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Book Critique 1:

Privilege, Power, and Difference

By Allan G. Johnson

Liliana Celio

HD 361

Instructor: Carla Franklin

For years, we have been conditioned to believe that we all belong to specific categories.

Several of these categories require us to categorize not only ourselves but each other, into groups

that label people as superior or subpar. A few of these categories include race, gender, sexual

orientation, and disabled or nondisabled. In the book, Privilege, Power, and Difference, the

author, Allan G. Johnson (2005), discusses the evolution of these concepts as they often lead to

tension amongst individuals. Johnson makes powerful points that exist within our society, such

as the power that exists amongst dominant groups and how they affect oppressed groups.

What confirmed your experience/knowledge?

After reading the book, I noticed that Johnson confirmed my experience regarding the

idea of identifying many of the issues with which our society struggles today. Oftentimes we

prefer to selfishly live day to day that we fail to recognize many of the issues that affect us. I

agree with Johnson when he repeatedly mentions that we choose to avoid talking about these

concepts because they challenge the status quo. For many of us, we know that in order to survive

and coexist, we need to follow the unspoken rules of society. We know that men earn more

than women in the workplace. If a woman decided to challenge this disadvantage, she may risk

losing her job. Coincidently, we also know that white men receive more respect than Latina

women in corporate America. In addition, if someone decides to bring up race in a conversation,

that person consequently opens Pandoras box. The topic not only causes feelings of

discomfort and anger, but it may also lead to blame. I believe that the problem stems from people

not knowing how to acknowledge that these issues exist without offending anyone. Once we

accept the idea of possibly causing discomfort, we can then move forward as a society to bring

about change.
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What challenged your experience/knowledge?

One section that made me question what the author discussed includes the opposing concept of

oppression. For instance, Johnson mentions that it is possible for women to identify as never

been oppressed as a woman (p. 38). He adds that whether we call it oppression or simply

pain makes a huge difference in how we perceive the world (p. 39). I understand that the

various categories interconnect and that one category cannot exist without the other. However, I

feel that if someone has not felt that they experienced oppression or discrimination, it does not

mean that they have not experienced it. I believe that people feel this way because they have

lived obliviously in relation to the experience of others oppressing them. In fact, these issues

occur daily whether we recognize them or not.

What quotes/passages spoke strongly to you? Why?

As I read the book, I noticed that Johnson mentioned a strategy that human resource managers

have used to bring out a sense of fairness in privileged individuals (p.71). According to

Johnson, the tin cup approach has helped managers and privileged people advocate for those

who do not share the same opportunities because its a good and noble thing to do (p.72).

Although Johnson explains that this approach stems from good intentions, I believe that it

widens the gap between privileged people and underprivileged people. In other words, the tin

cup approach emphasizes that the problem exists because instead of treating the root of the

problem, it only treats the symptoms.

I personally do not feel that this mentality should be acceptable amongst any groups. As I

mention previously, although this strategy attempts to help, I would instead feel like a charity
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case if I was on the receiving end. I say this because the end goal is to create a sense of equality

instead of equity. I agree with Johnson when he mentions that the tin cup approach does not lead

to permanent change because it focuses on what people can do for now. Furthermore, I believe

that if people adopt this strategy, the people on the receiving end will know that the change is

temporary because managers forced them to be polite and do something pleasant for them. But

as soon as the privileged people change their mind, the positive contributions will revert back to

old ways. I believe that permanent change should occur because privileged individuals truly

believe that it is needed, not because someone told them that they needed to do something

good.

What are the points that address the course content?

I noticed that the book shares common themes that we discuss in class. For instance, concepts

such as race, privilege, power, and oppression come up often because people prefer to avoid

talking about them in order to prevent discomfort; much like the notion of the elephant in the

room. By examining these issues in class as well as reading the book, we can first acknowledge

the problems which then lead us to think of ways to help improve these issues.

What affective responses occurred?

I believe that the author makes several powerful points in his work. Page, after page, Johnson

addresses the issues that plague our society; issues that many people prefer to ignore or avoid.

However, one specific issue that affected me was when he discussed the topic of unearned

advantage (p. 23). Johnson discussed that when an unearned entitlement is restricted to certain

groups, however, it becomes a form of privilege she calls unearned advantage (p. 23). This
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concept affected me because he mentioned that every human should automatically be allowed to

feel safe or valued, yet because people from dominant groups restrict these rights to certain

groups, these values then become an advantage. I do not think that as human we should restrict

anything to anyone. Simple things such as safety and feeling valued should never come with a

price. I think that for years I was never aware of how much this issue affects me too because I am

a Mexican-American woman. I say this because Mexican-Americans are becoming a dominant

force in the workplace, as opposed to African-Americans. Therefore, in some way, I feel that I

have an unearned advantage over someone who is African-American.

How can you use this book in your professional and personal life?

After reading the book, I feel that the Allan G. Johnson did an amazing job of addressing several

issues that oppress our society as a whole. He discussed topics that I was knew existed, while

also mentioning several issues that I lived obliviously not recognizing. Becoming aware of these

issues has become especially important to me because I have realized that in order to bring out

change, we first need to recognize that we struggle with a sickness as a people. Somehow we

have accomplished scapegoating groups of people due to our own beliefs. This is sick and

pathetic especially because we are intelligent and capable of knowing that this mentality is

wrong. I think that this book is important so that we can stop the cycle now and instead teach our

future generations better than what we know now. After learning more about the issues at hand, I

know that I will become more aware of my surroundings as well as my blessings. With that in

mind, I know that I will first discontinue the cycle with myself and my future family so that we

all know better.