nce is also dependent on effort. Learning is not easy regardless of much intellectual privilege you might have. The dimension of merit further complicates the assessment of intelligence as a privilege. If effort was the only factor which determined intelligence than it could not be considered a privilege. It would seem that there are limits to effort, one who does not have a certain level of intellectual capacity may never be able to attain high levels of intelligence regardless of effort. But conversely, there are those who may be underachievers as a result of lack of effort. We can however assume that all socially constructed groups are apt to show similar patterns of effort although being the oppressed might make one complacent about their chances to advance and reduce their willingness to make the required effort The ultimate privilege Are there different levels of advantages? We know that certain groups are given a host of privileges solely based on their membership to a socially constructed group. Peggy McIntosh lists some of these privileges that are endowed to whites in her essay ‘White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies (1988). She illustrates quite poignantly how we take for granted many little and big privileges that the colour of our skin gives or takes away from us. She also cautions us about finding parallels between the privileges given to different groups. “ Since racism, sexism, heterosexism are not the same, the advantages associated with them should not be seen as the same” (p.104). I think this also points to the suggestion that various privileges give us varying degrees of unearned advantages. Therefore the advantages given to a white male might be mitigated severely if that male is homosexual or the privileges given to a heterosexual male might be entirely negated because of the colour of his skin. Where does the ...
