The Privilege Meme

From The Anti-Strib.

How privileged were you growing up?

Premise: bold each of the statements that applies.

Original source: The list is based on an exercise developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. The exercise developers ask that if you participate in this blog game, you acknowledge their copyright.

Father went to college - Nope

Father finished college - See above.

Mother went to college - Nope

Mother finished college - See Above

Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor - No

Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers - I don't get it

Had more than 50 books in your childhood home - Oh yes

Had more than 500 books in your childhood home - Close to 500 books per person.

Were read children's books by a parent - Almost every day, until I started reading for myself.

Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18 - Trumpet lessons for a few years, through the school with no extra fees outside of the POS trumpet. That turned out well. Also did a few computer camps over the years. I'm a software engineer now, so that was probably worth it.

Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18 - nope

The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively

Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18 - I'm not even sure my parents had credit cards before I turned 18.

Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs - That woulda been nice.

Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs

Went to a private high school. The nearest one was an hour away.

Went to summer camp. Boy Scout camp and a Christian camp, every summer until I started working full time at 16.

Had a private tutor before you turned 18. Nope.

Family vacations involved staying at hotels. We went camping when we had vacation.

Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18. Most of my clothes weren't even second hand.

Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them. I bought my own cars. My parents did loan me the money for a couple.

There was original art in your house when you were a child. Do a child's finger paintings count?

Had a phone in your room before you turned 18. No

You and your family lived in a single family house. Built by my Dad.

Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home. They built it and still live in it.

You had your own room as a child. After part of the basement got finished.

Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course. This new-fangled crap wasn't necessary then.

Had your own TV in your room in High School. A Pamida display model I bought myself.

Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College. Not a chance.

Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16. Not until my honeymoon.

Went on a cruise with your family. Hey, this was my honeymoon.

Went on more than one cruise with your family. Nope.

Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up. The Science Museum a couple of times.

You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family. We had wood burning and fuel oil. I didn't understand then, but I'm pretty sure the wood was burned when the fuel oil ran lower than the checkbook.

This shows me being pretty underprivileged. I wasn't. I learned to make do with fewer toys. I had to use my imagination and play with my brothers. I was given a solid work ethic, sense of honor, and a love of learning. Those things serve me more than a trust fund ever could.

Thanks, Mom and Dad.