Privilege

There is a collectivist illusion we all share that the social contract governing our behavior extends to all areas of life. That each of us has equal access to basic social needs, or at least some ostensible simulacrum of order devoid of prejudice and social rank. Of course the illusion is absurd – the fact we believe in it and voice little opposition against it. If we’re honest there’s a fairly entrenched power system in place with two value systems – money and celebrity. Our current pandemic has laid it bare, more so than usual anyway, showing us how money and celebrity grant access to rarefied healthcare treatments and likely vaccines before those most in need. We’ve all seen the person that feels above standing in line, rages at underlings, flashes anger at those without agency. They are people who’ve justified their privilege as merited. They are better and deserve more. These are just a few seemingly small examples, we probably assume are happening at the margins of society, but are really the way things work. Let’s at least acknowledge it.