One thing is certain; there is a wealth gap in the world today, and that’s not new. The gap between the haves and the have nots is the dynamics of every society. This isn’t surprising since, value is attached to net worth and network.
The psychological effect of this socio-economic differentiation goes a long way in affecting the esteem and psyche of the respective class. Consequently, there is the subconscious development of an inferiority complex. The acceptance that certain individuals are better and more valuable than others owing to fiscal divergence.
Material things in themselves are not valuable unless we attach value to them. Thus, the value we attach to material or tangible things validate their worth.
Significantly, we are prisoners of our value system. The metric of valueableness is what holds us captive to a thought pattern. What is represented as premium is immaterial if one doesn’t share the sentiment (just like how some Android users feel inferior to Apple users). Essentially, we don’t see things as they are but as we are.
I recall a day, I went with my dad to a mall in a very exclusive part of Lagos. I moved along the aisle, admiring exotic items for sale cautiously, my head bowed, feeling all out of place because the price tags were way above my league. Then, it occurred to me that I placed more premium on the items than I did myself. Suddenly, I had a rude awakening, straightened my shoulder, raised my head high, and walked like I owned the world. I have been walking that way ever since.
That experience has greatly influenced how I relate with material objects and others that happen to be more privileged than myself. I have learnt to press the advantage of being a human being, whose essence is deeply weighed in the quality of my soul and the serendipity of opportunity.
I wish it was this simple and that inferiority complex did not extend to our skin color, descent and body shape. Unfortunately, it does. We actively belittle ourselves, when we entertain the thought that our worth is based on what a system defines or privilege it offers.
It is saddening that some individuals see themselves as better than others because of material or systemic privilege without stopping to consider for a moment, the value of human life.
The quality of human life is in memories created. It is a compilation of tangible and intangible events; more in the indelible impact carved in our world.
The purport of this article is to improve individual psyche; one’s sense of self worth, and to reiterate the mantra that you are valuable regardless of how immaterial you think your life is.
Furthermore, to personalize value as opposed to the metrics of net worth and network, to include individual qualification of the essence of life and living. Possessing clarity on what is valuable, helps build one’s esteem but more importantly, self esteem is a product of what we believe about ourselves
Connoisseur of Memories 