Privilege, Power, and Difference

Johnson addresses the challenges of discussing privilege and oppression, particularly the reluctance of people with privilege to engage in these conversations. He notes that people often avoid discussing privilege due to the discomfort, defensiveness, and fear of being blamed or feeling vulnerable. Johnson emphasizes that while these risks are real, they are often perceived as greater than they actually are due to misunderstandings about the nature of social issues.

Moreover, Johnson critiques the prevailing individualistic mindset that attributes social problems solely to personal actions or characteristics. He argues, “Individualistic thinking keeps us stuck in the trouble by making it so hard to talk about it” (77). He asserts that this perspective leads people to see issues like sexism as arising purely from individual actions of men rather than systemic structures, making it difficult to discuss these issues without placing blame on individuals. Such thinking perpetuates a cycle where men feel personally attacked and women feel justified in blaming men, which hinders productive dialogue and potential solutions.

Johnson argues that individualistic thinking obscures the understanding of privilege, which is inherently about social categories and not individual attributes. This mindset leads to trivializing or avoiding discussions about systemic issues like sexism or racism.