THANK YOU for writing this.
I come from a Southeast European country. When I was 12, there was a civil war and my parents worked for $3 a month. My relatives from Germany sent me clothes they bought on a flee market. There was no electricity, no central heating. Butter was a luxury.
At the age of 19, I became a part of student protests and my country was bombed.
With a master’s degree, I worked as a secretary and a girl for everything the boss needed.
To tell me my obstacle is a challenge to become great is an insult. To write how a monk became a millionaire deserves a slap in the face. To adore Jobs, Musk & the Co. is ridiculous.
Still, I would never change my life for the privileged western way of living. And if my hardships have taught me anything, it’s that you don’t need big money to be happy. You just need to have enough to keep your physical and mental health. You need to feel safe. You need people. You need to give. You need love.