#046 PRIVILEGES


I once saw a high school teacher lead a simple, powerful exercise to teach his class about privilege and social mobility. He started by giving each student a scrap piece of paper and asked them to crumple it up.


Then he moved the recycling bin to the front of the room.

He said, "The game is simple — you all represent the country's population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class."

"To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat."

The students in the back of the room immediately piped up, "This is unfair!" They could see the rows of students in front of them had a much better chance.

Everyone took their shots, and — as expected — most of the students in the front made it (but not all) and only a few students in the back of the room made it.

He concluded by saying, "The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room?"

"By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal."

"Your job — as students who are receiving an education — is to be aware of your privileges. And use this particular privilege called "education" to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you."



Comments

  1. Unknown22 June 2018 at 15:57

    It is true that most students are not aware of the privileges they have. In part, because our educational system aims to promote economic development in their individuals and is assumed to be an economic development in a context of social development. However, that is not so. People focus so much on making money, that they become very individualistic, and only focus on their personal benefit. It even stops mattering if that benefit comes to harm other people. Why so much the best thing that yes in the schools was taught mainly how to live in society, how to foment a collective social development, putting in practice the empathy and the respect for the other people.

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    1. Anonymous24 July 2018 at 09:15

      Absolutely Tiffani, Fostering values it is something we must do in our classes, especially with children. Don't forget that some of these values are self esteem and not to let other people use emotional blackmail. Anyway going back to the topic, most of people can't realise about the privileges they have I remember a video which explains it, I think I will upload it now, thanks for your help :) keep being so nice

      Delete
  2. Anonymous20 August 2018 at 21:59

    I agree with both oppinions in this foro. In addition, I think is important that we must elect well our authorities because they must be responsible to give more educative opportunities to all poppulation but be focus specially in disadvantaged people who need to effort more as a student and then as a professional. Is it possible that a peruvian goverment aplies equity?
    - Ana Luisa Zapata Aguilar

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    1. Anonymous10 September 2018 at 18:06

      Well, Don't you think that they prefer having people ignorant rather than giving people the tools to learn and know more about their rights and ask for education for them instead of asking for food or stuff like that, I mean it is hard to find a politician or party who or which applies equity and transparence.

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  3. Ian Rivero21 June 2019 at 20:33

    It is true that we all have privileges, but not all of us know how to value them. Nothing in this life is easy, everything is obtained according to the effort and sacrifice that one proposes, all this goes hand in hand with "education". The more we demonstrate our values, everything in life is going to make us easier and that way we show that we are made. " Every effort has its rewards "

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