What Privileges Do You Have?

Based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you please acknowledge their copyright.

Last night I was watching the Presidential Candidates debate the issues. Mitt Romney received much flak for being wealthy and privileged. John Edwards spent much of his time pointing out the extreme differences between the life where his father struggled to provide for his family as a mill worker and his own life because of his college education and the privileges it has provided him.
Today when I came across this exercise to determine just how privileged of a life you have lived, I thought it might be an interesting entry for the blog. Since my mom is visiting from Kansas, I had her answer the questions, and then we compared our answers. Sometime this week, I'll ask my daughter to do the same. It came as no surprise to me that my mother, born and raised during the Depression, answered only 3 questions with a yes. She went to Catholic elementary and high school and her parents owned their own home. She knew how much the heating bills were because her family often went without the coal for the stove because they could not afford to buy it. I could answer 10 with a yes. I'm certain that my daughter will double my score.

It would seem that each new generation is becoming more privileged. Why do you think that is?

For our first blog of 2008, your task is to go through the questions with at least one older relative, hopefully a parent, and compare your responses. Did you notice the same trend with your responses. What did you learn that was interesting? What are your thoughts about what defines privilege?

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
6. Were the same class or higher social class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children's books by a parent
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private elementary or high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family live in a single family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college
30. Flew anywhere in a commercial airplane before you were 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to art galleries and museums as a child
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family