How Systems of Privilege Work

In this chapter Johnson addresses the basic foundation of privilege. Johnson says that there are three characteristics of systems organized around privilege. Those characteristics include dominated, identified and centered by privilege groups. All of these characteristics support that belief that all members of privilege groups are better than those that are below them and they deserve to be there. He also states that white men have most of the power. He uses the example of a business and how the further up you look the more men you see and the further down you look the more women you see. He calls our current society a male-dominated system. It was interesting to hear that evidence that Johnson had for how our society is dominated by males. He talks about how many derogatory comments there are for men who are dominated by woman but there aren’t many for women who are dominated by men. He also stated how men are criticized if they don’t live up to the typical expectations given by male power. Another great example was when he talked about the term brotherhood and how it is commonly used and would never be replaced with words such as sisterhood.

After reading this chapter there isn’t anything that I question. Issues of gender are very present in today society and are directly related to privilege. My favorite example of this is when Johnson talks about how high-status occupations and how the core competencies required for these positions are based around masculine qualities such as competition, aggressiveness and not being emotional attached. It’s unfortunate that our society has to stereotype different genders but I don’t see any way around it. In our society it’s extremely difficult to be a women and working in a mans world. It’s interesting to think about why women have such a strong disadvantage but if you think about all of the opportunities that they don’t have its not surprising. One of the most interesting ideas that I have heard about this is how in business women do not have access to some of the most important place business deals occur and that is the golf course. It’s interesting that men have created a double disadvantage without even realizing it. Not only are women at a disadvantage to men because they don’t have the same qualities as men when it comes to business but they are now also at a disadvantage physical because they don’t normal play on the same level as men. I believe that most men would be irritated if they were playing golf with a women and she was not at the same skill level as he.

It’s interesting to when all the facts are laid out because I think that its something that in our day to day lives we tend to over look.