I think it’s relative. I’ve seen people born practically destitute who have started businesses and grown themselves a fortune. I have also seen people born with a silver spoon in their mouth who did NOTHING. Many millions of people are born in the US, could get a passport, but yet do not.

Sure, some people are born in Iraq and will probably never ever leave their country despite their best efforts, but they can still make themselves a good person. 🙂

As a traveler especially, it’s pretty clear that WHERE we happen to be born makes more than a smidge of difference in our options in this life.

I mean, but for a fluke, I was lucky enough to be born in a hospital to a nice couple in Oak Park, Illinois – as opposed to… in a thatched hut to a single mom of 6 other babes in Mozambique.

True. It’s up to each of us to take it from there. But I’m just sayin’ that having a U.S. (or Brit or CN or Oz, etc.) passport opens a lot of doors – that a lad or lass in say… Burundi can’t even DREAM of.

But I suppose – (as a Brit himself) that’s what Mr. Bell meant by “…as a general rule,”

In any case, I’m just humbly grateful that I happened to start out with a navy blue ticket. 😉