Some basic math for the quant-challenged: 10% of American households have a net worth of over $1m. Mine is less than half that.

US purchasing power parity GDP per capita: $80412.

Portugal: $45227. coefficient: 1.78. 1.78 x $2500/month in Portugal = $4450 in the USA, 2/3 the US average.

Latvia's PPP GDP per capita: $40212, half the USA. No rent in Latvia means we live on less than $2000/month, but let's assume $2k/month. $24k/year = $48k in the USA, 40% below the US average. Terribly lavish.

Due to 15km/day use my 8 year old 29er needed extensive repairs in 2021, so I bought a new one to have a spare and never have to wait for repairs. Terribly extravagant.

Comparing me to people Mali, Malawi or Mozambique is beyond ridiculous. You don't end poverty by making the rich poor, but investing in the infrastructure to do the reverse. Increasing your poverty won't decrease that of single mothers in Quito one iota.

My research grants and paying clients were merit-based. I risked my own savings to start businesses and buy real estate. I've lost six figures in real estate and startup investments, but have two big winners. The founders of the two big winners could not have built their companies, each of which now employs hundreds, without the early stage capital from me and my angel investor partners. Who risks should get the rewards. Or do you prefer the equality in poverty of the Soviet alternative?

The languages I learned didn't come from privilege but spending my own money earned from wages or from merit-based research grants, though I did have some help from being adopted by some very nice female dictionaries (la meilleure façon d'apprendre une langue est de coucher son dictionnaire).