly Explains Privilege, And Everyone Must Read It
When we think about the social issues of our age poverty, materialism, and violence are probably the first things that come to mind. But there’s another problem of great substance – privilege.
When we say privileged, we’re not talking about those people who were born into royalty or those with millionaire parents in a simple black and white Poor Vs. Rich comparison. We merely mean those folks who have perhaps had a helping hand or two in life while others weren’t given such assistance. You can’t blame people for being given opportunities, but it’s always good to spare a thought for how the other half lives and to better the better-self in helping those who are not that lucky. In this comic strip below, privilege meaning turns more into a psychological subject, rather than the material one.
Check out this comic to see what we mean. It’s a short story called “On A Plate,” and it’s been “liked” more than 200,000 times. The comic is simple, but we’re sure you’ll agree that the message explaining what a privilege is, is pretty powerful.
More info: Toby Morris (h/t: The Wireless)
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Stille20 8 years ago
I think a lot of people missed the point. The idea is privilege is real. People with privilege still have to work hard to succeed, but it's like they are playing the same game on easy mode. It's not about guilt, it's about awareness.
Sheralyn 8 years ago
Yeah.. try mentioning the word 'privilege' and you get labelled as a 'libtard'. That's so not the point, the point is that you can always try to help someone who doesn't have the same advantages as you. You're not obliged to, but you can always try.
Load More Replies...
AcousticGString 8 years ago
Anyone think the first two photos were of super old people in jail or something before reading and finding out they were babies?
Master Markus 8 years ago
I don't know about "in jail", but I was definitely thinking "chubby old people".
Load More Replies...
Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago
I think that judgeing people's status basing on what they currently do/achieved is getting more and more false nowadays. I know it won't change, but we all should try to know the person and learn their history before saying "He is a walking success" or "He is a lazy dumbass". I come from a poor family, where we have had problems with basic needs and I remember days when we ate only bread with butter and onion, cause we couldn't afford. I can't say I wasn't a happy child - poverty has not diminished our family love. And I had a friend who came from a rich family - she was a very good and nice person... Just a better start. Some people get just more luck - one good aquaintance and her parents got an offer to work abroad in the 80s, which was a good start. Mine didn't although whole life they worked hard and honest as well. That came out a wall of text... Well, my point is - don't judge the book by the cover pretty much...
Elisabeth Brand 8 years ago
I'm just gonna put this out there....I work as a manager at McDonald's. I moved out of an abusive drug filled household when I was 17 trying to do something better for myself. I worked full time and finished school, but never made it to college. Honestly, if I lived by myself, there is no way I could make it from check to check. In my little family now, we have three minimum wage incomes to support our house and it's still barely enough with how much our bills come out to. It's hard. But it's not because I'm lazy or my hubby is lazy or our roommate is lazy. It's because we live in a world where this is the only job I can get right now and there's nothing better available to me, and even if I had the money for college I wouldn't have the time. Please, don't judge anyone based on their job. I'm smart. Just can't find anything better.
Steerio 2 years ago
Reading this comment five years later. Hope you're in a better place now!
Load More Replies...
Becky Burns 8 years ago
Unfortunately, it shows the bias of this cartoon. Not every person who "got a head start" is ungrateful, a jerk, or forgets the people who helped them along. Not every person who is underprivileged is gracious and humble.
Load More Replies...
Chuck Bartowski 8 years ago
I see privilege as a gradient. Sure, there are those who get everything handed to them, as you can see on the left, but they are few and far between. A bit of anecdotal evidence: myself. I can see how I've been blessed. My parents cared, and encouraged me to do well. They encouraged me to use get extra help when needed and always do my best. But they couldn't send me to a good private school. My high school was spent at a school that has serious gang problems. 1/3 of my graduating class dropped out. I was lucky to have a few fantastic teachers, but overall the education there was sub-par. In that aspect, I was a bit on the under-privileged side. To say that there are entire groups that are under-privileged or privileged only causes to create more tension. Really, we all need to recognize what ways we, and those around us have been blessed, put at a disadvantage, and just try to be decent human beings to each other.
Steven DesJardins 8 years ago
The problem I see is that this has been commonly referred to as "White Privilege." It's not. It is class privilege and it has been with us since the dawn of civilization.
Kelly Overholser 8 years ago
Exactly! I don't doubt that there's more white people than other races that benefit from class privilege, and sure there's probably some racist, bigoted jerks that make things worse for non-white people, but class is by far the biggest cause of the imbalance, not race.
Load More Replies... Winifred 8 years ago
Thanks James for posting this - it is the cruel reality that most of us know, and yet may forget from time to time. I grew up from a poor family with a single mom who has to raise 6 kids. We all managed to get a decent education and somehow "break" the spell of being poor. However, the respect for hard work and integrity never left us, as my mother has hoped. The hardship also trained us to have a thankful heart always, and the awareness of other people's misfortune. The Serenity Prayer - Grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Andre campos gomes 2 years ago
My life is more similar to paula's life because my family l heve to fight and save money to have our things
Stille20 8 years ago
I think a lot of people missed the point. The idea is privilege is real. People with privilege still have to work hard to succeed, but it's like they are playing the same game on easy mode. It's not about guilt, it's about awareness.
Sheralyn 8 years ago
Yeah.. try mentioning the word 'privilege' and you get labelled as a 'libtard'. That's so not the point, the point is that you can always try to help someone who doesn't have the same advantages as you. You're not obliged to, but you can always try.
Load More Replies... AcousticGString 8 years ago
Anyone think the first two photos were of super old people in jail or something before reading and finding out they were babies?
Master Markus 8 years ago
I don't know about "in jail", but I was definitely thinking "chubby old people".
Load More Replies... Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago
I think that judgeing people's status basing on what they currently do/achieved is getting more and more false nowadays. I know it won't change, but we all should try to know the person and learn their history before saying "He is a walking success" or "He is a lazy dumbass". I come from a poor family, where we have had problems with basic needs and I remember days when we ate only bread with butter and onion, cause we couldn't afford. I can't say I wasn't a happy child - poverty has not diminished our family love. And I had a friend who came from a rich family - she was a very good and nice person... Just a better start. Some people get just more luck - one good aquaintance and her parents got an offer to work abroad in the 80s, which was a good start. Mine didn't although whole life they worked hard and honest as well. That came out a wall of text... Well, my point is - don't judge the book by the cover pretty much...
Elisabeth Brand 8 years ago
I'm just gonna put this out there....I work as a manager at McDonald's. I moved out of an abusive drug filled household when I was 17 trying to do something better for myself. I worked full time and finished school, but never made it to college. Honestly, if I lived by myself, there is no way I could make it from check to check. In my little family now, we have three minimum wage incomes to support our house and it's still barely enough with how much our bills come out to. It's hard. But it's not because I'm lazy or my hubby is lazy or our roommate is lazy. It's because we live in a world where this is the only job I can get right now and there's nothing better available to me, and even if I had the money for college I wouldn't have the time. Please, don't judge anyone based on their job. I'm smart. Just can't find anything better.
Steerio 2 years ago
Reading this comment five years later. Hope you're in a better place now!
Load More Replies... Becky Burns 8 years ago
Unfortunately, it shows the bias of this cartoon. Not every person who "got a head start" is ungrateful, a jerk, or forgets the people who helped them along. Not every person who is underprivileged is gracious and humble.
Load More Replies... Chuck Bartowski 8 years ago
I see privilege as a gradient. Sure, there are those who get everything handed to them, as you can see on the left, but they are few and far between. A bit of anecdotal evidence: myself. I can see how I've been blessed. My parents cared, and encouraged me to do well. They encouraged me to use get extra help when needed and always do my best. But they couldn't send me to a good private school. My high school was spent at a school that has serious gang problems. 1/3 of my graduating class dropped out. I was lucky to have a few fantastic teachers, but overall the education there was sub-par. In that aspect, I was a bit on the under-privileged side. To say that there are entire groups that are under-privileged or privileged only causes to create more tension. Really, we all need to recognize what ways we, and those around us have been blessed, put at a disadvantage, and just try to be decent human beings to each other.
Steven DesJardins 8 years ago
The problem I see is that this has been commonly referred to as "White Privilege." It's not. It is class privilege and it has been with us since the dawn of civilization.
Kelly Overholser 8 years ago
Exactly! I don't doubt that there's more white people than other races that benefit from class privilege, and sure there's probably some racist, bigoted jerks that make things worse for non-white people, but class is by far the biggest cause of the imbalance, not race.
Load More Replies... Winifred 8 years ago
Thanks James for posting this - it is the cruel reality that most of us know, and yet may forget from time to time. I grew up from a poor family with a single mom who has to raise 6 kids. We all managed to get a decent education and somehow "break" the spell of being poor. However, the respect for hard work and integrity never left us, as my mother has hoped. The hardship also trained us to have a thankful heart always, and the awareness of other people's misfortune. The Serenity Prayer - Grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Andre campos gomes 2 years ago
My life is more similar to paula's life because my family l heve to fight and save money to have our things
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