Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Imagine being at the London Heathrow airport boarding a one-hour flight to Paris. Even though all the passengers will be landing in Paris, they’re all different.
Some haven’t slept in a bed in the past 36 hours – they have been travelling from the other part of the world and this is their fourth flight before they finally reach their destination.
Some woke up all fresh that morning after a night’s sleep on their memory foam mattress, had a relaxed breakfast and drove half an hour to catch the flight.
Some are travelling to finally hug their loved ones.
And some are travelling to attend a funeral of a loved one.
Some are going back home after a breakup.
And some are moving there to start a new relationship with the love of their life.
Some are travelling for work and their flight is paid for by the company.
And some have been saving for ages to get on that flight.
Some may be flying for the first time ever.
And some do this twice a week, all year long.
All these differences invisible to the naked eye…
You’re all on the same plane landing at the same airport, but you didn’t all come from the same place…
Even though technically you did.
That’s how life works.
That’s how privilege and inequalities work.
That metaphorical one-hour flight may be the SAME for everyone, but what got everyone there isn’t the same.
Privilege is: being that person who slept the whole night in their bed. It’s not bad in and of itself.
Being oblivious of your privilege is: not comprehending why some fellow passengers can’t just be jolly and full of energy like you. And that can be harmful.
And privilege doesn’t only apply to colour, even though we hear a lot about it.
It can also be your nationality, your religion, your sexual orientation, your mental or physical abilities, your gender, and so much more.
You can be privileged in one area but disadvantaged in others.
Just like you can be disadvantaged in one area, which is then made worse because you are also disadvantaged in other areas.
It’s complex and often escapes the naked eye, but I think if we all made a conscious effort to even simply notice where we stand, the world could be a better place.
If you’re looking for a place to start, how about you check this book out? It completely changed my outlook on life.
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