Privilege would not be able to maintain its position in society if it were not heavily regulated and normalized by those who benefit from it. Privilege can be normalized by the dominant group in various ways, either by personally justifying the concept or by ignoring its existence. Often privileged individuals argue that there must be people above and below and that it is simply human nature. Others, denying their advantages, claim to deserve them. This coincides more with the idea that privilege can be achieved by working for it. This justification is inaccurate because individuals are born with different opportunities and not everyone starts out on an equal footing. Privilege can also become normalized in the way that those who possess it generally do not realize or acknowledge its existence and are unaware of the impact associated with it. It is also important to consider the reasons why it is so easy to ignore privilege, because they are directly linked to the reasons why oppression and privilege are present in society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayVariables such as where an individual lives, goes to school, works, and travels can influence their understanding of privilege. This is due to the pervasive nature of oppression and inequality, which without awareness can alter every aspect of our lives. As an example, most people reside in neighborhoods where the people around them are essentially of the same race, class, religion, or status as them. That same individual will go to school with kids who live in the same type of homes as them, and then to college with students who can afford the same education as they can, and later work alongside people who are similar to him. Isolation to a lifestyle that is established at a young age can weaken the ability to accept concepts of privilege and oppression. An additional way that privilege is standardized and spread throughout society is through the media. The media's tendency to portray different groups in contrasting ways reflects on society and how people view these groups compared to their own. This can happen without the individual being aware of it, as the roles the media assigns to specific groups become so normalized that they seem like the truth. For example, those who are considered privileged are often portrayed as such, even if the circumstances are negative. In this position minorities would face different representation, as the stereotypes surrounding them allow them to be publicly shamed and judged. A specific demonstration of this has been demonstrated in the recent tragedies that have erupted across America involving school shootings. Statistically, the shooter is almost always white, upper-middle class and someone considered privileged in society. Even after being guilty of such a horrific crime, they are too often portrayed in the media as victims in some cases. Now imagine the media's response if the shooter were a minority, specifically an African American. He would almost certainly be labeled dangerous, violent, destructive and shameful, and why he did what he did would probably not be made public. Another concept distorted by the media is the negative portrayal of black fathers. They are often portrayed in the media as untrustworthy and dysfunctional and as the root of their children's problems later in life. The media targets the problems of black fathers over those of white fathers, which occur just as often, but not.