Giving Compass' Take:

• Anthony J. Marsella does a deep dive into the nature of privilege, education advantage, historic and cultural traditions, and areas where privilege is abused. 

• How can education funders get a better idea of how their wealth and privilege impact their work? What areas besides education need to address this issue further? 

• Here are 4 ways for wealthy, white donors to address race and privilege.

In Physics 101, high-school students are taught the principle of “mechanical advantage.”  This principle defines the process by which a particular mechanical act (e.g., lifting a load) can be facilitated by using an “advantage mechanism.” Thus, lifting a load by adding a pulley augments your efforts. It achieves the same goal, but with less effort! The pulley offers an “advantage.”  Using a number of “advantage tactics and strategies” minimizes efforts, increases efficiency, and improves effectiveness.

And so, it is in human life!  Advantages” enable goals to be pursued and achieved without normal effort demands and impositions. If the goals may be unattainable by normal effort, “Advantage,” in the form of money, position, power, personal relationships, they will be used. This becomes an acceptable norm or practice among privileged groups. As the “advantage” of group connections and shared interests evolves, an “advantage” network for pursing goals becomes a powerful resource for life.

Shared or common ties develop and are sustained across various status commonalities.  Common ties can be shared ethnicity, race, religion, gender, age, history, or financial ties.  The idea is mutuality! “We help one another! Both sides benefit! Or the famous aphorism I learned as a college administrator: “You scratch their back; they scratch your back.” With this ethic operating, it is accepted all problems can be resolved. The power of the individual is multiplied; there is advantage! “Advantage is a privilege! Privilege is an advantage!”

Read the full article about privilege and education advantage by Anthony J. Marsella at TRANSCEND International.