Strangely, this survey did not manage to convince me of my apparent privileges. Rather on the contrary. I’ve never owned my own TV, phone (I got my first cell on my 16th birthday, only mine 16 was 4 years after your 16), fund. Not only do my parents not own a car - they don’t have a licence (probably never will) and neither have I. I’m not a frequent flier. I’ve never had a tutor. Obviously, compared to starving kids in Africa I’m rich as a god, but compared to those around me - yeah, not so much.
Intellectually, I’m covered, though, I guess. Child of two PhDs (well, one PhD and one very-soon-to-be PhD), was read to a lot as a child (even after I could read myself, just as you were), and taken to museums and went to music school and art school and tae kwon-do lessons. No complaints there.
I don’t know. This white-guilt-issue always stirrers up mixed emotions in me. I am lucky, and I’ve always known that and I don’t need a survey to tell me that and I’ve always felt guilty about it. On the other hand, there are so many around me, who had it infinitely easier than I did and I’m not talking about Bill Gates’ kids here, but normal, down-to-earth people and then I feel annoyed that I was made to feel guilty because there really isn’t anything particularly special about my upbringing. Not from a financial side, at least.
Strangely, this survey did not manage to convince me of my apparent privileges. Rather on the contrary. I’ve never owned my own TV, phone (I got my first cell on my 16th birthday, only mine 16 was 4 years after your 16), fund. Not only do my parents not own a car - they don’t have a licence (probably never will) and neither have I. I’m not a frequent flier. I’ve never had a tutor. Obviously, compared to starving kids in Africa I’m rich as a god, but compared to those around me - yeah, not so much.
Intellectually, I’m covered, though, I guess. Child of two PhDs (well, one PhD and one very-soon-to-be PhD), was read to a lot as a child (even after I could read myself, just as you were), and taken to museums and went to music school and art school and tae kwon-do lessons. No complaints there.
I don’t know. This white-guilt-issue always stirrers up mixed emotions in me. I am lucky, and I’ve always known that and I don’t need a survey to tell me that and I’ve always felt guilty about it. On the other hand, there are so many around me, who had it infinitely easier than I did and I’m not talking about Bill Gates’ kids here, but normal, down-to-earth people and then I feel annoyed that I was made to feel guilty because there really isn’t anything particularly special about my upbringing. Not from a financial side, at least.
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