I'm at work and can't write a proper comment, but just wanted to say that your post got me thinking, so thank you.
I'd also be curious to hear more about the ways in which you think the colloquial use of the word 'privilege' differs from the way it's used more 'technically' in feminist (etc) contexts.
I don't want to sound combative, I'm very interested. I've been immersed in feminist, anti racist etc writing online for years and don't particularly remember having 'aha! this doesn't quite mean what I assumed it meant' moments around the word 'privilege' myself. But it might just be too long ago.
Having just googled and checked a few dictionaries to see how the word is used in a wider context, I'm not actually convinced that the 'ordinary' definition of the word is all that misleading. (The OED definitions seem particularly spot on, if you have access, and have usage examples dating back to the 1300s). I wonder if some of the resistance that you're attributing to genuine miscommunication around the signifier is at heart more to do with resistance to the concept being signified. Not to mention the very basic idea that feminism has any intellectual points worth looking into. That's certainly been my experience when trying to have these discussions.
no subject
I'd also be curious to hear more about the ways in which you think the colloquial use of the word 'privilege' differs from the way it's used more 'technically' in feminist (etc) contexts.
I don't want to sound combative, I'm very interested. I've been immersed in feminist, anti racist etc writing online for years and don't particularly remember having 'aha! this doesn't quite mean what I assumed it meant' moments around the word 'privilege' myself. But it might just be too long ago.
Having just googled and checked a few dictionaries to see how the word is used in a wider context, I'm not actually convinced that the 'ordinary' definition of the word is all that misleading. (The OED definitions seem particularly spot on, if you have access, and have usage examples dating back to the 1300s). I wonder if some of the resistance that you're attributing to genuine miscommunication around the signifier is at heart more to do with resistance to the concept being signified. Not to mention the very basic idea that feminism has any intellectual points worth looking into. That's certainly been my experience when trying to have these discussions.