BuzzFeed is no stranger to be labeled as an abomination for the modern generation’s internet habits but they hit this one straight out of the park with the BuzzFeed privilege quiz which apparently allows you to assess “How Privileged Are You?”.
*cue sad songs in the background to acknowledge the pedestalization of stupidity*
Now, BuzzFeed has made some cringe-worthy quizzes in the past and they’re all taken in good humor, some even with a rolling eyes expression but it’s all good. What’s not good with the BuzzFeed privilege quiz is the consequences and repercussions it carries with itself and how it modifies the idea of privileges and entitlement.
Confused? Let me make it easy for you with some analysis.
Starting off, let’s take a look at how we define privilege and how the BuzzFeed privilege quiz defined the same term:
Now, Google defines the word “privilege” as: a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.
BuzzFeed defines privilege with materialistic things and yet in some cases, necessary amenities and provisions like secondary education, speaking English, choosing a career path with no financial security, knowing a different language or something which is utterly outrageous such as not cleaning commodes or not growing the food that we consume. If you don’t believe me, here’s the quiz. See for yourself and bask in its absurdity.
Now, this paints multiple and aggressively extreme scenarios in front of us:
#1. A false sense of entitlement and feeling privileged:
This gives us 2 outlets: The one half of the already privileged and snob-like millennials who will leave no stone unturned to flaunt how privileged they are and the ones who are virtually deprived of all basic amenities and materialistic luxuries in the world (except a cellphone and an internet connection to view this stupid quiz), who might descend into a state of inferiority complex.
#2. WHAT IS THE DAMN POINT OF THIS QUIZ?
The BuzzFeed Privilege Quiz sends an extremely negative message. The 3rd avenue being an extension of the above leads us to people who might misinterpret the meaning of privileges and feel that they are privileged for living a perfectly normal lifestyle where they go to school, complete an education and can afford a maid to clean their commodes and that can create mass psychological confusion.
Isn’t there enough negativity, bias, discrimination and economic segregation in the world that now we’re letting the internet define our choice of lifestyle? And that too, BUZZFEED for f**k’s sake.
I digress.
Coming to the main point, all the cringe-worthy quizzes by BuzzFeed might be in good humor but the indirect and low-key volatile message of this privilege quiz is problematic as hell and it shouldn’t be promoted in any manner.
I won’t ask you to send hate messages to BuzzFeed, if this article knocks some sense into you but please don’t go ahead and feel privileged or underprivileged based on a quiz which is an insult to your intelligence and don’t promote the same, as well.
Learn and accept that internet is not the judge, jury, and executioner of your perfectly normal lifestyle which allows you to be brought up in a normal household and you shouldn’t feel guilty or inferior about it.
Being given basic amenities like education isn’t a privilege since education is something we all need to prosper. Those who can’t inherently afford it don’t need to be mocked and those who can don’t need to be pedestalized. On that note, we conclude.
Get real. And act like it.
Excelsior.
You’d Also Like To Read:
http://edtimes.in/2016/09/how-we-havent-failed-as-a-generation-only-millennials-will-get-this/
