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In a post last month, I focused on a mind shackle that is hindering the economic advancement of millions of Americans. I called this mind shackle privilege envy syndrome, and here’s the definition.
When one is so preoccupied with the fact that others have more that one becomes blind to the opportunity and good fortune one possesses, one is suffering from privilege envy syndrome. Privilege envy syndrome thus turns one into an excuse-making loser who is incapable of self-reflection and utterly impotent when it comes to improving one’s finances.
Sadly, I know all too well the scourge of privilege envy syndrome. Before I reached my 40th birthday, I suffered from a rather strong case of it. I really believed that I was condemned to a life of financial mediocrity because I was employed by a lame-ass highway department. I didn’t have the “privilege” of working on Wall Street or in some other high-paying sector of the economy, so in my pathetic mind, financial success was beyond my ken. I would forever be a dead-animal picker-upper who drank beer, complained effusively, and muddled along paycheck to paycheck.
My bout with privilege envy syndrome ended in my late 30s. For reasons I don’t remember, it suddenly dawned on me that I had all the opportunity and resources I needed to turn my financial life around. And once I began exploiting these readily available opportunities and resources—which basically amounted to learning useful job skills and refraining from cold-stone financial stupidity—my finances began to change for the better.
What I would like to do with this post is twofold. First, I want to show you that privilege envy syndrome isn’t a figment of my imagination. It really is a mind shackle that is hamstringing millions of Americans. Second, I want to show you that privilege envy syndrome is the bane of the financial independence movement and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Let’s begin.
Tanja and Friends Expose Privilege Envy Syndrome
A couple of weeks ago, I came across the following video in my YouTube feed. Yep, ABC News decided to do a feature on a personal finance workshop run by my arch-enemy, Tanja Hester from ONL.
Haha! Calling Tanja my arch-enemy is of course done in jest. Yes, she’s from the SJW wing of the FI movement and I’m from the freedomist or alt-FI wing of the FI movement. But just because we disagree on politics doesn’t mean she’s my “arch-enemy.” This is especially true when you consider that I don’t think she and I disagree on anything concerning money. In fact, when it comes to personal finance and the pillars of building wealth, I would dare say that Tanja and I are two very amiable peas in a very amiable pod.
Here, for instance, are the three strategies that Tanja advocates in the video to build wealth.
Be mindful of your expenses and cut out extra spending.
Increase pay every year.
Save raises.
Can’t argue with those strategies. If you stop wasting money, make a little more every year (either through raises, promotions, or side-hustles), and avoid lifestyle inflation, you will build wealth. In short, I firmly believe that Tanja has the answers to most people’s financial woes.
But when we turn to the comments section, we see that a shocking amount of the commenters suffer from privilege envy syndrome, and because of this, they’re incapable of even considering Tanja’s very sage advice. Here’s a quick look at privilege envy syndrome in action.
Privilege Envy Syndrome In Action
Stephen Anthony lamented that Tanja and her friends weren’t saddled with an expense that many Americans have.
Anyone else notice they don’t have kids?
Candace Matthews fretted that Tanja and her friends may have made it through the higher education juggernaut unscathed.
sounds like these people didn[‘]t have student loans
agmorgan suggested that we have no agency or control over our financial well-being.
Everyone is just one illness away from losing their savings.
John W averred that Tanja’s sage advice only benefits those who are financially well off.
Lol. This doesn’t really apply to the vast majority of millennials who are making $20,000-$40,000/yr and drowning in debt.
Jackie Arrizon agreed with John W.
This literally only applies to people with good careers
And Justin Wilkens agreed with John W and Jackie Arrizon.
Umm, what percentage of millennials are doing this? The top 10% earners? ABC, please get real.
CandyisAwesome86 had a problem with the skin color of Tanja and her friends.
Correction to title: Preppy white millennials with Ivy League educations save tons of money and quit their real jobs to take on play jobs 😂
Bryzz Lull couldn’t handle the lack of diversity.
It[‘]s always rich white yuppies who do this.
M.Y. O’Hara-Smith needed to remind everyone about the scourge of systemic racism.
Do POC even get a shot at such careers, education?
And juk139 was sure that Tanja’s message would only resonate with certain people.
No people of Color were benefited in the making of this news piece
Okay, that’s enough. I think you get the picture. Fatalistic musings like these go on and on and on and on, sprinkled liberally amongst the 2,500 comments. It’s maddening.
Longmont, We Have a Problem!
When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, I was well aware that others had more and better stuff. And I was well aware that the fickle finger of fate gave exquisite brains, talents, or good looks to some and denied those very valuable traits to others. But my parents and teachers never encouraged me to dwell on my lack of “privilege” or use my lack of “privilege” as a crutch. I was expected to “make something of myself,” regardless of my circumstances.
And, yet, as I progressed through adulthood in the 80s and 90s, I managed to develop a rather strong case of privilege envy syndrome. So the intellectual underpinnings of this mental shackle were all in place by the time the 80s arrived. Today, “privilege” shaming is all the rage, and the cool people, especially the cool people in education, entertainment, and journalism, have come to the conclusion that privilege envy syndrome is a healthy worldview. They want as many people as possible to believe that privilege is destiny, that privilege is fixed and hoarded by the few powerful, and that privilege “inequality” is best addressed by the government.
Now I have a couple of questions for you, groovy freedomist.
First, how is the FI movement supposed to grow when the everyday American is encouraged by the cool people to become expert on the advantages of others but remain grossly ignorant of the advantages he or she possesses?
Second, how is the FI movement supposed to grow when the biggest players in the FI movement exude “privilege”? After all, isn’t it a “privilege” to be white, to be married with no kids, and to be employed in tech or finance? And how is the everyday American supposed to relate to such a “privileged” bunch?
The truth of the matter is that the FI movement will never be anything but a cult. Privilege envy syndrome has rendered too many Americans incapable of embracing its key teachings.
Final Thoughts
I sincerely hope I’m wrong. And there’s reason to believe that privilege envy syndrome isn’t as widespread as I suspect. The ABC video featuring Tanja has far more likes than dislikes (4,100 versus 645). And there were, of course, commenters who got it. I’m only assuming that the anti-privilege comments laden in the comment section are an accurate representation of the American mindset. It’s entirely possible that the comment section is suffering from a severe case of selection bias. But then again, check out this article I came across yesterday. A Havard professor actually makes the argument that some Harvard students are more “privileged” than others because some students know faculty office hours are a great way to network with faculty and other students don’t. Aaaaarrrrrggggg! The FI movement is screwed.
Okay, groovy freedomist, that’s all I got. What say you? Is privilege envy syndrome so widespread that the FI movement will never come close to achieving mainstream status? Or is privilege envy syndrome and the threat it poses to the FI movement just figments of my twisted mind? Chime in when you get a chance. Peace.
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