It’s pretty easy to take something for granted when you’ve had it for most of your life. As you grow up, you start to notice that in reality, a lot of things many of us take for granted are considered desirable rarities for folks who are worse off.
Someone asked “What’s a luxury that many people don’t realize is a luxury?” and netizens shared their best examples. We also got in touch with the person who made the thread to learn more. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.
#1
Living alone, in solitude, doing whatever the hell you want.
Image credits: maryteigat
#2
Open minded, loving, supportive, understanding, & caring parents.
Image credits: ratchetcoutoure
#3
Healthy since birth...
Image credits: mooonclover
Bored Panda got in touch with the netizen who posted the question and they were kind enough to share some more of their thoughts with us. Naturally, we wanted to know if there was a story behind their curiosity on this topic.
“I’ve always been very interested in the extremes and superlatives, but there’s often a disconnect between what people believe to be the most, the least, the worst and what is actually true. Thought it would be enlightening to know what misconceptions there might be and at the same time educate people on the facts.”
#4
Knowing where your next meal is coming from.
Getting out of bed in the morning and having a comfortable place to pee.
Image credits: ZapatillaLoca
#5
Being able to publicly call the leader of their country an idiot, with no consequences from the government.
Image credits: Scrappy_Larue
#6
Autopay for bills and utilities. If you don’t need to check your account to pay a bill, that’s living a good life for me.
Image credits: sub-ubi
The thread had quite a few responses, so we wanted to know why they thought it ended up being so popular. “Good questions need to be ones that people are excited to both read and answer. This meant that a lot of people would initially post because they have strong feelings about something and then it snowballed into something big,” they shared.
#7
Air travel. People b***h and complain about everything: the seats are too small, it costs too much, food sucks, the flight was delayed. But it's pretty amazing to pay a few hundred dollars and arrive on the other side of the country (or globe) the same day.
Image credits: Reasonable_Owl366
#8
Living in a home that's secure from the elements, safe from crime and in a good neighborhood. Not available for alot of people.
Image credits: sexiest_blondie
#9
Having free time for hobbies, travel, and enjoy leisure activities. Many people in poverty or working multiple jobs don't have time or money.
Image credits: lola_bell9
Lastly, we wanted to know if they had any favorites from the thread or personal examples. “Definitely none that are as good as the ones in the thread but I think people overestimate the probability of gaining popularity or success doing the same things as other people. The balance of novelty and establishment is a hard one to reach. Novel enough that it is not so saturated but established enough that there is a likelihood of success.”
#10
Laundry machines!
Image credits: gildshanks
#11
A good quality bed.
Image credits: gloomymox
#12
Buying things in bulk. Not everyone can shell out that much money at once, even if it saves money in the long run. Also, not everyone has the space to store it.
Image credits: ArtemisGirl242020
#13
Having a healthy brain (no mental health issues).
Image credits: stare_at_the_sun
#14
Tattoos. I’m a tattoo artist. Don’t argue with me about the price being too high or how you “need” a tattoo. They’re a luxury that you save for, you absolutely don’t “need” it and should never prioritise them over bills, food, etc.
#15
Being able to get your kids braces, glasses, and whatever other health related things they need.
Shopping for food and new basic clothes without having to worry about not having money left.
Image credits: CheesyRomantic
#16
Having a regular 9-5, not having to work evenings or weekend.
#17
Having a closet full of clothes and shoes for different occasions/seasons. Many people have only a few outfits and struggle to stay warm or dry.
#18
Experiencing silence.
Image credits: UnpopularCrayon
#19
8-10 hours of sleep!
Image credits: Missmedtech
#20
It may seem minor, but having a variety of shops, restaurants, and activities in your town. A lot of people(in the US, at least) only have a Walmart, McDonalds and a disheveled bowling alley in their town.
#21
Menstruation products.
#22
Having access to information on pretty much anything, anytime we want. The internet is such a wonderful thing and so many people use it for basic stuff like porn or answering Reddit questions.
#23
Private back yard, dishwasher, own laundry machines, money for daily treats
#24
Being able to vote. it’s a huge privilege.
#25
Living past age 30 with no tooth problems.
Image credits: InSonicBloom
#26
Having total control of where and how you live.
#27
# High-Speed Internet. Many areas in the world still struggle with slow or no internet connectivity.
Image credits: boomirababy
#28
Having a car/driving. I used to have to walk everywhere before I got a car. an even in my small town everything is miles apart. no sidewalks. not pedestrian friendly. it sucked. driving is a luxury I will always appreciate.
#29
Being able to contemplate deeper topics and explore concepts. I’ve been in situations where I’m just thinking about survival and getting through another day. Never in there could I sit and think about anything else.
Image credits: gibs717
#30
Ice. Americans in particular seem to think it just magically appears, but it requires both clean water and electricity to make.
