Johnson Talking Points

In Privilege, Power, and Difference, Allan G. Johnson wrote"...if we dispense with the words we make it possible to talk about what's really going on and what it has to do with us. And if we can't do that, then we can't see what the problems are or how we might make ourselves part of the solution to them..."(page 2) This quote points out that if we are afraid to use words such as "racism" and "privilege" then we can't solve the problems these issues cause. In today's world people may feel that they need to avoid using such words because they often bring with them negative connotations. People may not feel comfortable using such strong words. Johnson uses these words freely to express his thoughts and opinions, which makes his writing very meaningful.
Johnson also stated "We are prisoners to something, but it's closer to our own making than we realize. And we, therefore, are far from helpless to change it and ourselves."(page 4) In this statement Johnson is basically saying that we, the people in our society, create our own problems. As much as we may think that we are not part of these social issues, they affect everyone. And because everyone has created and is affected by these problems, it is also our job to try to fix the problems. We have worked together to create the problems and now we must work together to fix them.
Regarding privilege Johnson wrote "It is a trouble that shows up everywhere and touches every life in one way or another."(page 9) Johnson acknowledges that people having privileges that others do not is a problem that everyone faces, whether they may realize it or not. This quote makes you think about how privilege has affected your own life.