Upbringing
Upbringing: the treatment and instruction received by a child from its parents throughout its childhood.
Coming from a privileged, international childhood and meeting many people from similar backgrounds, I have always had many safety nets growing up. My family and families that I was in contact with I did not have the financial stress that 23% of UK families and carers have (Feeling the Strain - The Children’s Society). Now that I am in university, by working a part-time job and escaping the ‘bubble’ that I’ve been inside of, I would like to reflect on how upbringing and mindset effects long-term life trajectory.
Privileged vs. Underprivileged
In high school, most of my friends and classmates paid exorbitant amounts for school fees, tuition, and extracirriculars. Understandably, parents did this to give their children to have a leg up against the competition. Additionally, most private/international schools would provide university admissions advisors. This meant that students had more support in terms of academics which manifested into better grades, and prestigious universities. Not only this, students were more well-connected at an earlier stage in life from school alumni and connections from parents. By being in these tpyes of environments, students are more likely to be exposed to more opportunities and have a higher chance of success.
On paper, having all these safety nets and support is an undeniable unfair advantage. However, when everything is spoon-fed and students become ignorant to the ‘real world’, it can shape an individual to become less resourceful, entitled and out-of-touch (Rishi Sunak at a Soup Kitchen - Guardian). This is where the importance of proper guidance and parenting plays a crucial role. Yet, what often happens is that parents are too busy with work and life to properly guide their children, leaving them vulnerable to the trap of entitlement and ignorance.
On the flip side, individuals who come from underprivilleged backgrounds have to work harder to get to the same position as their privileged counterparts. For example, underprivileged students often have to deal with emotional and psychological challenges (i.e. Imposter syndrom, discrimination, societal expectations, etc.). Whilst I cannot speak from personal experience, such hardships and uphill battle that these individuals face can foster resilience, empathy and resourcefulness. Moreover, many fields have been democratized by the internet age, making resources more accessible than ever. With proper guidance and mindset, the underprivileged can become even stronger candidates (i.e. better researching skills, different sources of information, etc.), in democratized fields such as software engineering, mathematics, and the arts.
Challenges shape individuals with a greater sense of empathy, perseverance, and grit. It creates an environment that sharpens problem-solving skills, independence and could cultivate an mindset that privileged individuals might not develop. Their journey will no doubt be grueling and vastly more difficult, but the lessons learned and the personal growth that will come from it will create a more well-rounded individual which is way more valuable than someone who has had everything handed to them.
Mindset
No matter what background you come from there is something to take away from this. It is important to give yourself healty amounts of pressure by surrounding yourself with people that are inspiring, make you want to work harder and want to see you grow. With modern technology, there are numerous online communities that foster this type of thinking, you just have to be willing to take the dive. By doing so, it is much easier to work towards your goals and stay motivated. Additionally, it is important to have a growth mindset, believing that you are not dumb, you just lack the prerequisites. Ask questions, don’t be afraid to look stupid, seek help when you need it, and don’t be afraid to fail. By falling in love with the process of learning your chosen field, it makes everything 10x easier.
Wrapping Up
Although the internet has democratized many fields, reducing nepotism and increasing equity as much as possible, the same cannot be said for fields like law, medicine, and finance, where variables such as financial investment, connections, and education remain crucial. Ideally, a paradigm shift in these fields would allow for the selection of the best candidates, regardless of their background, but because of the nature of these fields are that they are build on favors, connections and prestige, the privileged will always be advantaged in these fields.
Food for Thought
- How can we improve fields such as law, medicine, and fiance to be more accessible to underprivileged individuals?
- What are the benefits of the current system of nepotism and connections in fields like law, medicine, and finance? Is it desirable to have a fair system? (Trust, Opportunity Cost, Recruitment Efficiency, etc.)
- How can parents properly guide their children to be resourceful, empathetic and independent, whilst also providing them with the necessary support and safety nets?