I was watching an episode of Sense8 on Netflix, a new original series. There are many interesting scenarios going on in that show, but one in particular stood out for me. If you don’t know the series, it’s about 8 people that are connected around the world and they can visit each other in form but no one else can see them.
A young woman from Iceland was flying in a plane from London to Iceland. A young man from Africa popped onto the plane and was so excited about seeing clouds below him. He had never been in a plane before. He looked at her and said “You are so Lucky!” She thought about it for a second and said “I am not Lucky. I am privileged, but not Lucky.”
This really hit the spot with me. I always say my children are spoiled. I also know that I am the one that spoils them (along with their grandparents). Are my children spoiled, lucky or just “privileged”?
Is there a difference? After reading the definitions below, the word spoiled makes me sad. It seems that lucky and privileged are close in definition. Lucky is fortunate where Privileged is favored.
Thoughts?
http://www.dictionary.com defines these words as follows:
spoil
verb (used with object), spoiled or spoilt, spoiling
1.to damage severely or harm (something), especially with reference toits excellence, value, usefulness, etc.: The water stain spoiled the painting. Drought spoiled the corn crop.
2.to diminish or impair the quality of; affect detrimentally: Bad weather spoiled their vacation.
3.to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.: to spoil a child by pampering him.
privileged
1. belonging to a class that enjoys special privileges; favored: the privileged few.
SerenaArtiste 
In this day and age, it would seem that all, except the most under-served, are “spoiled”. Especially children. How sad. I wonder when the dictionaries will include a definition that includes this kind of spoiling? Conversely, how often do we hear of or see people who have such different values that they can see their “luck” or “privilege” in spite of the things they have or don’t have? It might also be said that it is not so bad to “spoil” ourselves or our children if the means are there, while also teaching and understanding love, honesty, respect and not encouraging a sense of entitlement.
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They actually do refer to a spoiled child in the definition – I think it is the last one. I thought the quote was interesting about being privileged vs lucky. A lot of kids are spoiled, some more than others. I don’t mind spoiling them but I don’t like them feeling as if they are entitled.
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Exactly!
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There have been times in my kids lives where they have spoilt these tended to be when they were little and in reaction to events, for example after my son almost dies from meningitis at 7 months old the whole family spoilt him rotten for a while until it started affecting his behaviour at which point I put a stop to it, generally they are privileged though by no means are we well off or do they get everything they want. The big thing for me is about appreciation and that they understand the value of things is not attached to a price tag.and though my daughter is grown up now do find that sadly that is something that is not share by many of my sons classmates from the conversations over hear on the school run.
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It’s the sense of entitlement that bothers me. I don’t mind doing nice things and giving them things (if I can) but I don’t like it when they expect things because they feel entitled to have them. I have had to be the mom and the dad.
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