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PRIVILEGE
The editorial GYMKHANAS ALL in the Times of India of 26 May 2026 discusses PRIVILEGE in depth.
Privilege is 'privus lex' that is private law that is 'an exception to a general law.' For example, not having to go through a security check is a Privilege.
Privilege is many things. One of them is the ability to say no to authority. Govt builds a new expressway. Thousands of farmers give up their land. But one holds out. We may label it defiance. But there is no defiance without Privilege.
Privilege is unearned advantage. Kings and priests were deeply privileged from the time they were invented. The pyramids were not raised for the humble workers.
If privilege has been around forever, the question arises, " is it a feature or a bug?"
The answer is 'both.'
It's a feature for the few who are anointed and a bug for the rest.
Privilege exists because we are selfish. And we are selfish because, in a world of scarcity, selfishness is rational.
Privilege eases access to things, front row tickets, services and the seat of power itself.
The lone man facing down tanks on Tianenmen Square was also privileged. He had the assumption of privilege, which is sometimes more powerful than systemic privileges of caste, race, colour, wealth, status etc.
Gumption is privilege because it is rare. In Russia and France people bore the beatings of their masters without complaint. Later, the gumption of few taught many to resent. It wiped out the nobility.
It's a fact that those who detest the privileges of others, crave them. Wherever the agents of change have grabbed power, they have grabbed the privileges too.
We want privilege because privilege begets privilege. Society works on mutual back scratching.
Because privilege is exclusive by nature, it shuts the door on the many. It perpetuates the advantages we may have earned at some point, but now wish to pass on, in unearned and undeserved form, to our children.
Privilege, then, becomes a 'no entry' sign for those who arrived after us. Which is why it is so unpopular.
Should we have privilege then?
No.
Will we ever get rid of it?
No.
Because new privilege always arises from the ashes of the old.
Privilege reminds us of so many incidents we come across
Notice the long motorcade that halted everyone on the road for the privileged to pass.
Notice the many from the same family who land jobs, overriding the just claims of the brilliant.
Notice the husband gaining a job for his wife in his own institution or vice versa.
Notice a person staying on in one place throughout his career when all around him are transferred helter skelter.
Notice the spouse standing in for the other to enable the person to attend to household chores.
Notice the teacher sending off the students on the pretense of some ailment and neglecting his duties.
Notice the ease with which some break the laws.
At times we are led to believe that this world is for the privileged alone.
