Race is an issue in the U.S., and we cannot ignore our past as Americans or how that affects us today. We need to face this topic and talk about it. The most difficult part of solving a problem is getting people to actually open up and start talking about it. This song, Social Privilege, is written by Rod212 to help open up that dialogue, while also highlighting some historical facts, as well as some current events happening right now. Many times a conversation will start, only to end quickly with someone saying “Race isn’t important anymore.” That’s just not true, and even if our racial past does not define us anymore as a country, we still cannot ignore where we came from as Americans or how that affects us today.
With all of the talk lately about social privilege and how it affects the lives of people in America, especially women and members of minority groups, it is important to remember that no matter what our race or gender is we are all entitled to the same things in this great country. Through many examples, however, we will see that even though everyone is entitled to these rights, not everyone receives them equally.
Social Privilege also explores the cold truth of social media during times of emotional distress in the nation. Social media is a potent tool in today’s world. It can be used to share information, connect with others, and organize movements. But it also has its downsides—the misuse of social media can lead to violence and hate speech, which has been seen from both sides of the political spectrum. In fact, one study found that Facebook posts containing racist language increased by 325% between 2016 and 2018.
Social media is also a way for companies to advertise their products. They use it to create trends and get people talking about their product on social media so people will buy it. This is especially true during times of trauma like natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
The use of social media during these times can be seen as exploitative by some people because they feel like big corporations are trying to take advantage of people’s emotional state by advertising their products while they’re still reeling from what happened.
The song Social Privilege starts with a brief history lesson on slavery in America and its impact on today’s society. It then moves into current events such as police brutality against unarmed black males and the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police officers—and why these things happen so often despite public outrage over them. The song ends with an open call for all races to come together and to explore solutions for using social media to help build all communities.
Artist: Rod212
Song: Social Privilege
Instagram: Rod212
SoundCloud Link: https://soundcloud.com/rod212/social-privilege
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/5YoPsUMOfGXT7pGgk7P1IO
© 2022, AMMPRO. All rights reserved.
