The Luxury of Knowledge, Identity and Passion
Some luxuries are easy to identify. Others, we don’t think of until they are brought to our attention.
What if I told you that you were living in luxury? You might be inclined to push back against that. You might not have much money in your bank account. Your house might be liveable but nothing special.
Yet I would still tell you that you are living in luxury. Some luxuries are easy to identify. Others, we don’t think of until they are brought to our attention.
The Luxury of Knowing
Knowledge is a luxury. We often don’t think of it as one, but it definitely is. We know, not always because we are wiser but because we are lucky.
Countless people have been scammed out of their life savings due to their unfortunate lack of knowledge. We tend to think of them as simply being gullible but it is more nuanced than that.
Someone born in the 1950s can’t be reasonably expected to detect a phishing email as expertly as a millennial who has grown up using the internet their whole lives. Teenage girls growing up in a part of the world where it is the norm to get married early might have no knowledge they are being taken advantage of.
So as odd as it sounds, to know when you are being taken advantage of is a luxury.
The Luxury of Being Born As You
The luxury of being born at a particular time makes you more likely to know certain things. The luxury of being born in a specific place or family makes you more likely to know certain things.
Bill Gates was born to upper-middle-class parents who lived in an affluent neighbourhood. He went to one of the few schools with a computer in the US. This school was where he met Paul Allen, with whom he founded Microsoft.
There is no doubt that Gates and Allen were particularly gifted and their manic work ethic created a strong foundation for the company. But it would be remiss to discount the part the environment they were born into played in the success they went on to have.
You can’t pick your parents or the place where you are born. However, being born to the right parents or in the right place is an unbelievable luxury.
The Luxury of Passion
The luxury of knowing what you like is also another luxury we take for granted. Many people go through their lives never knowing their passions. They never find out what makes them tick and what doesn't.
This could be for a myriad of reasons. Maybe they were never allowed to explore their interests as kids and developed a resistance to curiosity. Maybe they find it hard to break with the crowd for fear of losing their community.
Whatever the reason is, it leaves some with and some without. Thus, knowing what you are passionate about is a luxury, no matter how small or inconsequential you think it is.
Thank you for reading this week’s issue of Salient Wisdom.
Please do me a favour.
Add me to your email contact list to never miss an email from me.
If you would like to support my work with a donation, you can buy me a coffee here. You can also consider becoming a paid subscriber.
Great reflection! The more time we spend being grateful for the things we have, the more confident we'll feel and more potential we can tap into!
Let's look keenly to spot these luxuries, and then let's maximize them. Each situation has its advantages, just as it comes with costs. However, from the small luxuries we can build a fortune.