The Unfair Advantages
What if I told you, the key to obtaining everything you desire - health, money, relationships, freedom is already within your grasp. Would you believe me?
What if I say, in the race of life, you are not just participating but are already winning and are vastly ahead of the majority. Would you believe me?
All the things you want - a high paying job, a bigger house, foreign trips, stress free life won’t be meaningful and viable if you are not mindful of the privileges you have and the opportunities freely available to you.
Oftentimes underutilised and over-distributed, people do not realize the advantage that they have over others.
Level 0
The fact that we are alive, the possibility of which is a function of thousands of conditions - from the cell formation - to birth is no less than a miracle, let aside the wars, pandemics, calamities and other crises faced by our ancestors.
Being born healthy with no chronic diseases and growing up with a working set of senses - the ability to see things clearly around us, listen to sounds, speak and communicate are the ground level advantages.
Any health downturn, missing senses and their turning imperfect will drastically change the way we experience our day-to-day lives. People with health issues and inborn disabilities face a tremendous level of micro struggles and challenges for their lifetime that healthy people never realize.
Let’s imagine a few scenarios: navigating your house in absolute darkness solely on touch and memory to avoid obstacles. Sitting in a crowded room where everyone is engaged in an animated conversation, yet you cannot make out a single word. Not knowing what music is, not having pictures of your loved ones in your head.
Experiencing life at its fullest through a healthy body is hence, a level 0 privilege.
How did you achieve this advantage? Pure luck and biological coincidence.
Level 1
Food, shelter and clothing.
Majority of the population in India still does not have the access to a consistent supply of healthy meals. They survive on one meal per day. On the flip side, some people have the privilege to choose from the unlimited options from numerous food delivery apps, offering various preparation styles, cuisines at their disposal.
Same goes for water. 1 in 4 people does not have access to clean drinking water. Lugging containers of water twice or thrice a day just to complete their basic chores, often after waiting in long lines, requires immense effort and patience. However, there are people who have access to an unlimited supply of clean water 24/7, yet it is undervalued and used without consideration. We often take for granted the simple act of turning on a tap (with or without the touch of our fingers), a privilege denied to many.
For many, having protective clothing against weather conditions and a safe place to stay each night remains a distant dream. While some have a closet as big as a room full of unique outfits for every occasion, each varying by their colour combinations.
Why this inequality? Being born in a well off family and in a developed part of a country. Must be an outcome of good deeds in a past life, right?
Level 2
Education, healthy childhood and upbringing.
Having parents who love you unconditionally, prioritize your education and wellbeing, and treat you with kindness is truly a priceless gift in life.
Getting a good education and spending your childhood in a healthy environment acts as a springboard jumping into society. Education here does not necessarily imply a formal one. It involves getting a basic understanding of how the systems around you work. It builds a foundation of mental models, prepares you to operate with awareness, and navigate the world by developing your own morals - differentiating between right and wrong.
Neglected children often feel disconnected from others, leading to lifelong trauma, behavioral issues, and insecurities. They may also develop extreme views on life. Not advocating conformity here, but being an unintentional outlier is an uphill battle.
The ability to learn quickly is often seen as innate talent, but it is actually an acquired skill during your childhood and initial learning years.
What made you eligible for this? A crying competition right after you were born in hospitals to keep it fair maybe?
Level 3 and above
Freedom
While we are confused to choose from the infinite options we have in our life, we never realize having options in life is a privilege in itself.
A jobless, hungry person is eager to take any available job to meet basic financial needs and provide for their family. While a software engineer gets to choose the company culture, perks, work location, compensation packages and its combination.
Why this difference? Compounded advantages.
All the advantages, whether small or big, compound over time if utilized correctly. Access to one results in building up of another, and multiplying the effect drastically. Advantages lead to unique experiences. Experiences cultivate new learnings, and insights. Insights help you build leverage, in-turn granting you freedom.
Benefits that help execute tasks faster leads to freedom of time. Resources that make lives of people around you easier or provide value contributes to financial freedom. Having financial freedom opens doors to networking and life experiences. Various of these advantages are intricately co-related to one another, and lead to a positive chain reaction.
To list some privileges that enable us to build disproportionate leverage - 24/7 supply of electricity; access to the internet; commute options to go wherever and whenever you want; helpful peers and mentors around you; working remotely; good and timely healthcare; and many others.
How many levels of advantage do you have?
I guess all.
Are you using your level 0 advantage - health wisely?
Or your bad habits are leading them to a waste?
Have you ever thanked your parents for the upbringing they gave you?
Or have you taken their support for granted and failed to reciprocate?
How aware are you of your privileges and the compounded advantages?
Or do you often complain that things around you aren’t going the way you want ?
Thank you for reading so far.
If you are here, please take a few minutes to watch this introductory video on sign language to help those around you.
Another thought-provoking film on the similar line of thoughts - Ship of Theseus, based on Theseus’ paradox. A paradox that questions whether an object remains the same even when all of its parts are replaced over time. More about the paradox here.