In 1960, hitting the “bigtime” for the ordinary European was owning a Volvo. At the same time for those nearly 1 billion of the world’s poor it was stable shelter, three square meals and warm clothing.

Fast forward fifty years. Today the middle-class European has “made it” when they can afford expensive yearly vacations to remote destinations. Nowadays owning a car is considered a right, not a privilege by almost all middle-class teenagers in the western world. Yet the world’s now nearly 2 billion poor still “make it” when they are finally able to obtain food, clothing and shelter.

Poverty keeps your expectations low. The gap between the rich and poor continues to grow.