Odds are that if you’re reading these words, you’re very privileged. For one, you’ve had the ability to learn how to read. And secondly, you clearly have access to modern tech and the internet. It’s easy to forget just how lucky we are—we start taking things for granted.
Reddit users started sharing all the things that they believe most people don’t realize are actually privileges. From being able to keep your home warm whenever you want to having a body that functions well and having access to clean drinking water and more.
You’ll find the biggest privileges many of us are taking for granted below, dear Pandas. Upvote the ones you agree with and, if you think there’s something missing, be sure to share it in the comments. What do you think is the biggest privilege people tend to ignore? How do you think we can become more aware of the positives in our lives? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Also, check out Bored Panda's interview with fitness expert Jack Bly about the importance of gratitude and its role in helping us recognize our privileges.
#1
Having a body where everything works properly.
Image credits: edpmis02
#2
Buying groceries without having to carefully consider prices.Getting as much sleep as you need.
Being able to quit a job without fear of losing financial stability.
To have people around who can and will help.
Criticizing your own government.
Privacy. Lots of people don't have that.
Image credits: Apxm
#3
Having emotionally, financially stable parents that care about and support you.
Image credits: SolarisIX
Fitness expert Jack explained to Bored Panda that gratitude is vital and helps keep people grounded, no matter their financial situation, privileged or not.
"Gratitude is incredibly important, I believe. I practice it every single morning as part of my routine," he revealed to us that he practices what he preaches. This is why he recommends it to everyone.
"Having good mentors helps big time" when it comes to staying humble no matter how successful you are. "And also life usually has its way of humbling those who are too proud," Jack said.
#4
The ability to actually be a kid when young. It's heartbreaking how many children have to grow up / are hardened before they even hit puberty.
Image credits: fibagik
#5
Medical treatment
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#6
Drinkable tap water
Image credits: pitt20
According to Jack, one thing that can definitely help all of us become more aware of the privileges that we have in life is morning gratitude journaling.
"Write out 5-10 things you’re grateful for," he suggested. That way, you can start the morning off strong and aware of just how fortunate you are in life. A far better alternative than waking up miserable because you 'have to' go to work, right?
#7
Easy ability to travel internationally. The right passport will take you places.
Image credits: Xerxes2004
#8
Honestly living life without any form of mental illness. It’s becoming less and less common but a lot of the people that do don’t realize just how lucky they are
Image credits: SmolAnxiousSprinkle
#9
I'm from Venezuela and here's the things American consider normal that is a privilege here:Having a car: I've noticed that in the US even poor people have cars, here is pretty damn expensive to have and maintain a car and there's no credit option.
Electricity every day: here power goes out a few times a week. In the US it only goes out when there's a tornado or something like that.
Sanitation: here nothing has an actual valid health certificate, unless it's imported we don't know if what we're eating or the water we're drinking is apt for consumption. Food in America has official certificates.
Having a phone: there's rarely an American without a phone but for someone who makes less than 100 bucks a month is pretty hard to get a phone so there's many people who don't have a phone here and I believe in many third world countries.
Living alone after 18: Here people can rarely afford it so they will live with their parents at older ages and it's considered normal. Sometimes if the backyard is big enough they'll just build a house themselves for when their children get married so they live there with their partner and children. Living alone at 18 or even at 20's is rather uncommon and a super privilege here.
Making fun of the president with no consequences: in the US I remember the media made fun of Donald Trump and it was ok nobody got arrested, but here if you make fun of the president on public TV or a famous YouTube channel you'll go to jail for sure, they call it "hate crimes".
Having animal services: As an animal lover I really hate that if you see animal abuse there's not a number you can call and police won't come, you have to literally take evidence and take it to court or send to a contact that works in the government, and according to the law the animal abuser just gets 48 days in jail (you can push for more but you'll probably have to bribe the judge or have a friend in the government).
Clean streets: People here are worst than animals, the streets are littered everywhere except for the rich areas. In the US the streets seem super clean in general.
Buying clothes and items often: Here we spend many years using the same clothes as it's expensive to buy all the time, but Americans will throw away a shirt or a pair of shoes they've used for a few months and say something like "it was completely destroyed already".
Having good looking houses: The houses of poor people here have black mold on the walls, the roof is asbestos or something similar, the draining system is almost rotten and the house structure is still standing by the sheer power of faith.
Eating expensive stuff: I've noticed Americans will complain a lot if they don't have certain meals but here we just eat what we can afford, for example things like honey, syrup, cheddar cheese, diet toasts, yogurt, chocolate and that kind of stuff are luxuries here.
Having sex: This one is kinda funny but it's true, since Americans have cars and often live alone it's easier for them to have sex. I've been struggling with this for a while because at home there's your mom, your grandma, your siblings, your little cousins, etc. There's literally no privacy, so people with more money are the only ones who can have sex whenever they want.
Walking outside at night: If you do that here you'll likely get robbed or even killed, after 7-8 pm the streets are deserted. In USA or any other first world country unless you're in a specifically dangerous area it'll be fine to take walks at night.
Water everyday: in certain areas here people haven't had water for weeks or even months. In the US water is expensive but at least everyone has it.
Travel papers: if you're American or European you can quite literally travel anywhere with very little effort, getting a passport and VISA here is a whole struggle you'll have to dedicate time, money and effort to get.
I could go on and on but I wouldn't finish today.
Image credits: Agile_Objective_2252
Something else that might work for you is gratitude expression. "Send a message of gratitude to someone you’re grateful for," Jack explained.
In Jack's opinion, "it's very easy nowadays" to take everything for granted. However, it all depends on your perspective. "And your perspective can be trained for gratitude." In other words, change is possible. But we have to work towards it.
The fitness expert also gave some advice that will serve anyone for decades to come. "Move your body! Figure out what you enjoy that involves movement and do it. It could be sports, hiking, walking around a mall, etc.," he urged everyone to find a form of movement they personally enjoy the most.
#10
Having a safe place to sleep. I'm very privileged to have a safe place to live, and I understood it more since the start of the pandemic. Not having a safe, stable, comfortable home has to be hell when you are on lockdown.
Image credits: ClauMoir
#11
Free K-12 education and literacy in general.K-12 meaning primary/elementary and secondary school, wherever you are from. From 5 years old to 17 or 18 years old. We call it K-12 in the Us (K meaning Kindergarten, through grade 12).
Image credits: Greentea503
#12
Being able to sit in a house that is kept at a comfortable temperature all year long.
Image credits: DeathSpiral321
The previous economic crash and the current Covid-19 pandemic have widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Eddy Ng, the Smith Professor of Equity & Inclusion in Business at Queen’s University, explained to Bored Panda that the 2008 financial crisis restructured the economy while the pandemic has exacerbated inequality.
"We had the global financial crisis which led to many millennials who were employed being displaced. When the economy recovered, it changed structurally, and many quality jobs were lost," he said.
#13
Hot showers. The best thing ever, which everyone takes for granted
Image credits: TheLegendofMikeHawk
#14
The sky not dropping bombs on you
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#15
Not being drafted into a high casualty war as soon as you are old enough to fight.
Image credits: Robin_games
According to the professor, after the 2008 financial crisis, there was an emergence of precarious jobs, the gig/sharing economy, and the rise of digital labor. As a result, income and social inequalities rose for those who weren’t able to join the new economy.
The expert said that some racialized groups like Black and Brown workers can fall into a poverty trap that they’re unable to get out of. In the professor’s opinion, better financial literacy won’t solve all the issues. “You need to have the resources to, for example, access training and education," he told us.
#16
Toilets.#17
Being conventionally attractive.
Image credits: Portabellamush
#18
Being vaccinated. People from underdeveloped countries like mines have people dying from preventable disease. My moms mother crossed a warzone after a devastating earthquake so my mom could get a smallpox vaccine.
Image credits: NoAd3629
The Covid-19 pandemic has deepened the divide between the rich and the poor, making problems even worse for many of us.
“Workers work more hours with lower pay in order to survive. That leaves little time to accumulate the necessary resources for skill upgrades or retooling for the new economy. This is the poverty trap I alluded to," Professor Ng explained.
#19
Having generational wealth.#20
Having healthy children.Imagine having kids who’ll always need to be taken care of. Imagine having to worry about what will happen when you’re dead because you know that your child will never be independent or have a normal life.
This is one of my worst fears
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#21
Choosing what you eat based on taste.#22
Being able to ask "what are we going to eat" and not "are we going to eat" I cannot express how greatful I am to have a fridge full of food everyday because I know that in other parts of the world some people go days without eating and sometimes have to resort to eating rotten food. It's awful to think that such terrible conditions exist. I'm just so happy to be privileged enough to have better living arrangements. I just wish other Americans could see how lucky and privileged we actually are.
Image credits: 8PoliteChicken8
#23
Not having glass or barbwires over every wall, not having bars over every window, leaving the door unlocked at night and most likely being fine, etcHere in Argentina we have our personal jails while the criminals roam the streets
Image credits: sebastianlaguens
#24
Guaranteed next meal. Food insecurity is terrifying. I have been fortunate that coming from a poor family, I always had food. Thinking of all the kids who were out of school due to COVID that were on free and reduced meals breaks my heart.#25
ability to read#26
Ignorance - being blissfully unaware of the struggles of others because those struggles aren't something you've ever even had to consider.#27
Breathing without effort.#28
If your life is so good that your biggest problems are minor inconveniences, you don’t appreciate just how easy you’ve got it.#29
Being able to feel safe at home and know your parents or siblings won't abuse you#30
Having internet, a phone, TV, PC, Console, etc. Almost anything tech related you could easily live without but have been made so important by companies and are classed as must haves to be able to get information or job replies or contact pretty much anyone or as an entertainment tool. In fact they're such a privilege that even typing this is a hypocrisy because it's a privilege to be able to do so.#31
English as a first language.#32
Central heat and air. Especially heat.#33
Having a healthy body. Existing without constant reminders that you're inside of a dying animal. Doesn't last forever, especially if you don't take care of yourself (I didn't).#34
Having extra money to spend.#35
Being able to walk safely alone at night.#36
Having a parent or family member drive you to school everyday rather than having to take public transport.This was something I took for granted until I was old enough to take public transport to school on my own.
#37
Having caring parents who support you no matter what.
Image credits: 227743
#38
It's funny how most Westerners say "dude you can travel (internationally) cheap, and do backpacking", could be true for them but they're forgetting to look at their shiny passport.For us third worlders, even if we can afford it and richer than these cheap backpackers, we have to prove to visa officers and immigration our net worth to afford that travelling. Heck a backpacking reason will raise a red flag to most of them.
#39
A happy childhood
Image credits: UniversitySouth2852
#40
Sleeping until you are ready to wake up.Some of us feel its a privilege (a desire to 'sleep in'), but when you work with or know someone who is trying to survive on 3-4 hours a day due to multiple jobs, medical reasons, or lack of shelter, it becomes much clearer.
#41
Being right-handed. I can’t tell you how much grief I’ve had with can openers, notebooks, binders, desks, and too many other things to count.#42
Knowing when your next meal will be
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#43
Seeing the contact “Mom” or “Dad” pop up on the caller ID#44
Being able to learn in the traditional way. I’m serveral dyslexic and have really bad adhd. My NT friends don’t understand how easy they have itAlso religious freedom. Most of my great grandparents left their homes in Europe due to antisemitism
#45
Being able to read for fun without getting easily distracted.#46
20/20 vision#47
Having your parents pay and provide you with education throughout your school years#48
I feel like a lot of people who grew up with middle/upper middle class family who pays for everything don't really realize how privileged they are. Especially people whose parents pay or help pay for college.#49
Okay so I spent a good chunk of my childhood in developing countries as did my parents:Cops aren't bribable
#50
Owning and driving a vehicle.#51
The fact that someone's life is so convenient that they can worry about what is or is not a privilege, and target and harass someone else for having something, and cry [insert anything here] privilege#52
Basically everything. A lot of people worldwide are born homeless.#53
the western diet.the impoverished people on the planet do not eat dairy or much meat. they usually don't have access to electricity, refrigerators, or much more money than covers that day of food. they do not eat chocolate or twinkies, because processed foods are more expensive than foods grown from the ground. those are value-added products, after all.
#54
Power, money and water and food. Buffets are considered a luxury.#55
Having your own washer and dryer.Laundromats can be sketchy sometimes--you might find bedbugs, or it can be crazy-expensive and add up over time. Communal washers and driers are an absolute pain--your clothes could get stolen.
Not everyone has about $3000 or so for a brand-spankin'-new washer and dryer for their very own place. So if you've got some, never take them for granted. Ever.
#56
Having a Good looking face#57
Knowing their family history.#58
I had a reminder the other day of privilege that I honesty wasn't even aware of.People were talking about EMS not responding until after police were on-scene. I mentioned that had never been the case for me, as someone who's needed EMS more than once.
It wasn't until after further conversation it occurred to me that it's because of where I live. I live in a gated, security-patrolled community. I'd taken that and that it had played a large part in how quickly EMS got to me, whether police were yet on-scene or not, for granted.
#59
About to unintentionally rally a bunch of incels with this one but… being tall.Height has been statistically proven to drastically increase your chance of someone being attracted to you, getting a raise or a new job, being respected, and many other things.
#60
US citizenship. Half the country has lost their minds.#61
Not being bullied because of undiagnosed autistic behaviours as a young person or child.#62
Living in a developed country.One person living alone on the federal minimum wage of 7.25 an hour in the US is considered global upper middle class, even when accounting for price differences. This is not to say our progress is all done - far from it - but it is important to look at just how staggering global inequality is compared to domestic inequality.