How Easy Is My Daily Life? (Lego Privilege Activity)

Subgroup Size

Entire group

Duration

30 minutes

External Cost

No

Lesson Plan

Source

Materials created by Dr. Aletha Stahl, CILMAR, and Renee Thomas, Purdue University.

 

The original source for this activity is unknown. We have seen this activity reproduced in several places, using Legos or beads. However, we have found several attributions to Gerakina Arlene Sgoutas and colleagues, Metropolitan State College; Denver, CO .

This activity is often introduced with a focus on privilege, e.g., "nationality privilege, race privilege, gender privilege," etc. This version is designed to lead participants to an understanding of privilege as unearned advantage without initial use of the term. Delaying the use of the term may allow participants whose instinct is to shut down, to experience immediate deep feelings of guilt, and/or to focus on their family's use of "privilege" as something earned to engage more fully with the experience of collecting Legos. In discussion, other feelings like gratitude or a desire to discuss how to make daily life easier for everyone may emerge. When "privilege" is introduced in a question, there is space to discuss why the term may elicit strong feelings in seemingly opposite ways for different participants and even if avoiding the term initially is skirting the real issue and accommodating too much the feelings of people who already have much privilege. There are many good reasons for introducing the activity as one focusing on privilege, and the facilitator will want to think through audience and goals in deciding when the term is introduced.