A few years ago I wrote about the “problems of privilege” and what the solutions might be for those problems. A recent conversation about the people on a cruise who were quarantined off the coast of California had me thinking about what we call privilege versus what we call sacrifice. So here is a redraft of the original post.
What are problems of privilege? Well in the simplest of terms, these are problems that become evident when people complain about meaningless things — my new iPhone is now outdated, the waiter didn’t bring us water when we asked, or I can’t get the dog groomer appointment at a certain time.
And yes, as disruptive, worrisome, and frustrating as a forced quarantine on a cruise ship might be, it’s still a problem of privilege. I’m not trying to make light of what those folks experienced — it had to be maddening for them. But on the scale of problems, it’s on the low side by my estimation.
Problems like these can be irritating, but they don’t exist if you aren’t privileged enough to own an iPhone, dine at a restaurant, pay somebody to wash your dog, or book a cruise.
I call these issues “POP” for problems of privilege. Now let me be clear here: I’m guilty of being so self-absorbed I get wrapped up in POPs of all kinds. This is not an attack on the other, it’s a self-confession as much as anything. But I’m not alone; we all have POPs in our lives.
There are, of course, POPs that are significant larger and more complex than the simple examples above. Income inequality comes to mind, or white privilege, or even zoning laws that segregate us.
But for now at least I want to focus on the tangible little things we can change. One goal of writing my book Junkyard Wisdom was to call out these kinds of “problems” and then offer a few simple solutions. Thus “solutions of privilege” to offset all the POP in your life!
Here are three simple ways that work for me:
- Viciously attack ego.
- Shut up and listen.
- Value community.
I’m not foolish enough to think this is a magic formula, but I do think these three steps can make a difference. Here’s a brief explanation of each.
Viciously attack ego. This one is the easiest to understand. Our egos can overpower and flood our hearts, minds and souls. When we view everything through the lens of self, we get a skewed view of the world. Attack that ego. And find people who will help you.
Shut up and listen. I’ve lost track of the number of problems I saw easy solutions for. Only to realize the problems were not so easily fixed. Mostly because I didn’t listen to the people involved. Take the time to listen and learn from people who are different from you.
Value community. If you really want to eliminate those pesky POP moments from your life, be transparent and vulnerable with people. Let them nudge you when needed. Engage with them. Serve them. Love them. A person living in community is not going to be bothered by the internet going out. Or not getting a groomer appointment.
That’s it. Simple, don’t you think? Well, seems simple. But it’s not of course. That’s why the problems of privilege will continue. And why we need to work doubly hard to avoid them.