It’s so fascinating how big the gap is between intellectually knowing a thing and emotionally and viscerally experiencing that same thing.
I’ve seen so many people (and I’ve been so guilty of this myself) armchair quarterbacking things that they think they intellectually understand but have no actual practical experience doing.
It's so easy to be dismissive, divisive, suspicious, jealous, fearful etc...
Having experienced a range of these things from both sides I can say they feel totally different after you’ve lived it - if only because it gives you more empathy.
Some examples that come to mind...
1. Being an entreprenuer
2. Working at a high profile company
3. Being at the center of a negative media narrative
4. Delivering real software at scale
5. Having money
6. Living and working in the US and Silicon Valley
7. Owning/driving exotic cars