Opting out. I have a point to make. I am frustrated and I need to spell it the fuck out. I am totally preaching to the fat-hating choir but nowhere else can I vent this shit. It's long but it gets there. Louise CK did a bit on how being white makes life way easier. Not that being a different colour is bad, but being white does mean one typically has it easier in a vast majority of situations, sometimes in big ways, sometimes in small ways. And who here as ever struggled with poverty? The rich are said to have higher depression rates and dissatisfaction with family life, but at least if you're rich you can afford a nice therapist and bond with your family at your vacation home, while never having to worry about putting enough food on the table or making sure your children have clothes on their backs. Or how about this whole refugee situation, can you imagine being forced to run from a war-torn home after watching most of your family die in horrible ways, your house turned to rubble in the street, only to spend 2+ years in a camp trying desperately to learn English well enough to convince the country you fled to that you can adapt to being a productive member of their society, all while fearing being sent back into that hell where your children may be killed? It's a hell of a lot easier being born in the safe countries, that's for damn sure. These are examples of privileges, or because that's become a dirty word these says, these are examples of how fate alone can determine wether you live life on easy mode or hard mode. If life came up to you and said, "Would you like to be a white, rich, American/British/Canadian etc citizen? Or would you like to be a poor, dark-skinned fellow from a war torn country unable to escape?" Chances are you'd pick the easy road. Not because you look down upon anyone who is coloured, lower class, and/or foreign, but because you know the value of safety, comfort, and security. It's a human need. It just used to be for lions and now it's for each other, is all. Now imagine if life came up to you and said, "Hey there, friend. I see you're handling life pretty well as is. You've dealt with some shit, maybe more or less than some others, but you're managing really well. Care to make it interesting? If you don't want to try this, you will continue to live your life, generally happy, with goals to achieve and people to love and challenges to grow. If you do, you'll have more obstacles to deal with." You're thinking, "This sounds kind of stupid, but hey, that lemonade turned out to be pretty good so let's see what life has in store for me today." Life replies, "Ok, here's the deal. If you try this, you will be less likely to find and hold a job making career ladders difficult to climb. On that note, climbing and other activities will also become more difficult. It will become painful and embarrassing, and you'll likely skip out on these activities altogether to avoid the trouble. You will be lonelier, less likely to find genuine friends of a romantic partner. If romance isn't you're thing, and you're just in it for the sex, then you'll want to invest in some toys because that's going to be much harder too. You'll be less likely to be respected or admired, so your confidence is gonna take a blow, and if you get too into this you'll even start to lose a few reasoning and logic functions. Your life span will shorten drastically, too. You won't be able to use the same things as anyone else either, and will have to buy expensive replacements." "What sort of things?? This sounds terrible," you say. "Oh, most things. Seats, vehicles, clothes, not to mention the extra money you'll be spending on deodorants, powders, soaps, and other hygienic tools." You look incredulously at life, and say, "Man, this is the worst idea you have ever come up with. This sounds ridiculous. My life would be miserable!! What the hell is in it for me?!" Life perks up and says, "Oh, of course!!! In exchange for all this, you can have..." life pulls a small bakery box from behind its back and opens it for you, proudly, "...this slice of cake!" What kind of absolute human trashblood would ever take that deal? I know they're everywhere. I know they're growing by the second. But I just can't wrap my head around it. You can't choose to be white or black. Any benefits of being a particular skin colour is thrust upon you, you don't get to choose. You can't decide how much money your family will have when you're growing up. Even the hardest workers can be laid off from a closing business or hit by a recession. You have far less control over finances than you may think, and when you live paycheck to paycheck for the most basic human needs there's no money leftover to save and become richer. You don't get to pick which country you will be born into. It isn't an option to be born in a country with peace, secure borders, good healthcare, supportive culture, and opportunity. You might be born into a country with no clean water for 10 miles around your village, you don't get to decide. But if you want, you can choose to be slim, fit, and healthy. That "thin privilege" is always there for you if you want it. It is entirely up to you wether or not you want a happy, healthy, normal life, or a miserable one full of self loathing and regret. What kind of pisstard would opt out for a slice of cake?