| In much of the West, the odds that you will die in childhood, be conscripted into war, or live under constant threat of violence are dramatically lower than they were for billions throughout human history and hundreds of millions around the world today. Closely tied to safety is the privilege of functioning institutions. Western societies, while imperfect and often frustrating, offer predictable systems: courts that enforce contracts, utilities that deliver clean water and electricity, and emergency services that actually arrive. These systems mean that failure is less likely to be fatal. You can lose a job and still eat. You can criticize a politician and not spend the night in jail - or wind up in a firing line. Education is another immense advantage. Being born in the West typically means access to free or subsidized schooling, literacy as a social expectation, and higher education that - while expensive - exists at a scale unmatched elsewhere. Knowledge is not guarded by a priesthood or limited to elites. A child with curiosity can access the accumulated insights of centuries, often through nothing more than a library card or an internet connection. This democratization of knowledge is revolutionary, and it shapes how Westerners see the world: as something understandable, navigable, and open to improvement. Then there is the privilege of time. Modern Western life, for all its busyness, affords leisure. Time to read, to argue, to exercise, to pursue art, to reflect on identity and meaning. These pursuits are only possible because basic needs are largely met. Philosophies, social movements, scientific breakthroughs, and cultural renaissances all require surplus time and energy. The fact that so many people in the West can debate purpose rather than spend most of their time seeking food, warmth and security is itself evidence of our extraordinary fortune. Freedom of choice is another defining feature. In the West, you are usually not locked into the religion of your parents, the profession of your caste, or the fate of your birthplace. You can leave, reinvent yourself, dissent, fail publicly, and try again. These freedoms are often taken for granted, yet they remain rare on a global scale. More than seven out of 10 people alive today live under an autocratic or non-democratic regime. (That translates into approximately 5.8 billion men, women and children.) Healthcare, too, marks a stark divide. Modern medicine, antibiotics, vaccines, surgical care, and preventive treatment mean that injuries and illnesses that once guaranteed death are now survivable or manageable. Living long enough to worry about chronic disease, mental health, or aging is itself a privilege. The very concept of retirement didn't exist for 99.99% of our forebears. The Western expectation that life should be extended, comfortable, and dignified is not universal - it is the result of wealth, science, and infrastructure converging in our part of the world. Perhaps the most subtle privilege is optimism. In the West, the future is generally assumed to be negotiable. Problems are framed as solvable. Progress, though contested, is always possible. This mindset fuels innovation and reform. It allows people to imagine better systems rather than accept suffering as fate. That belief alone - shared across generations - is a form of inherited wealth. None of this means that life in the West is easy, fair, or free of injustice. Hardship and suffering are real. But perspective matters. The struggles Westerners face occur on a platform of advantages that billions never received. The point of recognizing these privileges is not self-flagellation. It is gratitude. Being born into advantage confers a moral opportunity: to take risks, improve the world, protect institutions, and remember that what feels ordinary is, in fact, extraordinary. To be born in the West in the modern era means entering the world having already won what Warren Buffett calls "the ovarian lottery." (And if you were born into a household with supportive parents and cognitive traits well suited for success in a capitalist economy, consider yourself a Powerball winner.) Every educated person should know how the magnificent achievements of the past have led to the high level of peace and prosperity we enjoy today. Yet, if history teaches anything, it is that privilege is fragile. The modern West did not arise by accident, nor is it guaranteed to persist. Our greatest threat is complacency - the belief that comfort is inevitable and progress automatic. Inspiration and direction, then, lies not in guilt but in resolve: to recognize the gift, tell the truth about it, and use it well. Good investing, Alex P.S. To learn more about The American Dream: Why It's Still Alive.... and How to Achieve It, click here. | 
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