I don't understand privilege
I am white. I am male. I am educated and heterosexual. I can blend in and disappear whenever I choose. I'm aware of this - and when life spoils me, I reflect on how much of it is due to the life I was born into, and how much I actually worked for. Even if I "earned" what I have, I recognise that I started from an excellent position. It wasn’t the best in the society I grew up in - my parents were considered poor during my childhood - but still, I had everything I needed to build a life that meets my needs and shields me from daily worry.
I know I'm privileged. I believed I understood what that meant - until the storm came.
First, the telecommunications networks went down. Then the electricity disappeared. After two days, we lost access to water.
In the beginning, it was tolerable. We lit a fire to keep warm and illuminate the single room we sheltered in. There was even a romance to it.
But that quickly gave way to anxiety.
When will services return?
What if we run out of food?
How are we supposed to work?
Will this affect our relationship with our international employers?
That's when it hit me: I don't understand privilege.
I never thought of electricity or water as privileges - these seemed too basic, too guaranteed. And yet, hundreds of millions of people live without them, or without reliable access to them.
And here's another thing I learned: You cannot compare temporary deprivation with sustained suffering.
The first two days were manageable. The days that followed were unpleasant. I cannot even imagine how the coming weeks, months, or years would feel.
My privilege had made me blind to what I’ve been granted in life.
I will keep looking. I will keep listening.
But I no longer believe I fully understand what it means to be privileged - and I am sure I never will.