40 People Share Privileges We Take For Granted Or Don’t Even Realize We Have Them

There are many privileges we take for granted. We live in a world that's very different compared to 50 years ago.

Many people have fought or worked very hard to enable us to enjoy all the amenities we have today. If you're reading these words, you're probably incredibly fortunate.

For starters, you've had the opportunity to learn to read. Second, you obviously have access to current technology and the internet.

But unfortunately, it's easy to forget how fortunate we are, and we begin to take things for granted. Users on Reddit began documenting all of the things they believe most people are unaware are actually privileges.

From being able to keep your home warm anytime you want to having a healthy body and access to clean drinking water, there is a lot to be thankful for. Unfortunately, so many people in the world still consider all these things obvious privileges and dream of them.

Vaccines, tap water, education, healthcare, and peace are still out of reach for many people. We've chosen 40 of the best answers to the question, "What do people not realize is a privilege?"

We know you will find them enlightening. There are so many things to be grateful for.

1. Happy childhood

A happy childhoodUniversitySouth2852,Robert Collins

2. Looking nice

Being conventionally attractive.Portabellamush,Brian Lawson

Guaranteed meal

Guaranteed next meal. Food insecurity is terrifying. I have been fortunate that, coming from a poor family, I always had food. Thinking of all the kids who were out of school due to COVID who were on free and reduced meals breaks my heart.

Danobing

3. Being a kid

The ability to actually be a kid when young. It's heartbreaking how many children have to grow up or are hardened before they even hit puberty.fibagik,cottonbro

Toilets

Toilets.

Elevenst

Parents who pay for your education

Having your parents pay for and provide you with education throughout your school years.

rainbow_bangles_247

Good vision

20/20 vision

Notthesharkfromjaws

4. Hot showers

Hot showers. The best thing ever, which everyone takes for granted.TheLegendofMikeHawk,Victoria Alexandrova

Easy life

If your life is so good that your biggest problems are minor inconveniences, you don’t appreciate just how easy you’ve got it.

EatingTurkey

5. Healthy kids

Having healthy children.Imagine having kids who’ll always need to be taken care of. Imagine having to worry about what will happen when you’re dead because you know that your child will never be independent or have a normal life.This is one of my worst fears.edd6pi,Marisa Howenstine

6. Travel

Easy ability to travel internationally. The right passport will take you places.Xerxes2004,Alexandr Podvalny

7. Not having barbed wire

Not having glass or barbed wire over every wall, not having bars over every window, leaving the door unlocked at night and most likely being fine, etc.Here in Argentina, we have our personal jails while the criminals roam the streets.sebastianlaguens,Robert Hickerson

8. Free education

Free K-12 education and literacy in general.K-12 meaning primary/elementary and secondary school, wherever you are from. From 5 years old to 17 or 18 years old. We call it K-12 in the US (K meaning Kindergarten, through grade 12).Greentea503,Pixabay

People living in the developed world are very fortunate, but we've grown accustomed to it, so we don't really realize it. We are so well off that we believe that some objectively minor inconveniences are incredibly huge problems.

Maybe it's time to divert our attention from ourselves and help create a better world where all people would have access to all the amenities we take for granted.

9. Ah, the good life...

Buying groceries without having to carefully consider prices.Getting as much sleep as you need.Being able to quit a job without fear of losing financial stability.Having people around who can and will help.Criticizing your own government.Privacy. Lots of people don't have that.Apxm,Tara Clark

10. No bombs

The sky not dropping bombs on you.Antagonist1k,wikipedia

11. Regular meals

Knowing when your next meal will be.beautyinsideout_,Luisa Brimble

12. Healthcare

Medical treatment.ttbug15,JC Gellidon

Home

Basically everything. A lot of people worldwide are born homeless.

Stumblingwanderer

Health

Having a healthy body. Existing without constant reminders that you're inside of a dying animal. It doesn't last forever, especially if you don't take care of yourself (I didn't).

_somewhere_far_away_

Eating what you like

Choosing what you eat based on taste.

level 1 steeple_fun

Reading

The ability to read.

fernbeetle

Wealth

Having generational wealth.

Burrito_Loyalist

13. Place to sleep

Having a safe place to sleep. I'm very privileged to have a safe place to live, and I understood it more since the start of the pandemic. Not having a safe, stable, comfortable home has to be hell when you are on lockdown.ClauMoir,Ivan Oboleninov

14. Full fridge

Being able to ask, "What are we going to eat?" and not, "Are we going to eat?" I cannot express how grateful I am to have a fridge full of food every day because I know that in other parts of the world, some people go days without eating and sometimes have to resort to eating rotten food.It's awful to think that such terrible conditions exist. I'm just so happy to be privileged enough to have better living arrangements. I just wish other Americans could see how lucky and privileged we actually are.8PoliteChicken8,Chad Montano

15. Comfortable temperatures in our homes

Being able to sit in a house that is kept at a comfortable temperature all year long.DeathSpiral321,Outsite Co

Safety

Being able to walk safely alone at night.

Arianna Ibbotson 

16. Water

Drinkable tap water.pitt20,Manki Kim

17. So many things...

I'm from Venezuela, and here are the things Americans consider normal that are privileges here:Having a car: I've noticed that in the US, even poor people have cars; here, it's pretty damn expensive to have and maintain a car, and there's no credit option.Electricity every day: Here, power goes out a few times a week. In the US, it only goes out when there's a tornado or something like that.Sanitation: Here, nothing has an actual valid health certificate; unless it's imported, we don't know if what we're eating or the water we're drinking is safe for consumption. Food in America has official certificates.Having a phone: There's rarely an American without a phone, but for someone who makes less than 100 bucks a month, it's pretty hard to get a phone, so there are many people who don't have a phone here, and I believe in many third-world countries.Living alone after 18: Here, people can rarely afford it, so they will live with their parents at older ages, and it's considered normal. Sometimes, if the backyard is big enough, they'll just build a house themselves for when their children get married, so they live there with their partner and children. Living alone at 18 or even in your 20s is rather uncommon and a significant privilege here.Making fun of the president with no consequences: In the US, I remember the media made fun of Donald Trump, and it was okay; nobody got arrested. But here, if you make fun of the president on public TV or a famous YouTube channel, you'll go to jail for sure; they call it "hate crimes."Having animal services: As an animal lover, I really hate that if you see animal abuse, there's not a number you can call, and the police won't come. You have to literally take evidence and take it to court or send it to a contact that works in the government, and according to the law, the animal abuser just gets 48 days in jail (you can push for more, but you'll probably have to bribe the judge or have a friend in the government).Clean streets: People here are worse than animals; the streets are littered everywhere except for the rich areas. In the US, the streets seem super clean in general.Buying clothes and items often: Here, we spend many years using the same clothes as it's expensive to buy all the time, but Americans will throw away a shirt or a pair of shoes they've used for a few months and say something like, "It was completely destroyed already."Having good-looking houses: The houses of poor people here have black mold on the walls, the roof is asbestos or something similar, the drainage system is almost rotten, and the house structure is still standing by the sheer power of faith.Eating expensive stuff: I've noticed Americans will complain a lot if they don't have certain meals, but here we just eat what we can afford. For example, things like honey, syrup, cheddar cheese, diet toasts, yogurt, chocolate, and that kind of stuff are luxuries here.Having sex: This one is kind of funny, but it's true; since Americans have cars and often live alone, it's easier for them to have sex. I've been struggling with this for a while because at home, there's your mom, your grandma, your siblings, your little cousins, etc. There's literally no privacy, so people with more money are the only ones who can have sex whenever they want.Walking outside at night: If you do that here, you'll likely get robbed or even killed. After 7-8 pm, the streets are deserted. In the USA or any other first-world country, unless you're in a specifically dangerous area, it'll be fine to take walks at night.Water every day: In certain areas here, people haven't had water for weeks or even months. In the US, water is expensive, but at least everyone has it.Travel papers: If you're American or European, you can quite literally travel anywhere with very little effort; getting a passport and visa here is a whole struggle you'll have to dedicate time, money, and effort to get.I could go on and on, but I wouldn't finish today.Agile_Objective_2252

Enough sleep

Sleeping until you are ready to wake up.Some of us feel it's a privilege (a desire to 'sleep in'), but when you work with or know someone who is trying to survive on 3-4 hours a day due to multiple jobs, medical reasons, or lack of shelter, it becomes much clearer.

S*itty_Life_Coach

18. Just occasional wars...

Not being drafted into a high-casualty war as soon as you are old enough to fight.Robin_games,UX Gun

Money

Having extra money to spend.

Allustar1

Safe home

Being able to feel safe at home and know your parents or siblings won't abuse you.

holly10012

Parents who pay for college

I feel like a lot of people who grew up with middle/upper-middle-class families who pay for everything don't really realize how privileged they are, especially people whose parents pay or help pay for college.

BusLady

19. Supporting parents

Having caring parents who support you no matter what.227743,sofatutor

20. Vaccines

Being vaccinated. People from underdeveloped countries like mine have people dying from preventable diseases. My mom's mother crossed a warzone after a devastating earthquake so my mom could get a smallpox vaccine.NoAd3629,RF._.studio

21. Good parents

Having emotionally and financially stable parents that care about and support you.SolarisIX,Feedyourvision

Breathing

Breathing without effort.

frevensakes

22. Sanity

Honestly living life without any form of mental illness. It’s becoming less and less common, but a lot of the people that do don’t realize just how lucky they are.SmolAnxiousSprinkle,Fernando Brasil

Ignorance is bliss

Ignorance - being blissfully unaware of the struggles of others because those struggles aren't something you've ever even had to consider.

HappyCrowBrain

23. Functioning body

Having a body where everything works properly.edpmis02,Tyler Nix