The other day I was watching the sunset, one of those especially vivid ones, and I realized something: this is the same sunset a billionaire might be watching right now.
That seems obvious, but it surprised me. Because in most comparisons, billionaires live in a different world. People use them as a kind of measuring stick, even though it’s not a very healthy one. Still, that’s how most people think: what would life be like if I had everything?
We’re told, again and again, that some limits don’t go away no matter how rich you are. You’ll still age. You’ll still die. You don’t get to pick where you’re born. These are the fixed boundaries.
But there are more shared experiences than people usually realize. And a lot of them don’t scale with wealth.
Natural phenomena like sunsets and sunrises. The sound of waves crashing. Looking up at the stars. These experiences don’t care how much money you have. They’re available to almost everyone.
The same goes for certain feelings. The calm after helping someone. The mental clarity after a long walk. The kind of laughter you only get from being around kids or close friends.
And just as there are joys that money can’t amplify, there are discomforts billionaires can’t avoid. A wet sock feels just as bad whether you’re rich or poor.