[marioletto]

The author is of course mostly right but forgets to address the fact that she is also a privileged (even before getting married) when compared to the vast majority of the world population. So yes, we live in a world were a lot of who we will be is predetermined at birth.

[jstx1]

I think that comparisons to most of the world population are irrelevant. Telling someone who is struggling in a developed country that somewhere across the world many people have it worse - this doesn't help anyone.

[mechagodzilla]

That's a surprisingly common attitude in my experience - "Even poor people in the USA live great compared to [historical serfs, people starving in afghanistan, (what i imagine it was like for) my grandparents, etc.]" . . . with the usually unspoken follow-on that [therefore it's fine to ignore their plight].

[oh_sigh]

It doesn't help their struggle, but it does provide a wider frame for their laments.

My hypothetical friend was complaining that he will only inherit $5M from his parents, because they made some bad investments, when he should really be getting $15M.

Does no one have a right to tell that person to stop complaining and accept what they have? After all, how does it help my hypothetical friend that some people happen to be struggling more than he is?

[vmception]

American exceptionalism relies on ignoring developed nations and comparing to the worst developed most poorly run places on the planet.