Alan Johnson: Privilege, Power, and Difference

 In Alan Johnsons book, Privilege, Power, and Difference, something the author tries to lock into the readers head is that we are part of the problem. Society is the way it is these days because of the people in it. People don't realize that they are part of the problem. Johnson, in this book, emphasizes that they are the problem treating people unfairly. With everyone knowing that they are part of the unfair treatment, it makes it a lot easier to get a solution. 

Chapter 1: 

"If I succeed at that, then the meaning and emotional weight of concepts like "privilege" and "white racism" will soften and shift." 

I found this quote one of the most important in chapter 1 because before proposing this quote, he talked about what whites often experience when they come across some language. Then continues to follow up with this quote which is most important because it is what he wants us (the reader) to get out of this chapter. He tells us that language is very off-putting to some readers, he then goes on to say that certain words hold so much power, so they can't be used with the feelings put towards them. 

Chapter 2: 

"Its not that I have done something or thought bad or harbored bad ill will toward her because she's black and female. No, the problem is that in this world as it is, huge issues involving race and gender shape her life and mine in dramatically different ways." 

This was when he had a meeting with a female African American. I found this most important in this chapter because we have multiple views now. He started off by talking about the advantages he had because he was white. He then goes on to talk about the things he never has to worry about because of his gender, whereas she has to always be worried because she's a female and anything could happen to her at any time. 

Chapter 3: 

"There is nothing inherently frightening about what we don't know. If we feel afraid, it isn't what we don't know, that frightens us, it is what we think we do know." 

Chapter 3 talks a lot about what we don't know. It starts to make me question myself and what I actually do or don't know. The whole point about something being unknown is the fact it's all a big question. You never really know who or what is going to happen. Which is why the unknown have to make conclusions. 

Reflections: 

Its really nice to read about other peoples opinions on privilege. Personally, it helped me realize that there are people out there that don't make assumptions. I really enjoyed reading all three chapters of this book.