They weren't wealthy, and that's all that they see, and so they feel that they grew up underprivileged.
Given what follows, here's their first problem.
well, there was a bit more challenge to growing up on food stamps, or with sometimes not enough money for both heat and food, than to growing up with only one summer home and no in-ground pool.
If they had a "summer home", they were wealthy. So, yes, they have a fundamental lack of understanding of common wealth levels in the USA, much less the rest of the world.
If this misunderstanding is based merely in ignorance, it isn't a sin. But it will be persistent. If they were raised such that they never saw how many difficulties others had, then we are talking about challenging fundamental worldview, which is never easy.
But, honestly, I don't think that many folks are really that clueless. Most of the time, you're facing a different challenge. Getting someone to admit that they came from an easier starting point entails getting them to admit two things:
1) Their achievements are less impressive than they think.
2) They, personally, are an example of injustice in the world, and their entire life is based on that injustice.
The former is butting heads with their ego, which is hard. But the latter is worse, as it carries moral implications few have the fortitude to address.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2013-04-02 01:34 pm (UTC)Given what follows, here's their first problem.
well, there was a bit more challenge to growing up on food stamps, or with sometimes not enough money for both heat and food, than to growing up with only one summer home and no in-ground pool.
If they had a "summer home", they were wealthy. So, yes, they have a fundamental lack of understanding of common wealth levels in the USA, much less the rest of the world.
If this misunderstanding is based merely in ignorance, it isn't a sin. But it will be persistent. If they were raised such that they never saw how many difficulties others had, then we are talking about challenging fundamental worldview, which is never easy.
But, honestly, I don't think that many folks are really that clueless. Most of the time, you're facing a different challenge. Getting someone to admit that they came from an easier starting point entails getting them to admit two things:
1) Their achievements are less impressive than they think.
2) They, personally, are an example of injustice in the world, and their entire life is based on that injustice.
The former is butting heads with their ego, which is hard. But the latter is worse, as it carries moral implications few have the fortitude to address.