Privilege
Noun
A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to one person or group of people.
The reason I'm looking at the whole idea about "privileges" is because I've just encountered an issue which has caused me to become a little bit more the moody teenager. I have desperately wanted something called a SCUF controller (http://www.scufgaming.com/eu/) for ages. Absolutely ages. And finally, after my birthday a coupl'a weeks back, I have enough money to buy one. FIIIIINALLY!!! I did some checks on my money in my account, just to check I'd have enough for my various trips in the summer holidays and guess what? I don't. By about £5. Brilliant, isn't it? Now, I was originally so, so annoyed that I didn't have enough money to buy a new controller right now at this very second and then I realised something. I realised that for me to have, say, £100, I would have £100 MORE than a hell of a lot of people in this world. To even have that gives me an advantage - a privilege.
You could think of this in other ways too. Look at benefits and pensions; it is thought that people have the right to/are owed this money. This is not correct - a pension is not a right, it's a privilege. In many countries there isn't such thing as a pension. And it's the same thing with benefits.
"But Mum! I don't want to go to school today!" If my mother got a pound for every time I've said that she'd be a billionaire. School is B-O-R-I-N-G, BORING. Half the time I mess around and waste the day. Some kids can't do that. Most of them can't afford that privilege in their countries. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names. I could do that at 6 years old. Some adults still can't. And all some kids can seem to do is throw away their education. I simply thinks it's rude. Anyway...
Choice is also a great privilege. Did you know that in China people TELL you what your future job will be? I'd probably get told to be a teacher or something. But anyway, the fact the I can choose my own career is better than the choice they get. The idea that I can change what I want to go throughout my life is amazing. I have wanted to be a hairdresser, a mechanic, an engineer, a teacher, a dance teacher, a professional singer, an actress, a musician, a psychologist and a load more. Even a fairy. Ew... Well I was 4, give me a break. The fact that I have the ability to choose and change is a privilege - no denying. Even in The Hunger Games everything's chosen for them...
So do you get it yet? So many things are privileges and we take them for granted. It doesn't mean we should stop enjoying them because other people are without, but more so that we should be a little more thoughtful whilst enjoying what we've got. S'all good, really. could be worse, I suppose...
That's it for today, I think. I'l do a post focusing on choice at some point. Probably. No promises. :P