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30 Examples Of Privileges That Rich People Have That They Don’t Understand To Be A Privilege
Perhaps it’s safe to assume that people tend to seek better at all times. But by chasing what we don’t have yet, we forget how much we have already achieved, bought, or acquired. However, no matter how hard some people work, they don’t have enough to even live comfortably without thinking about whether they’ll make it to rent next month or will be able to buy food. For those who don’t have to think about such problems, being able to go for a coffee now and then, buy a new jacket, or invite a friend for a lavish dinner is something that is usually taken for granted. This inspired Reddit user @u/Cautious_Af to ask others online “What privilege do rich people have that they don’t understand is actually a privilege?”
In almost 2k comments, people gave various examples of things some people wish they would be able to do or afford if they had money, while rich people find this an essential part of their everyday life. The examples included things such as going to the doctor for a casual check-up, having a delicious meal or drink, having a tutor or going to a private school, and not having to panic when your car breaks down as you can get it fixed without a problem.
What are some other rich people's privileges have you noticed? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!
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Saving money. A lot of rich people seem to think that the reason people are poor is because they don't save money, but if they do, they can stop being poor. They never consider the seemingly obvious fact that you need excess money in order to save. If all you're making is the money required to sustain your life, then what money are you supposed to save?
The standard argument at that point is suggesting that poor people could save money if they stopped spending money on anything beyond what is absolutely essential - that all they need to do is remove all joy and fun from their lives and somehow that will make their lives better. They never consider the seemingly obvious fact that joy and fun are in fact essential to life.
Having to check how much you have in your bank account before going into a store
Been very very poor and now comfortable. Not having to worry about bills i something i think rich people will never understand until it happens to them. It was awful trying to decide who to pay and dealing with the ones we couldnt pay. The stress was absolutely horrific.
So I was raised upper middle class and became a social worker. I worked with people who were homeless and in prison. One thing that really struck me was the difference in talking to professionals and making phone calls in general. My clients would get flustered, intimidated, easily shut down, or just not articulate what we needed very well.
Unfortunately most “services” to people in need include giving them a paper with phone numbers on it. I can talk on the phone with confidence, ask directly for what I need, politely clarify if I’m not getting the right help, ask to walk through alternatives if they person I’m talking to can’t give me a direct answer, etc. My clients could not do that.
My tone of voice, clarity, confidence, amiability, etc on the phone or talking with “gatekeepers”/professionals are all huge privileges that the rich take for granted.
Never being afraid some unexpected expense will cripple your entire livelihood and possibly destroy it entirely.
“Self Made” people who grew up in a beautiful home in a beautiful neighborhood where the lights are always on, water is always running, and fridge is always full. Two loving stable parents, good school, all the school supplies, a well lit comfortable place to study, access to things like computers (or encyclopedias), tutors, etc. Who never had to ponder if college was worth it or if they should just enlist, learn a trade, or sell drugs. Who followed in the family footsteps to become a doctor or a lawyer, who rounded up “small” million dollar loans to start their computer companies or crypto companies, who by virtue of who their family was made valuable business connections, who didn’t spend 2.5 hours each way sitting at bus stops waiting for their transfer to get to and from school or work, who didn’t need to work a minimum wage part time job while still in school, who didn’t have s****y old cars breaking down, who wouldn’t be financially crippled for a month because they had to buy a work uniform, who had mentors who knew things like how to file for a patent, when you need an attorney, what an LLC is, how to buy and sell stock (before Robin Hood), not realizing it was easier for them than the next guy to make a good idea happen. You think the guy that invented Heelies was the first person to think kids would like shoes with wheels in them, or the guy who invented crustables was the first person to know parents would like the ease of picking up cheap pre-made PB&J sandwiches with a shelf life to toss in the kids lunch box? No, they’re just the first ones with that idea and the knowledge it takes to bring a product to market.
"I made good choices"
All you had were good choices.
I think what this poster meant is that the other person had all the good options, opportunities, and access, while being poor means you have few or none of these.
Going to the doctor regularly and for emergencies and not fearing how much it will cost.
I have said for a long time the monkeys in the zoo get better health care than I do. $700 a month plus $3000 deductible per person per year the whole time I was teaching. Me and my husband only. Just for the insurance. Only 10 days off a year for any illness. After that your pay is cut per day for the whole days wages. I have an MC just for medical expenses. It has gotten better since I am on Medicare. Still trying to figure it out. US of course.
I honestly just can't imagine a world where money wasn't a constant ache in the back of my mind. Gotta pay rent, gotta pay for food, car broke down time to empty our savings again and eat ramen for a month.
So I'd say the privilege they're least aware of is not having that sword of destitution around every corner constantly dangling over their head.
More money. Making money is easier if you already have it to begin with.
If you make a mistake, you can almost always fix the mistake if you have enough money. Speeding ticket? Pay the fine. You can’t pay the fine, they take away your license and then how do you get to work to pay the fine and fix it? When you don’t have money, you have to avoid making any mistake or it will take you years to fix it.
As someone who grew up poor, went to a rich private college on scholarship…
Understanding the norms of upper middle and upper class life. Poor people raise their kids with different values, ways of talking, ways of thinking, accents, different skills etc. It was a steep learning curve for me.
so rich people don't understand that their entire life....not just the money, but all the lifestyle things...neighborhoods, friends, networks, schools....all of it...is a privelege that sets them apart from the vast majority of humanity. or like f scott fitzgerald said...the rich are different than us.
Having the money to replace any broken appliance (or anything really) in their home and never have to think about it.
"Oh the water heater took a s**t? I'll have somebody install a new one tomorrow."
This is one that really gravels me... I grew up in a middle class family and am still able to appreciate that a poor person can't just replace something... Lately I've been hearing this insensitivity more and more... Some rich twat plugging something outrageously expensive like a Tesla by saying that "It will cost more up front but you'll save money in the long run". Every couple of months or so, I buy food for my miniature dachshund... this stuff comes in 10 pound and 2.5 pound bags at the pet store. I get the 10 pound bag because the unit cost is about 5/8 that of the smaller bag; I'm far from wealthy but due to my circumstances I can afford to do this. I know of another pensioner who always buys the smaller bag even though she is well aware that it is more expensive... but if she buys the larger bag, she won't eat until the next pension day... This is one of the realities of being poor that seems to totally escape the wealthy...
Yards.
The amount of time I see posts that are like "why don't we just all grow our own gardens and share food?!" Yeah let me just start an entire garden in my living room, I guess.
The ability to have a place to just to exist outside, alone, without having to get in your car and go somewhere.
My boomer parents who have a gorgeous secluded backyard with a stream running through it, bbq pit, deck and patio are always telling me I need to spend more time outside, and I'm just like "what am I supposed to do? set up a deck chair in the parking lot? make a picnic for myself on the sidewalk in front of the window of the people that live in the lower units?"
Not having to worry about little things that take up poorer people's days (ie yard work, shoveling snow, cleaning the house)
My parents were very critical of me for getting in painters and decorators, or having a lawn care company deal with the garden. The way I see it, bringing in tradespeople means my time is freed up and I can earn more in that time in my own profession, and a professional would do the job 10 times quicker and 100 times better than I ever would.
Being able to afford good legal representation.
So true! Several years ago I had to go to court for a misdemeanor. I was guilty, but it was minor, and my first offense. I met my lawyer for the first time 5 minutes before I had to meet with the judge. I know they are overloaded, and I don't think all court appointed lawyers are incompetent and disinterested, but this guy was. He just fumbled looking for my folder. Their was no discussion about my charge, or a plan. And when we went up to the judge, said my name and charge. my lawyer seriously just looked at me and said "Talk to the judge". I'm like 'B***c that's your job!' I don't know what to say! I froze, which irritated the judge. After awkward back and forth I was sentenced to 6 months.
Taking a year off to travel the world.
Backpacking through Europe is made to seem like a “cheap” vacation, but it’s not.
Haha it was a mission for us to fly from Texas to California. I worked 69 hours of over time just to compensate for the money that went to tickets…. It was supposed to be “relaxing” but all I could think of was how little money I will have until next pay check… it was horrible, I hadn’t seen my family in almost a decade and all I could think about was money!!! It makes me so sick!
Comfortably doing an unpaid internship as a student.
I went through military, the va paid for my college and it was still hell trying to keep everything together, and the va paid housing allowance! College is a nightmare for anyone that isn’t just out of high school…. And honestly it can still be a nightmare for them.. the tickler is that since getting my degree I haven’t once been asked by any employer to see it… they are more interested in experience. Now I’m not speaking for every profession but mechanic apparently a degree doesn’t matter.
Well, it's more of a middle-class, or upper-middle-class thing: having a job where you can just take the day off for pretty much any reason without giving a big explanation and loading people up with proof that you need it.
Kid is sick? Just call the supervisor and say you're not coming in. Family funeral? Of course, you'll be out for days, I'm so sorry for your loss. Feeling icky and don't want to get sicker? Just send a quick email that you're not feeling well, no questions asked.
Is it "middle-class, or upper-middle-class thing" or just USA basically has a huge problem with respecting basic human rights?
Having money to fix whatever is wrong in your life. Having options and choices
Food food food. They can eat whatever they want whenever they want. Food man food.
Travel. Even my more modest-income friends are like "it's cheap if you do it right." "Yeah, I'm struggling to afford food."
Easy/easier access to top professional services
Yep, car breaks down…choice is pay ‘a guy’ and hope they know what they’re doing or spend like crazy and take it to a legit dealer service center…top quality techs will cost you but your friends ‘guy’ might actually do more harm than good!
easy opportunity, i swear to god when you poor, people don’t give you chances unless you work hard for it, and even then the amount of opportunities available are limited because of the lack of money.
Many go through life thinking rules are merely suggestions to them because they can usually throw money (or the promise, even if just by implication, of money) at any problem and someone will find a loophole or argument for why they're the exception. Nepotism, influence trafficking, "networking," and the like are simply facts of everyday life and they honestly don't realize how easy they make their lives in comparison to some random person's life, even one who's not broke as f**k.
Access to a competent lawyer who has time for them.
Note: this post originally had 35 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Can anyone make such a list for countries with public healthcare and free education? I would really like to know the difficulties of poor people in social countries.
Its the same here in Canada. We don’t get free dental care,, eye care/glasses, prescriptions, anything beyond basic medical care. And it’s not good care either. 14 months to see a kidney specialist and pretty much any other specialist. $75 for doctor letters and to fill out government forms doctors have to fill them out like passports. My paid care in California was awesome (pre Obama care). You are screwed if you need dental care and no insurance.
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Having influence. My step-mother is wealthy and entitled. When her youngest was 17, he posted ecstasy through the mail to his girlfriend. It was intercepted and as he already had a criminal record for drug dealing (expelled from his expensive private school) his step-mother contacted the chief superintendent of the area where they lived and had his potential prison sentence reduced to a written warning.
These posts on just how bad 'rich' people are versus us 'normal' people are getting really old.
This is now just what the upper-middle class have that the lower-middle class dont
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Can anyone make such a list for countries with public healthcare and free education? I would really like to know the difficulties of poor people in social countries.
Its the same here in Canada. We don’t get free dental care,, eye care/glasses, prescriptions, anything beyond basic medical care. And it’s not good care either. 14 months to see a kidney specialist and pretty much any other specialist. $75 for doctor letters and to fill out government forms doctors have to fill them out like passports. My paid care in California was awesome (pre Obama care). You are screwed if you need dental care and no insurance.
Load More Replies... Having influence. My step-mother is wealthy and entitled. When her youngest was 17, he posted ecstasy through the mail to his girlfriend. It was intercepted and as he already had a criminal record for drug dealing (expelled from his expensive private school) his step-mother contacted the chief superintendent of the area where they lived and had his potential prison sentence reduced to a written warning.
These posts on just how bad 'rich' people are versus us 'normal' people are getting really old.
This is now just what the upper-middle class have that the lower-middle class dont
Load More Replies... 