So straight white science fiction author dude John Scalzi has created a bit of a hubbub amongst straight white dudes on the interwebs with a blog post called Straight White Male: The Lowest Difficulty Setting There Is. The post, later reposted on Kotaku, is basically an attempt to talk to fellow dudes in their own language about the concept of privilege “without invoking the dreaded word ‘privilege,’ to which they react like vampires being fed a garlic tart at high noon.” (And they do.)
Scalzi’s thesis:
Dudes. Imagine life here in the US – or indeed, pretty much anywhere in the Western world – is a massive role playing game, like World of Warcraft except appallingly mundane, where most quests involve the acquisition of money, cell phones and donuts, although not always at the same time. Let’s call it The Real World. You have installed The Real World on your computer and are about to start playing, but first you go to the settings tab to bind your keys, fiddle with your defaults, and choose the difficulty setting for the game. Got it?
Okay: In the role playing game known as The Real World, “Straight White Male” is the lowest difficulty setting there is.
This means that the default behaviors for almost all the non-player characters in the game are easier on you than they would be otherwise. The default barriers for completions of quests are lower. Your leveling-up thresholds come more quickly. You automatically gain entry to some parts of the map that others have to work for. The game is easier to play, automatically, and when you need help, by default it’s easier to get.
Scalzi should have added “cis” to “straight white male,” but otherwise I’d say that’s fairly spot-on.
Of course, as Scalzi himself points out, life for straight white (cis) dudes is not always peaches and cream. They may have any of a number of disadvantages in life that make things difficult for them. They may have been born poor, or in a war zone; they may have been abused as children or the victim of crime or violence as an adult. Or faced any number of other problems and conditions and disadvantages.
Scalzi deals with this issue a little more obliquely than he could have, noting that some people begin the grand game of “The Real World” with more points than others, and that this can make a good deal of difference.
But do straight white cis males face disadvantages stemming from being straight white cis men? I honestly can’t think of any that have affected my life in any serious way, and these small disadvantages pale in comparison to the many advantages. Yeah, I had to register for the draft when I turned 18. Of course, when I registered there was no draft, and there still isn’t one, and the draft has virtually no chance of being resurrected in the foreseeable future, so I can’t say this requirement has affected my life in any tangible way.
As Scalzi puts it:
If you start with fewer points and fewer of them in critical stat categories, or choose poorly regarding the skills you decide to level up on, then the game will still be difficult for you. But because you’re playing on the “Straight White Male” setting, gaining points and leveling up will still by default be easier, all other things being equal, than for another player using a higher difficulty setting.
Anyway, Scalzi got a lot of responses to his post, many of them from straight white dudes outraged by his assertions. So he wrote a followup taking some of these critics to task. He was particularly amused by the criticism that by “picking on” straight white males he was being racist and sexist.
This particular comment was lobbed at me primarily from aggrieved straight white males. Leaving aside entirely that the piece was neither, let me just say that I think it’s delightful that these straight white males are now engaged on issues of racism and sexism. It would be additionally delightful if they were engaged on issues of racism and sexism even when they did not feel it was being applied to them — say, for example,when it’s regarding people who historically have most often had to deal with racism and sexism (i.e., not white males). Keep at it, straight white males! You’re on the path now!
I am sure there are many gems of obtuseosity in the comments, and in the Reddit thread on his original post. But it’s Friday night, and I have a migraine — which sucks, but it’s not because I’m a straight white cis dude — so I’m going to let you guys find them for me.
EDITED TO ADD: Thinking a bit more about Scalzi’s central metaphor here, and I don’t think it completely works: he assumes that obstacles other than racism, sexism, and homophobia can be explained as the equivalent of having started the game with fewer points. But it you have, for example, a disability, that’s something that makes you life harder every day; it’s more akin to raising the difficulty level than to starting off with fewer points. (Not to mention that you’re likely to face bigotry because of it as well.) This doesn’t erase the privileges a straight white male with disabilities gets from being straight, white, and male, of course, but it does ratchet up the difficulty.
cises => cis gendered people
He really has no idea wtf he’s talking about even.
“I am not sure what “bisexual in the romantic sex” is suppose mean though…”
I’m pretty sure it means he only has “straight sex” and is counting bromance as bisexual….at least, that would explain how he’s never faced discrimination anyways.
That video is perfect though! You get +1 points, unlike superblooper (who is definitely one super blooper reel…)
“Perhaps he meant bisexual in the romantic sense? Only in terms of romantic attraction that would be biromantic.” — yeah I think that’s it except he doesn’t know his terms because liberals are all stupid, amirite?!
@superbloop You don’t seem to understand what the phrase: “All other things being equal” means. And I don’t think that being born rich outweighs all other factors especially with the bigotry that exists. While an indepentently wealthy person who is trans* would have an easier time transitioning (financially speaking not necessarily socially speaking), their trans* status definitely will make their life more difficult than the cis independently wealthy person.
Is this making sense? You can’t (or shouldn’t) compare apples to oranges of privileges and try to see where they rank. That is what “All other things being equal” is for – using a control to make at least some accurate comparisons. Life is complicated though, so there isn’t a way to account for ALL variables that individuals within the groups (white, straight, male) can also have so yes it isn’t a perfect metaphor for absolutely everything and everyone. Which was already talked about.
@ jumbo
He’s bisexual only when it involves flowers, scented candles, and long walks on the beach?
Yeahhh something about his utterly lack of any knowledge about anything lgtb and thinking queer discrimination does not really matter because you have larger groups being discriminated against makes me double he is biromantic. XD
Not to say queer people can’t have queer isms or lack of care about queer issues but you know most don’t like being discriminated against and want that to stop. He doesn’t even care at all which makes me well, fishy.
*doubt
superbloop, no cares that you’re bi, you’re still not bright.
Oh! I just figured out how to make this make sense to him!
superbloop — do you think that a gay male and straight male, of the same class, education level, nationality, ability level and race face the same issues in society? How about versus a trans man?
We have to dumb it down for white straight men is wtf I just remembered…though I probably lost him at “trans man”.
hellkell, I do actually kind of care, his idiocy might be enough to push me from saying bi for clarity to saying pan for not being an asshole — the latter is more correct in my case too.
Not that I care who he likes, but that I care if I’m going to be lumped with people who still say transvestite.
did i just i-know-you-are-but-what-am-i’ed?
question, is it just me, or does superbloop’s icon look like a return troll? It’s one of the randomly generated ones, so I can’t really tell.
I don’t recognize it myself but sometimes the randomly generated ones are similar though.
Hmm..if he’s new, does that mean David was around to let him through mod? Can he be put back in mod then? (for being a generally annoying clueless idiot)
jumbofish I think you’re right that it’s just very similar to other icons.
“HAAHAHAHA so far from the truth its not even funny.”
How so? The social mockery would be bad in some social circles, but there would be niches where one could fine acceptance.
“So as a bisexual person you have never faced discrimination?”
Nope. I live in a good neiborhood. This is not true for all areas, but, granted, this can be stated for any action or state-of-being.
“I am not sure what “bisexual in the romantic sex” is suppose mean though…”
I love people based on their actions, thoughts, and feelings. If I found a person who was perfect in these areas, I’d marry them, regardless of sex/gender. Crazy, I know.
“THE FUCK?! No it isn’t. Expect people to hoot and holler when you leave your house/apt, and then get pissed when you don’t smile on command. And good luck if you ever get arrested, the cops might give you and extra beating (or 3) for the fun of it, trans* prisoners get a shit deal in particular though.”
I think there is a BIT of over-exaggeration here, don’t you think?
“Not that you seem to have worked out wtf transvestite means or anything.”
It is the changing of one’s sex to the opposite. Not much else to it.
“and you can’t work out the differences in how people respond depending on whether the current relationship is heterosexual or homosexual? Color me a confused bisexual.”
In some places, it is discouraged. Others, not. But the same is true for alll actions. I want for people to judge actions based on their actual value, not becasue of social constructs and primal urges. But conservatives only focus on their issues, liberals theirs. Nobody wants to help everybody.
“I’m pretty sure it means he only has “straight sex” and is counting bromance as bisexual….at least, that would explain how he’s never faced discrimination anyways.”
I have seen the defination for bisexuality include the romantic sense.
“yeah I think that’s it except he doesn’t know his terms because liberals are all stupid, amirite?!”
When have I called them stupid? I said they are blinded, but one can be very smart, but blind to certain issues.
“You don’t seem to understand what the phrase: “All other things being equal” means. And I don’t think that being born rich outweighs all other factors especially with the bigotry that exists. While an indepentently wealthy person who is trans* would have an easier time transitioning (financially speaking not necessarily socially speaking), their trans* status definitely will make their life more difficult than the cis independently wealthy person.”
But, in terms of life’s difficulty, which is what the man was talking about, they would probably live an easier life than a poor straight white male.
“Yeahhh something about his utterly lack of any knowledge about anything lgtb and thinking queer discrimination does not really matter because you have larger groups being discriminated against makes me double he is biromantic. XD”
I don’t believe I said larger groups were discriminated against. I said others were. Why only focus on one?
Also, why are you questioning my sexuality because of my ideology? That’s like saying a guy can’t be gay because he votes Republican.
I guess it is not discrimination when YOU do it!
“Not to say queer people can’t have queer isms or lack of care about queer issues but you know most don’t like being discriminated against and want that to stop. He doesn’t even care at all which makes me well, fishy.”
When did I say I liked discrimination, or was impartial to it? When did I say I didn’t care?
““There’s not one White person in here who’d switch places with me, and I’m rich!”
Chris Rock, talking about being black in America. And he’s a straight cisgender man.
Knowledge:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/transvestite
“superbloop, no cares that you’re bi, you’re still not bright.”
I stated such because the person talking to me asumed I was straight because of my positions. Am I not allowed to fight discrimination?
“do you think that a gay male and straight male, of the same class, education level, nationality, ability level and race face the same issues in society? How about versus a trans man?”
I never said gay and trans didn’t have to deal with problems. I’m saying that a lot of people have to deal with problems. Do you think that a poor male and a rich male, of the same orientation, education level, nationality, ability level and race face the same issues in society? How about medically disabled versus healthy?
“Not that I care who he likes, but that I care if I’m going to be lumped with people who still say transvestite.”
I think I got the terms mixed up. Bottomline, I don’t care what you dress like or what you like, sexually.
“Hmm..if he’s new, does that mean David was around to let him through mod? Can he be put back in mod then? (for being a generally annoying clueless idiot)”
I deserve to be banned because people disagree with me. That’s not enough on the site’s policy. Glad you like censorship.
“This is not true for all areas, but, granted, this can be stated for any action or state-of-being.” — ever had a long term relationship with a member of the same sex? Did you discuss it at work the way many coworkers will discuss silly things their partners did? No? Welcome to discrimination!
“I think there is a BIT of over-exaggeration here, don’t you think?” — ever gone out in drag? Try it some time, see how far from your door you get before someone honks, yells “hey baby” or something else along those lines. The college students may be particularly rude, but no, I’m not exaggerating.
“It is the changing of one’s sex to the opposite. Not much else to it. ” — *ding ding ding* WRONG AGAIN! Transvestite is an old, derogatory, word for a cross-dresser; changing one’s gender would be transsexual or transgendered — hence the use of trans* And +2 gender binary points for “opposite”.
“When have I called them stupid? I said they are blinded, but one can be very smart, but blind to certain issues.” — *face palm* Are you new to the internet? No one says “amirite?” seriously. And I’m not going to explain the joke.
“When did I say I liked discrimination, or was impartial to it? When did I say I didn’t care?” — implied by the verbal vomit about how we care too much.
I’ve never known anyone to ragequit on easy mode, but according to Mr. Scalzi that’s exactly what us men have been doing. And 4 times as often as women, no less! What an embarrassment.
I think we should laugh at all those guys who couldn’t even handle the game on the lowest difficulty and quit, they must have been total losers.
“Do you think that a poor male and a rich male, of the same orientation, education level, nationality, ability level and race face the same issues in society? How about medically disabled versus healthy?” — I answered both of those back on page 1, or maybe 2, I’m not going to go check. Short answer: no, but we already did this
And wtf is with “medically disabled”? What clarification are you trying to make beyond simply saying disabled?
“I think I got the terms mixed up.” — no you used a word that is wildly considered an insult…
“I deserve to be banned because people disagree with me. That’s not enough on the site’s policy. Glad you like censorship.” — being persistently annoying is though, and oh boy are you working on digging that hole. “If you’re especially, or persistently, offensive, disruptive, or tedious, I’ll put you on moderation”
Arks, wtf does “quit” mean in terms of real life? (Bearing in mind I watched all of LoTR today and thus my brain is jello)
The mirror’s in the bathroom, Arks.
Also superbloop, David is not the gov’n, he can censor people all he wants. It’s one of the perks of running your own blog. Why don’t you go comment on anti-manboobz or something.
More like almost all social circles and that fact there there is only a few niches of acceptance doesn’t sound oppressive to you? and its not only social shame, its being disowned by family and friends, its being fired form your job, beaten and harassed on the streets, and so much more. All from just being trans.
Can you openly talk about your relationships with the same gender without any repercussions/gay bashing? Can you get married to a person of the same relationship if you wanted to? Do you ever fear the possibility of being harassed or beaten for admitting you like the same gender? Did you fear coming out to your friends and family due to rejection?
If you answered no to all these then you must live on mars or something…or under a rock.
You utterly misunderstood that I was mocking your grammar not your orientation. XD
Not thats not what it means. Go look on wikipedia you idiot. It refers to crossdressing only while identifying as your assigned birth gender. The word you are looking for is trans or transgendered.
Why do you keep referring to bisexuality as actions? You don’t even understand your own orientation. Plus if you were an actual out bisexual than you would know that its not 100% accepted anywhere in the world at this current time.
No I am questioning it because you know nothing about sexuality or even your own sexuality. You also deny widespread oppression against the queer community and pretend its only a few people in a few places.
You said: never said they were completely irrelevant. I said they existed for all sexes, races, and taboos. But other factors are FAR more important than these.
No one said we should only focus on one or a few groups.