Are you part of 'the 1%'?

-- Post by Marina --

With the holiday cheer in full swing I wanted to take this time to reflect on all the wealth I have in my life. I am lucky to have both a supportive family and a wonderful partner, and to live in a safe and welcoming environment.

But I don’t just live a good life. When you take  my income and circumstances into account, I have absolutely won the life-lottery - in fact, I am part of the top 1% income earners globally. 
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Whenever I previously thought about ‘the 1%’ I pictured lawyers and investment bankers, something unachievable that I most certainly wasn’t part of. Which is why when I ran the numbers on givingwhatwecan.org’s calculator I was taken aback.

howrichami.givingwhatwecan.org

On a global scale of income I am currently part of a global elite that the majority of people on this planet can only dream of. I recalculated the numbers many times trying to find excuses - maybe it’s just because I don’t have any dependents, maybe it’s just because I happen to move countries and so forth. In the end I don’t think it matters; if the number says 1% or 2% or 5%, I can count myself very lucky regardless.

On the one hand this made me immensely grateful for the opportunities I had and the environment I live in. On the other it also made me feel a responsibility toward sharing my fortune with others who by no fault of their own fall into a different bracket.

I don’t want anyone to feel guilty about being in the top percentages like me - feel lucky and proud of yourself - I’m sure there is a lot of work involved!
Just keep this privilege in mind when you go through your life. For me it puts so many things in perspective.

Happy Holidays!