[freakonom]

> constantly employed as an argument-ending sledgehammer

Or, it could be being employed as a reminder that in our systemically biased reality many people aren't judged on their merits. If people saw this we wouldn't have to have this discussion.

I'm not going to try to untangle the nest of motives on all sides, but I find it warmly ironic that this comment tries to shut up a discussion about "privilege" by accusing it of being used to shut people up.