The men present in the video likely hadn’t even considered the reality of using a phone as a weapon of self-defense in a potential attack — because that’s not something that men often have to worry about in the same way that women do. The very fact that this reality didn’t even cross their minds showcases their privilege.
What’s more, Paul, Eddie, and Denzel are — as far as the public is concerned — unproblematic men. As one X user put it, “this encapsulates men being ignorant of male privilege in a nutshell. the fact that these guys– nice guys, mind– are just so unaware is almost terrifying.”