I have an objectively higher QoL than almost anyone in the EU or Japan who wasn't born rich.
After many years as a SWE without a college degree, I was able to buy a large 5 new 5 bedroom house within ~25 minutes of my employer in a beautiful city, I have a full time nanny for my children, a luxury car, padded retirement, and plenty of other money to buy what I want.
Where else can a smart, hardworking person achieve that who didn't come from generational wealth?
I'm not so unique either, I have some friends I've known who similarly didn't come from money and have been able to build up careers that support a wonderful lifestyle.
Europeans have a bottomless admiration for generational wealth (old money), and equivalently despise individual success (nouveau riche). Centuries of monarchy does that to the spirit of a people.
I can’t retire and continue my current lifestyle, I would need some sort of job. Therefore, I don’t consider myself rich.
More importantly though, I have this lifestyle due to a job, one that is quite common (software engineer). I didn’t luck into some unique position or business opportunity.
After many years as a SWE without a college degree, I was able to buy a large 5 new 5 bedroom house within ~25 minutes of my employer in a beautiful city, I have a full time nanny for my children, a luxury car, padded retirement, and plenty of other money to buy what I want.
Where else can a smart, hardworking person achieve that who didn't come from generational wealth?
I'm not so unique either, I have some friends I've known who similarly didn't come from money and have been able to build up careers that support a wonderful lifestyle.