It is said “you don’t know what you don’t know,” which is why it is critical to lean in, listen, and leverage voices and stories of others…. and to check your assumptions and biases, to learn. Have you ever noticed that once you realize or come to know something, it comes up in multiple ways? It may have been coming up all along, but now that it is in your conscious mind, you see it in many places. This happened to me this week while reading a memoir, Untamed and a book on conversation, Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart.

In Untamed, Glennon Doyle writes about social privilege. I’ve examined my own privilege and engaged in conversations with colleagues and students about how different parts of our identity are tied to different levels or privilege. The metaphor that Doyle refers to is one that I think will help many people understand some of the nuances of privilege:

“Privilege is being born on third base. Ignorant privilege is thinking you’re there
because you hit a triple. Malicious privilege is complaining
that those starving outside the ballpark aren’t waiting patiently enough.” – Glennon Doyle

 

Compassionate Conversations also uses the metaphor of a being on third base. People enjoy and benefit from privilege as though they have earned it. Some are unaware of the privilege, some deny it.

“Because privilege can blind us to the reality of others’ lived experiences,
we often remain oblivious to their struggle.” – Compassionate Conversations

 

Compassionate Conversations explains takes thought to recognize privilege, and to look at situations from another’s perspective. Much of this work happens in conversation. When one does this, one develops compassion. We must talk about privilege and consider the metaphor of being on third base.

There is great power in story and in metaphor. The stories I have heard over the past several years are the ones that stick with me and help me share with others. I hope to use metaphors in the same way, in the year ahead.

Resources:
Untamed
Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart