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Has anyone else experienced feeling guilty since they grew up in a wealthy family?

My parents are extremely rich. I grew up rich. I am born into money. Growing up my father spoiled me, i always had what i wanted for free. i always compared myself to my friends who were in a less economical class . I had better things than them. If i broke something, it was just a funny joke how clumsy i am and it got replaced immediately. When i was 14 year old my best friend came to our house for the first time she kept saying "wow".

She was really impressed that we had 2 TV's, it embarrassed me enough that I didn't tell her we had 4.Eating out every single day. At least one, if not both meals were delivered to the house every day, sometimes from really fancy restaurants. I always thought that home cooked food and family dinners on tv were fake. I only realized It was abnormal when my friend came over and when we were talking said she liked the pasta at this local Italian restaurant, so I went on the phone and ordered (we were about 16 at the time) and she was in complete shock that I was allowed to do that. Being able to go to college/school without thinking about cost. I never had to worry about money growing up. I went to an elite private school and had private tutors, went on lavish holidays and lived in a nice big house.

I've been able to set up a comfortable life for myself at my parents expense and I’m grateful for that.

Vacations big time. Being unable to understand why people wanted to raise taxes. Country clubs and $50,000+ weddings. Being able to afford maids, accountants, and being in contact with a lawyer constantly.

People sometimes make me feel guilty for being rich. Should I feel guilty or lucky for being born well-off? "guilty" is a bad word for this but I can't think of another one to describe the feeling.

I know this is so trivial compared to what other people go through/ free but i just want to get it off my chest.
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Never went without a meal, clothing or a decent place to live growing up .. we were not rich but still felt blessed.

No reason to feel guilt about being raised wealthy. That said, you should be leading your own life by now. Do something with the start you were given. You owe your parents and yourself that. Be a good person in your own right. Give to good causes and help others when you can.
AngelUnforgiven · 51-55, F
Im not anywhere close to rich and i feel guilty sometimes. I think its just human nature. Every winter and every Christmas i think about those who are out there on the streets as i lay in my warm bed next to my heater. Up until about 2 weeks ago i was working 90 hours a week i didnt have time to do anything else so i couldn't volunteer or do anything productive it was just work and home. No one should be homeless or starving in this country. I haven't decided how i want my schedule to be now but if i have more time i plan on giving back.
The guilt and shame that you carry aren't really yours to bear.

While you were raised in a privileged way in some ways, your parents obviously dropped the ball when it came to letting you see and experience things associated with the less privileged in other ways.

It might have helped you to better understand more about the world at a younger age if you had gotten to go out with your parents and seen the low class neighbourhoods and the homeless - and to experience what it was like to go without something that you broke because you were careless with it.

At least in these ways, you might have been able to understand at a younger age that you had a very different life to others because of your parents money and that some of the taxes they paid went towards providing the less fortunate with some of the things they need that you took for granted.

I'm not going to bash you because you were just a child and you weren't exposed to things to help you to see that there was a whole different way of life just a few streets away from where you lived that you didn't even know about because you weren't exposed to it.

You had to rely on others to show you that and allow you to witness it in a controlled way - which obviously didn't happen until you were older and able to see it for yourself.

In a way, you are fortunate that you were able to see what you did and realise that you had a better upbringing than children who didn't have much because we have governments now who still have no idea of how the world works for those who are of a lower class to them and they think that "taking away the allowance" of a disabled person will be enough to force them to take up a job - rather than accepting that they might never be able to work due to their disability, employer biases or the fact that they are a liability when it comes to health and safety laws.
At first, after my education, I actually took really hard jobs that payed less than five dollars an hour and required me to have post graduate degrees. I was supposed to give back to society.
After that, I gave to family, and then they pummeled me black and blue and a wise judge put elderly me out on the street.
As a working homeless person, I don't feel badly about having once had a life. You're done using me, so, I don't mind being free!
My billionaire family members can feel good about me being homeless, they're fine!
Coralmist · 41-45, F
I think if you're a good person inside, if we are rich, mid class or poor doesn't matter. It's all secondary really. Don't feel guilty, you seem to be grateful 🌸
LaLa81 · 41-45, F
@Coralmist thank you for your support
deepblacknothingness · 56-60, M
You shouldn't feel guilty because you can't help what you're born into. What matters is the person you grow up to become. I grew up very poor myself.
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LaLa81 · 41-45, F
@TallMtnMedic thank you so much for your support
@LaLa81 You are welcome anytime.
The challenge in life is doing the most with what you have. Your situation requires considerable thought as you have more options than most. Choose your options wisely and always realize the you can do much for those who have fewer opportunities.
GeniUs · 56-60, M
I'm a white male so my advantages vastly outweigh those you had...oh wait that's just nonsense that people say. If it makes you feel guilty/uncomfortable do whatever you need to to make you feel better about it I'm sure other people have loads of great ideas about this, I'd just say do a little voluntary work not too much you don't want to make it a chore.
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NOS4R2 · 41-45
Im sure you can assuage that guilt by giving to the needy. Those well off are in a good position to help those in poverty and illness.
Convivial · 26-30, F
Swings and roundabouts... You may have missed out on learning valuable lessons by never having to go without
@Convivial She definitely went without love though :( Read my own comment.
WandererTony · 56-60, M
We dontbchoose our parents. But we can strive to be better persons ourselves. You have the consciousness. You are a good person.
Strongtea · 22-25, M
I get you, people from school call me snobby/stuck up because I’m posh.
Donotfolowme · 51-55, F
If I were you, I would travel to find the ones in need and get the happiness by fulfilling one of their dreams
Why am I thinking of that Citizen Khan episode with Alia's boyfriend's dad: "I've got more money than you" *strong Midlands accent* 🤭

can i have some money
Sinead65 · 56-60, F
Just be a good person simple as that. Don’t need to be brainwashed into feeling guilty for having money.
MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M
I wish I had that to feel guilty over
Years ago I knew this 17 year old young woman online, I was 26 at the time, in a web based classic movie themed chat room. Her father was an investor worth about $35million, and she was extremely unhappy. Everytime she would try to talk to them about issues she was having they'd give her a few hundred bucks and told to take her friends to the mall and the movies and something to eat, all she wanted to do was for them to spend some time wuth her to talk and get some advice, and to hear "I Love You" from them, not a few Benjamins and told to have a good time, she eventually took her own life.
the struggle is real.
Punches · 46-50, F
If you have all this money, why not ship your boyfriend's two daughters off to boarding school to get them out of your hair?
1490wayb · 56-60, M
you share your wealth or volunteer with charitys??
LaLa81 · 41-45, F
@1490wayb I volunteer at the local community center. I’m a “juice and cookies lady,” though there is a little more to the role.
Lilymoon · F
Not sure you're gonna get much sympathy lmao
Lilymoon · F
@LaLa81 it's ok don't feel guilty. Feel blessed
LaLa81 · 41-45, F
@Lilymoon I just hate seeming spoiled or privileged (even though I know I am) bc everyone says “people have it worse ”and I know they do but that doesn’t mean I don't have Emotions.
LaLa81 · 41-45, F
@Lilymoon thank you
Musicman · 61-69, MVIP
You go girl! Rich is excellent! So where is your next vacation to? When is your next shopping trip and what will you be shopping for?
@Musicman That's not what she's implying
HumanEarth · F
Hell, I'm not guilty for being poor.
swirlie · F
No, not at all... 🙄

Show me a person who feels guilty about growing up in a wealthy family and I'll show you a person who never grew up in a wealthy family.
Weren’t you miserable being rich and spoiled what’s the point in having money if you don’t know the value or if you didn’t earn it yourself

 
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