Running head: SOCIAL & POLITICAL IDENTITY

Social & Political Identity Paper

Carol Roque

HD361 Social and Political Contexts of Human Development

Pacific Oaks College

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Power, Privilege, and Difference is a book based on the systems of privilege and

differences that divide us apart in our society written by Allan Johnson. In this book, Johnson

explains and gives many examples of power, privilege and oppression. He gives different

examples of all the different ways one can be privileged and oppressed. He recapitulates issues

along with paragons that explain why change can be complex, but not impossible. Throughout

each chapter in the book, he also assists with ideas of on how this world can change the system

and reasons why we should make that change.

Johnson emphasizes throughout the chapters how one certain race is bound to have more

privilege/power compared to the rest of the races. The race he refers to is the White/Caucasian

American race. He goes into detail on how capitalism is one of the main reasons why things are

the way they are. In other words, when this system was created, power, privilege, and oppression

was created as well. Capitalism plays a major role in the development of privilege. It is social

inequality, social constructs, privilege, race, and class that makes capitalism which some form of

it is legal and other forms of capitalism are illegal but still exist.

One of the first things that Johnson introduces in his book are some examples of privilege

and oppression. He discusses issues of oppression that relate to race, gender, sexual orientation,

class, religion, and age. A person can be either privileged or oppressed based on the type of

category they fall in. For example, if you are a white man you are considered to be privileged,

but if you are a gay white man, you are most likely to be automatically considered to be of no

value and that privilege can be gone the moment people find out. These issues that exist are not

necessarily a problem. It is social constructs that are created that made these issues a problem.

Social constructs are the rules that are constructed by society.

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The Matrix of Domination is a pattern that describes the different issues that deal with

race, gender, class, language, religion, occupation, basically multiple identities. The different

categories of peoples identity will distinguish whether they belong with the privilege or the

oppressed. These identities are used to categorize people and even used to identify their value

based on what class they fall on (upper, middle, lower). People also group themselves based on

their cultural identity. Different treatment may vary depending on what class a person falls in as

well as what type of identity a person has.

Johnson mentions throughout the chapters in his book the different issues of oppression

that deal with race, class, and gender. These three are recognized as distinct social classification

that are all interconnected. He describes the different types of racism that that exist such as other

related categories like prejudice and sexism. He also indicates the different types of power and

privilege. He shares experiences and notes that he is aware of what the real problem in this world

is, by sharing the main reasons and systems that are constructed that create these problems of

oppression. He also guides the readers in solutions on how to change the world that we live in,

how to make a difference and ways to start creating equality.

The Path of Least Resistance is one of the main reasons why we do not see change in this

world. The Path of Least Resistance is a participation of what is measured a social norm. It is a

belief of what is considered to be right versus a mass of choices that are considered to be wrong.

If a person was to take a different path, usually it will have consequences. People who take this

path dont really contribute to change because they would rather go with flow to avoid any

disputes, feelings of not belonging, or having the group they belong to go against them. Denial,

fear, and ignorance also plays a major role on why the issues of oppression exist. The privileged

either believe they are where they are because they work hard or because they also believe they
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are smarter and more capable than others. Those who recognize there is a problem, are afraid of

taking a stand without losing their privilege or afraid of making a stand without the privileged

members of their groups going against them or being bothered by their act of greater

resistance. Others choose to ignore there is a problem and live as if they are in a perfect world.

The book Lakota Woman is an autobiography written by Mary Crow Dog. She shares

many experiences and details of what it was like to be a Native American Indian back in the days

where many of the issues that Johnson went over already existed as far back as the 1960s. Mary

and her race suffered a lot of racism and oppression during those times. Indians were segregated

and treated in a way of no value unless they choose to join the American culture/race. They were

treated differently because of their race, beliefs, customs, and unique religion. They were

burdened in ways where they had no rights and had to abide by the laws that the White race

created. The Indians who took the path of least resistance lived and tolerated the white mans

way didnt suffer as much as those who continued to believe and live their life taking the path

of greater resistance. The white race was privileged and were entitled to have anything they

wanted and could take anything they wanted as well. They created laws that benefited them and

laws that only applied to the Indians.

In todays world, it can be a little bit of difficult to explain how a lot and little has

changed. Segregation is one thing that changed. Freedom of speech and way of living is also

another thing that changed. Things that were not accepted back then like different backgrounds,

religion and race are more accepted now. People are able to fight for their rights and have a

choice to voice their opinion and able to change things that do not represent equality. There are

women rights. The LGBT community has rights as well. Even though good things have

happened, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Just because these rights exist now
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doesnt mean that the problem is solved. Racism still exists, oppression still exists, sexism still

exists, and capitalism exists. People are still divided in a way where it doesnt seem as bad or can

be socially acceptable. It could be that society accepts it because it is a way people were taught

to live to avoid quarrels. There is still higher powers and people of privilege and oppression

exists based on the categories that people land on that dont seem to be socially accepted by

everyone.

Reading the books that were assigned to us in class has really made a difference in my

life. I was one of the people that Johnson was considered to be part of the problem. I was one of

the people who blinded myself to the problems that exist. I consider myself to be a work in

progress because I can now identify the issues of why we live in a world where privilege and

oppression exist. Some parts of the book made me upset as well as some of the information that

was presented in class. I never seemed to care about what was going on in the world because

honestly I dont know why. Maybe I preferred to live in denial as well because maybe I knew

that if I faced reality things wouldnt be as pretty as I had pictured. Learning about how women

are oppressed and the inequality we still face made me sad. It makes me sad that where I

originate from can make a big difference in the way I can be treated opposed being a man or a

white woman. I dont want to be part of the group that follows the path of least resistance. I dont

want to treat people a certain way based on their class or social identity. I understand that there is

nothing wrong with some people of privilege. I acknowledge that some of them dont have fault.

I believe that things are the way they are because we allowed them to be this way for so long. I

am glad that more people are aware of the issues that exist in this world and are working towards

getting justice, ending problems such as sex trafficking, child labor, unfair work labor etc. Other

than working towards fixing those problems, I see that people are fighting to end racism,
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inequality, harassment, that apply to people of color (race), gender, and sexual preference. I

really enjoyed this class. I plan to continue to be part of the solution by destroying what was

implanted in my brain for me to socially accept certain things for the way they are or supposed

to be. We are all human and should be all treated that way with respect just the same as the

privileged, regardless of color, gender, class, sexual orientation and over all unique

social/cultural identity.