For the privileged, equality can feel like discrimination

Evidence

In one sense, white Christian America is declining demographically and will never again enjoy being the unquestioned center of the culture. Unchallenged access to privilege and power is disappearing. However, this does not mean that white Christians will be given no access to avenues through which they might influence civil society. As many of my colleagues in the social sciences might say, when a group is used to privilege, equality feels like discrimination. — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 192

Categorization

• XREF: Recalls essays on backlash, e.g., the psychology of majority perceptions of minority gains. — connects to: Fear-driven groups become the very threat they fear — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 417; Christian love of neighbor should not depend on empirical safety calculations — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 403; Liberated individuals turn from equality toward distinguishing themselves from others — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 535 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• In egalitarian societies discrimination becomes the only available means of distinction #expands (0.85) — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 192
• Liberated individuals turn from equality toward distinguishing themselves from others #expands (0.82) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 535
• Working-class individuals often fear equality rather than desire it. #exemplifies (0.75)
• Zionism reframed equality as the right to discriminate #exemplifies (0.72) — Naomi Klein, Doppelganger, 979