[nemo44x]

I think the problem with the word “privilege” is it’s used in a context that suggests someone is granted something of value by virtue of their “just existing” that others don’t have.

In the case of having a money cushion this could be true if you’re born into a wealthy family and have a trust fund. But it’s not the case for someone who has built wealth for themselves. They aren’t “privileged” in this sense. They earned it.

[ClumsyPilot]

> But it’s not the case for someone who has built wealth for themselves.

I used to think so untill I encountered:

"You young people don't know what it's like to work hard, I started with nothing and bought a house. You can't buy a house because you spend all your money on Avocado on toast."

Now I realise it's a polite way of saying 'you are an idiot'.

It's a mindset where you don't understand what life is like for the person you are trying to lecture. It doesn't matter if you are hostile or helpfull, it just means you don't understand the relevant problems.

You think avocado is relevant to house purchasing, you design benefits system for homeless people that asks for your address. You asks people how is it a problem that you need to file a lawsuit to get your money back - like who can't file a lawsuit. Or who doesnt have internet?

If you 'self-made' your wealth 20 years ago, you will have forgotten how it was, and times have changed. So it helps, but is not strictly relevant.

[zdragnar]

I don't know about Germany, but small claims courts (where this level of damages would belong) are really quite accessible. Hiring a lawyer for one is overkill.

If you can get to a public library, you have internet.

Not everything is an intractable problem, though I'll agree that avocado on toast is an unlikely reason to not be able to buy a house (though is a reasonable hyperbole for "bad financial planning", if rather insultingly dismissive).

[mindslight]

Furthermore, "privilege" makes it sound like the advantageous state should be seen as the exceptional condition, and that social equality would be served by getting rid of the "privilege". Whereas actually, we should aspire to reform our society such that everyone has the economic power to represent themselves.

[nemo44x]

If you read enough Italian Elite Theory and some Nietzsche it pretty much comes down to a strategy to become the master class/elite of a society. Instead of earning status outright, another approach is to agitate for it using masses of people to prop you up. Hence identity politics designed by some hopeful elites to recruit masses of wannabe but never will be elites wrapped in a formal claim of justice or some other such emotional nonsense. The actual issue is “I want power over others”.