Ep. #629: Sal Di Stefano on the Ugly Truth About “Privilege”

This episode is a bit of a curveball.

While not a health or fitness topic per se, the subject of this episode is tangentially related. Specifically, the topic is privilege and the idea that it’s wrong for some people to enjoy advantages that others don’t get to enjoy, and that equal outcome should be our goal.

In other words, inequality should be corrected through government policies and societal norms.

According to some people, equality of opportunity isn’t enough. The only way to have a fair society is to have equality of outcomes. That’s the real sign that you have a system that works for everyone.

Privilege is at odds with this idea. And while many people have heard of “white privilege” in recent times, that’s just one head of the hydra that needs to be lopped off to slay the beast of entitlement.

Is that the right frame of reference, though? Is privilege really at the core of our socioeconomic and racial dysfunctions here in the West?

Is it something we should systematically mitigate or eliminate altogether for a better world? Should you feel guilty and ashamed for any privilege you enjoy?

Everyone has different privileges relative to one another and almost anything can be viewed as an advantage if you compare to the right subject.

So what’s the proper response? Should we dispossess our advantages or feel pride?

Should we “cancel” people with privilege, or use those advantages to help others?

These are just some of the questions I chew the cud over with my guest Sal Di Stefano, a good friend of mine and one of the co-hosts of the number one fitness podcast in the world, Mind Pump.

Now, you may be wondering why two fitness guys are talking about privilege on a fitness podcast, and the simple reason is that we love chatting about politics, culture, economics, and history. Plus, a lot of the non-fitness content I’ve sprinkled into my podcasts over the years has generated a lot more positive feedback than negative and we don’t subscribe to the “stay in your lane bro” critiques.

So with all that said, let’s get to the show and let me know your thoughts!

7:34 - The skill of being objective and logical

10:10 - Two roadblocks to objectiveness

16:04 - Can I act in ways that are going to produce a desired result even though the action doesn’t feel right?

19:19 - What is privilege?

24:21 -  What is Intersectionality?

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Mentioned on The Show:

The Mind Pump Podcast: https://mindpumppodcast.com/

Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://legionathletics.com/coaching/

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