You agree that a lack of direct experience of poverty such as having been on benefits should be no bar to office
I didn't quite say that. I did say I supported the idea that a person who had never been on benefits could spend their first 6 months in office experiencing benefits claims. I didn't say it should be an AUTOMATIC bar, but that provision ought to be made for office holders to educate themselves. Because the above would be difficult, I suggested minimum wage for office holders as a better alternative, and one which would be a more accurate reflection of the reality of life for low earners anyway (because most people on benefits don't have a long and demanding job to keep them distracted).
My concern is that most of your responses seem to be suggesting that privilege is a neutral state which people can't help having and which they don't really need to examine, and it's very unreasonable to expect them to.
Have you ever seen the cartoon "But I've Never Benefitted from Racism!"?
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2008-05-08 07:57 pm (UTC)I didn't quite say that. I did say I supported the idea that a person who had never been on benefits could spend their first 6 months in office experiencing benefits claims. I didn't say it should be an AUTOMATIC bar, but that provision ought to be made for office holders to educate themselves. Because the above would be difficult, I suggested minimum wage for office holders as a better alternative, and one which would be a more accurate reflection of the reality of life for low earners anyway (because most people on benefits don't have a long and demanding job to keep them distracted).
My concern is that most of your responses seem to be suggesting that privilege is a neutral state which people can't help having and which they don't really need to examine, and it's very unreasonable to expect them to.
Have you ever seen the cartoon "But I've Never Benefitted from Racism!"?