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Comment by 1123581321 | Hacker News Reader

A privilege is something like being Kim Jong Un instead of most other North Koreans. The advantage in that privilege definition is confusing here since it means an explicitly granted one but no rule-making power intervened in your life in that way.

An advantage is like having a secret television in North Korea or living near the northern Chinese border. The rules for escape and censure apply exactly the same as they do to others, but the situation one randomly finds oneself in makes beating the game easier. That's your situation.

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In this case privilege is a technical term. He is using it correctly.

You may not be intending to come across this way, but as one white guy to another, a common way people avoid recognizing these sorts of privileges and avoid discussing social inequity is to quibble about little details. Like, say, the definition of a word.

I thank you for pointing this out. I was not in a position where I could do so credibly.

It may be considered a technical term, but it actually isn't precise, and it carries over connotations of the real meaning of the word that cause further errors. I'm not saying Danilo has made an error, as he's just copying others' use of the word, but his use of it has made it possible for someone to see an injustice to correct by removing his exclusive rule where there is actually only a mother who seized random, but legitimate opportunity, and one we actually want more people to have. Do you see the difference?

And yes, I'm aware of the meme that I'm taking issue with something said about social justice so I'm privileged (so to speak) or racist, and I think it is a disgusting lie to propagate. I wish you would please stop trying to do that to people. Ironically, I have many straightforward and interesting conversations about this with the people who we want to obtain these advantages. As more economically disadvantaged move to the United States, I'm looking forward to having a larger supply of honest conversation partners.

Most people who participate in these discussions have no problem understanding what the word means.

The fact that some people have an opportunity that others don't and that the distribution of those opportunities is unequal is definitely unjust. Is there some particular privilege Danilo has listed that you are thinking of?

Your last paragraph is not entirely coherent, so I'm not sure what you think the lie is. I have personally avoided paying attention to my privilege by quibbling about minor details. And I've seen others do it quite often. I'm not accusing you of doing that; I couldn't know. But I am saying that having your only contribution to this discussion be of that form makes it harder to take your point seriously.

And that goes double for your strong emotional reaction in the post above. E.g., accusing me of propagating disgusting lies and doing things to people. That's a lot of drama, and raising the drama level is a common derailing tactic.

>An advantage is like having a secret television in North Korea or living near the northern Chinese border.

I think one could argue that your example is a privilege.

Privilege is a technical term. In this sense, he is using it correctly.

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