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It’s easy to take so much of one’s life for granted. The entire concept of privilege revolves around the idea that going through life without noticing major issues is a privilege all in of itself. So it can help to expand one’s horizons a bit and learn from other’s experiences.
Someone asked “What's a privilege people act as if it isn't?” and netizens shared the examples they have encountered in their own lives. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorite examples and be sure to share your own thoughts, stories and experiences in the comments section below.

#1

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Supportive parents.


People coming from loving families don't even get how lucky they are.

SillyTalks , Elina Fairytale / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#2

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back A fully functioning body. A strong immune system.

treyofficial___ , Blue Bird / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Rachknits
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Definitely, I didn't realise what a privilege this was until I didn't have it

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#3

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Time. If I have to take the bus while you use your car, we do not have the same 24 hours in a day. 

EDIT: I think y'all are too focused on my example. Also, sure, you might be able to read on a bus, but you can't do your laundry.

If you can afford a housekeeping service and I can't, we don't have the same 24 hours in a day.

If you can afford a lawnmowing service and I can't, we don't have the same 24 hours in a day.

If you have to care for an ailing parent and I don't, we don't have the same 24 hours in a day.

If you have to work two jobs to pay off some debt your ex saddled you with when they split and I don't, we don't have the same 24 hours in a day.

If you have a physical handicap that makes navigating the world more time consuming and I don't, we don't have the same 24 hours in a day.

If you have a chronic health condition that requires frequent medical appointments and I don't, we don't have the same 24 hours in a day.

And time equals opportunity for: exercise, doctors appointments, hobbies, socializing, more work, improving living situation, etc.

Time is a privilege.

RitaAlbertson , Martin Péchy / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Auntriarch
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You have to phrase a post or a comment really carefully to avoid the "yeah, but"s

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#6

Being healthy. I was diagnosed with my first chronic illness at 15, I’m 32 and I’m f*****g exhausted. I loathe people who say “you’re too young to be tired!” Those people have really never known true physical suffering.

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Aileen Grist
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't remember a time when I wasn't in pain, just thought it was me and everyone else felt the same but didn't show it (cat walking on thigh muscle excruciating at 7 yrs old, sitting on a stool in science class and my back aching something terrible). I was 38 when I was told I had fibromyalgia and had probably had it since I had TB at 3 years of age.

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#7

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back A sane mind, and to keep it that way.

reallyrez , Kelvin Valerio / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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generally_happy avatar
similarly
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've suffered depression and anxiety my whole life. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

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#8

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Having friends or at least a decently stable group of friends to count on.

Fabuloso_Funeral , Helena Lopes / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#9

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Being physically attractive is a major privilege that doesn’t really get acknowledged.

cptjaydvm , Vincenzo Giove / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Justin
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is true. On the flip side though, some of the most beautiful women I've met have led lives so full of harassment that i wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

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#10

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Having running water. You’d be surprised how much of the world does not have that. When I was growing up as a kid in northwest India, we used to make a human chain to get water from the community tap. My mom at the head fending off others and putting our vessel. Then me, my middle sister and then my eldest sister who would go an pour it in a big vessel. We had several of those big vessels. That was our water storage. After pooping, we would fill a small bucket to flush the toilet. It was only after I was around the college going age and started earning money after taking tuitions of younger kids and my sister got a government job that we could afford water and a pump to fill a big tank on the rooftop and get a semblance of running water.

SonuMonuDelhiWale , Karolina Grabowska / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#11

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Eating what you want and being able to afford it . ( m not talking about gold flakes on a burger or caviar , just like simple dumplings or even salad or even bread and butter )

As a kid I grew up in a communist “paradise” . At some point towards the end of the regime things got so bad - we had to eat cabbage and potatoes ( and NOTHING ELSE) for the entire winter - for about 4 months .

When I tasted sunflower oil after that - it tasted like ambrosia .

kinvoki , Adrienn / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Becca not Becky
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I grew up with limited financial means. As an adult, the majority of my extra income goes toward foods that I enjoy eating. It feels like a privilege every time.

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#12

Having a job with a regular schedule and guaranteed days off on holidays for sure.

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#13

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Travelling. Hearing people talking about how you're closed minded if you don't travel, as if everybody gets the choice.

kahnehan , Dominika Roseclay / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Javelina Poppers
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a road trip freak and will seek out any and all obscure roads. I shun interstates and major US highways because there's so much more to see once you get off the beaten track. I hope I never lose this ability.

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#15

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back OWNING a house, even if your parents are the one who own it.

koko8383 , Alena Darmel / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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generally_happy avatar
similarly
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Housing is another thing that's gotten stupidly expensive. The inflation of property is unbelievable.

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#16

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Being raised well, some of us had are developmental years torn to pieces, feels like being set up to fail as an adult, has you wondering if your parents ever liked you, or if if they were just stupid.

FuelSame6405 , Vlada Karpovich / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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generally_happy avatar
similarly
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was kind of a shock getting to a point in adulthood where I realized that what happened to me in childhood was so abusive people would have faced jailtime if it had happened today, and that some of my mental problems stem from that.

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#17

Opportunity. I have a few affluent friends that, in high school, were able to get excellent grades and extremely high SAT scores because their parents had wealth and, therefore, could provide them opportunities for support. For example, one friend, who is now a psychiatrist, was 3rd in our class of 600+ kids because his grades were amazing. After school he’d go home and study and his parents paid for SAT prep courses, giving him ample opportunity to succeed. Meanwhile, after school I would go to work because my parents had little money, so car payments, gas, clothes, school lunches, cell phone, etc. fell to me. That’s 5 hours I didn’t have to dedicate to studying. People take things like this for granted.

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generally_happy avatar
similarly
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Opportunity just takes a strong work ethic, determination, and a few million dollars from your parents. It's really not that hard.

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#18

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Working from home. People who don't have to squeeze time out to wake up early, shower, dress, rush their breakfast and get stuck in a traffic for 40 minutes have more time than us who have to go to work in office daily. Talk about having time to clean the house, save money on cooking at home and exercising after work. The time we lost is the time you gained.

Ghibli_Fan4991 , Nataliya Vaitkevich / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Papa
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't like the last sentence. It makes it sound like people working from home steal time from those who don't. It doesn't work that way.

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#19

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Being neurotypical and not genetically predisposed to mental illness.

Ordinary-Vegetable10 , Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Linden
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wouldn't want to be neurotypical, but I don't think neurotypicals realise how much the world has been designed for them and how many barriers there are for some of us.

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#20

Whole crews going around gathering up garbage. Clean water flowing directly to your house. Sanitation is crucial for a healthy society.

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Michael Largey
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yet people complain about taxes as if the things mentioned here arrive for free.

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#21

Libraries.

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Fancy Nancy
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One our greatest resources! You can borrow books, access the internet, borrow movies and music. Most libraries have wonderful learning programs , support group meetings, and game tournaments.

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#22

Never having food insecurity. Some people have access to so much food that it would make others' heads spin.

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Magenta Blu
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Being able to afford fresh food, not only instant soup and bread

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#23

Basic medicine, especially for children. I know that the modern medical system has its flaws but kids used to die from stuff that is cured by $5 in medicine now is wild. .

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generally_happy avatar
similarly
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My great-great grandparents had 14 children, six of whom died by age four (with a seventh dying around age 10). Literally half the children didn't life to be 11 years old.

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#24

Having a pet of any kind. The vet bills , decent food, appropriate training, equipment.

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#25

Leaving the home and being able to return safely everyday.

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#26

Financial stability.

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Tempest
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This! I hate the saying of “Money doesn’t buy happiness”. No, you can’t buy happiness at the store but having financial security means you don’t have to worry about when you can eat a proper meal or if you can afford a proper mattress to sleep on at night. Money affords you comfort and peace of mind. For those who take all these simple life choices for granted they don’t see them as being a result of their financial backbone. Those who have limitless money don’t recognise these as equating to happiness. I come from a struggling family and I wish I could have more money not to spend on expensive clothes and trips abroad but just so to see my old parents retire from their jobs or for us to be able to afford healthcare when we need it and not have to wait till a disease is too serious or to do some much needed home repairs so we don’t have a leaky roof…

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#27

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Being able to go to college.

Lopsided-Tadpole-821 , Charles DeLoye / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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generally_happy avatar
similarly
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

University in America is now stupidly expensive. I would urge people to rethink university and instead consider trade school. My cousin teaches at a trade school and has mentioned repeatedly that there aren't enough people going into trades to fill the gaps left by people retiring.

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#28

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back Having electricity, then never having it go out.

mysecondaccount27: I remember watching a TV show when I was really young where the power went out at the school and everyone freaked out and got scared. I was so confused as to why they were acting like it was a big deal. That's the day I found out that in first world countries, power going out is a very rare occurence, and usually means something extreme (weather etc). In my country, it's just a regular thing. It's rarer these days (goes out maybe once every one or two weeks) but at the time, it was happening every few days.
Blew my mind.

touchmyzombiebutt , Miguel Á. Padriñán / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Magenta Blu
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my town we only have electricity for a couple of hours at nights... No big deal

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#29

Voting in a democracy.

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Nea
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

India, world’s largest democracy, proved once again today how voting is power in a democracy.

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#30

Someone Asked “What’s A Privilege People Act As If It Isn’t?” And 30 People Didn’t Hold Back The privilege of having Wi-Fi so fast it could outrun a cheetah, yet complaining when a webpage takes more than three seconds to load.

blindgoatgirl , Stephen Phillips - Hostreviews.co.uk / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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Mike F
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to call myself to task over this all the time. My first online experience was 1998-1999 with AOL dial up. Anyone who experienced that knew that you would sign in, click to open the desired page, then go get a cup of coffee/tea while waiting. Now, I click and scream at the laptop if the page doesn't open before I even click. When there's a "wink" in service I think about those who don't have the ability to access the web then switch to OTA programming.

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Note: this post originally had 58 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.