Probably the Least Important Aspect of this Debate, but...

[steepholm]

My eyes rather glazed over before I reached the comments of this New Statesman article on privilege checking. I've ridden this particular carousel more than a few times right here on LJ, and seen more interesting views too.

But it reminded me that I've always had a strange linguistic niggle about the phrase "check your privilege". Does it mean "check" as in "check your pulse", or "check" as in "check your coat"? In other words, is it "Be aware of your privilege", or "Leave your privilege at the door"? I suspect the former, but I can never quite cast off the ghostly presence of the latter sense. How do you read it?

[Poll #1885786]

Comments

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

As in "keep it in check". But this seems like a very American term that I've only heard recently in this country and I don't really like it. It seems like a pompous and self-righteous way of saying "you can't IMAGINE how hard it is to be me (whine whine)". People have said it to me and frankly I don't consider myself privileged. It's all relative, of course.