Nowadays people are constantly talking about the idea of "privilege". Many children are criticized for their mannerisms and personality and we always blame it on being "privileged". Truthfully speaking, parents hold a large portion of blame for this problem. If you we're raised in a relatively affluent or "privileged" area such as myself, you will come to find that some people are very humble about it and others are very pretentious. Since I have been grouped under the umbrella term "privileged" I'm going to explain the different ways people handle their privilege.
I'm from Westchester County, New York which has one of the highest property tax in the country, we live near Martha Stewart, Rob Thomas, the Clinton family, and we are forty minutes to an hour North of one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world. Also, my high school was ranked number 23 of 1,180 for the best public high schools in New York state. I'd like to refer to Westchester County as the mecca of all things privileged.
I was raised by two parents who believed strongly in hard work and diligence. You worked hard to earn things in life and if you were given something you appreciated it and didn't take it for granted. I will always be thankful for my upbringing for not making me an entitled brat. I knew many kids whose parents handed them everything and they had no idea how to earn things on their own, and the great feeling that comes with it.
At my high school students really started showing off their "privilege" during junior/senior year when we all got our licenses. Getting your license was such a big rite of passage. It meant we finally had more freedom as we inched our way to the college years that were ahead of us. The parking lot for the senior class was more like a car show than an actual parking lot. Students would pull up to our high school in brand new cars. The preferred car of choice among the class of 2017 was the newest model of the Jeep Wrangler in black. There would be multiple Jeep Wranglers all parked next to each other and some even had customized license plates which was also an unnecessary cost for parents to pay.
When I take a look at myself in comparison to majority of my fellow classmates back home I see a disconnect between the way I handle my "privilege" versus how they handle theirs. Not saying all the students back in my hometown maintain their "privilege" poorly, however I do feel as though I handle mine more humbly than most. I don't talk about it or flaunt it and I definitely don't need other people knowing my business.
Keeping your head held high is of the utmost importance in life. Remember, there is always someone richer than you, there is always someone smarter than you, and there is always someone more privileged than you.
