Understanding Social Privilege and Oppression in Society
Social privilege and oppression describe contrasting social dynamics within society. On the one hand, social privilege describes the advantage that a section of society has compared to others in public life due to their social standing. On the other hand, oppression refers to a systemic pattern involving the combination of institutional power and prejudice to consistently benefit some people while disadvantaging others. People’s social positions are shaped by public perception and classification based on various aspects of their identity. The following is an account of my experience based on my social standing, along with how I have been impacted by oppression. These power dynamics are not confined to social spaces; they extend into science, technology, and public policy. For instance, CRISPR gene editing raises critical ethical questions about who benefits, who decides, and whose futures are shaped by genetic science. When scientific advancement ignores systemic inequalities, it risks reinforcing the very structures of privilege it claims to transcend.
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Personal Encounters with Social Advantage
I. Family Background and Social Standing
Throughout my development, I have had more benefits in various aspects of life than I have encountered oppression because of my social standing. I have a mixed heritage through my Caucasian and Puerto Rican descent. Additionally, I identify with the Christian faith. I grew up in a financially stable family that allowed me to enjoy secure housing and a quality education.
II. Freedom from Stereotypes and Public Judgment
Despite my ethnic background, my entire family is native-born in the US. I have never experienced an incident involving racial stereotyping. Not once have I felt worried about my safety in public spaces or from law enforcement officers. Additionally, I have never had to change my behavior in public to avoid judgment because of my race.
Facing Moments of Social Oppression
I. Workplace Inequity and Unequal Pay
Although I have enjoyed diverse social privileges because of my social standing, I have a few unpleasant experiences with social oppression. I felt a sense of oppression when I was underpaid compared to some employees despite having similar responsibilities.
II. Linguistic Identity and Self-Perception
I also attended a school where the primary language of instruction was different from my native language. As a result of my heritage, my speech is noticeably different because of the influence of my primary language. Thus, I occasionally feel less confident and intellectually inferior than my colleagues.
“Social inequality doesn’t start in systems, it starts in silence. To challenge oppression, we must first learn how it’s normalized.”
– A Reflection on Unspoken Bias and Systemic Privilege
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Shared Patterns in Social Identity Experiences
People hail from diverse family backgrounds and practices which shape their classification into various social identity groups like race, religion, gender and age. These social identity groups may share a set of common experiences. These shared experiences can include having access to better education, housing, or employment. Another set of shared experiences can include women experiencing workplace discrimination due to gender and younger people relating more easily with peers than with older people.
The Overlap of Multiple Social Identities
Having multiple social identities at the same time can also complicate an individual’s experience with oppression. Coinciding social identities, for example, include being a female from a minority community, being an African American and living with a disability, or a Muslim refugee. Multiple social identities can be inherently challenging, as they can result in compounded disadvantages.
The Cycle of Socialization and Its Role in Shaping Identity
The cycle of socialization helps illustrate the influence of diverse factors in the social identities we form and while also showing how oppression affects people. I can confidently link my perception of my social standing to this cycle of socialization. Evidently, my family background shaped the opportunities I had in terms of my education, shelter, and the people I interacted with. Also, my experience with oppression stemmed from the social identities that I have interacted with, for instance, my race and gender.
Becoming an Ally Against Social Privilege and Oppression
I. Reactions to Others’ Oppression
I am disturbed by the fact that individuals from marginalized social positions endure oppression as observed in the case of African Americans, whose social identity often exposes them to systemic discrimination. Cases of African Americans being racially profiled, for instance, being stopped by traffic police because of their race are numerous.
II. Commitment to Learning and Engagement
In the United States, African Americans have a lesser social standing because of the color of their skin. Becoming an impactful activist for social justice reform requires me to engage in further education on the experiences of people who frequently experience oppression. Accordingly, I plan to have more interactions with individuals from other communities. Additionally, I need to embrace diversity by getting informed about other people’s lived experiences and hopefully developing respect for them.
Reflecting on What Social Privilege and Oppression Teach Us
In sum, this assignment has allowed me to take a reflective examination of my perceived social position and the influence of the socialization cycle in its formation. Additionally, this exercise has taught me about the possibility of having multiple social identities and the complexities arising from them. The socialization cycle explains the factors influencing the perceptions people develop about their social standing. Actively learning about other people’s social identities is crucial in understanding their exposure to oppression which is critical in formulating corrective courses of action.
“A fair society isn’t built on silence. Start your journey in understanding privilege and dismantling oppression, one educated step at a time.”
– Your Call to Learn, Act, and Empower
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