Mindlessness as a form of Privilege

In turning my attention to things in my daily life, I have become aware of this truth:

That being mindlessness (being inattentive) can be a form of privilege.

I've known this is true in certain areas of my life for some time, but I never realized how deeply it runs.

I've learned that not thinking about sexual orientation, ethnic status, gender, socioeconomic status, is a privilege that comes with being a middle-class straight white man, in a culture where these things are dominant. I've learned that being able to "forget" how these things deeply impact a person's daily experience is a privilege, and one that adversely effects others around me.

My intent is not to draw attention away from the injustice of all this, but I'm starting to realize that my inattentiveness starts to pop up in a whole range of contexts where I have the privilege to not have to pay attention or care.

I can ignore the ramifications of my food choices, because of where I live, my wealth, my mobility, and my unfettered access to any kind of food, from any place, whenever, and however I want it. I don't know when certain foods are "in season" because I've never had to think about it - it still just shows up in my grocery store.

Even more problematically, I can ignore how my choices degrade local and far-away ecosystems because my privileges allow me to live in an insulated world, encapsulated from the consequences of my actions. Others do not have this privilege. Others will go hungry, live in war zones, suffer damaged ecosystems, and not be able to do anything about it, while I continue to ignore it and live however I choose.

In the process of becoming a mindful person, a mindful, attentive follower of Jesus, I am learning that the privilege I have had to ignore these issues is vastly destructive in its impact on others.

Recently I bought the cheapest relish on a store shelf, later reading that it came from India. I have no issues with India making relish and exporting it, but it's hard to believe that saving 20 cents over the national brand that was manufactured in the US, didn't come with more than 20 cents of consequences for other people. Not to mention the fact that relish could be made in my own backyard, with no burning of fossil fuels involved, for probably the same price.

But it's been my privilege to ignore these issues. I didn't need to care about where the relish came from, because I wasn't the one facing the consequences burning diesel fuel to ship a jar of relish 7000 miles.

But Jesus teaches us a different way. We learn that all of us are connected - like brothers and sisters connected, and that my deep bonds with the rest of humanity and creation mean that their suffering is my suffering. I may not have been aware of it, but now I am, and I have choices to make in how I respond to it.

Probably going to start with making my own relish.