Overheard in the office elevator: a woman, apparently in early 20s,
excitedly on the phone, talking about going into a contract for an
apartment, all-cash, naturally, and her parents “of course” helping her.
Hugely presumptive on my part, of course – she might be a highly-successful
entrepreneur or inventor, though what is she doing in this building in that case – – and I’m guessing she’s paying all-cash for an
apartment in the city where median apartment price in 2016 is 1.15M.

I need to be less judgmental, and mind my own business (and count my own
luck and privileges), but I couldn’t stop myself thinking – how are normal
people with lower-middle-class or immigrant backgrounds (R and me) supposed to compete with millionaire parents of everyone in the country (and the world)?