It is a phrase that implies a life of leisure and security gifted to someone by inheritance or their own acts. It implies a life where all of your needs will be looked after.
Simply put you enter life with the security and position that allows you to live a life of leisure pursuits. We can use this phrase anytime we encounter a person who is wealthy by inheritance.
While some people are gifted from birth by being born into a family, still others in their earliest years of life are brought into this lifestyle through their actions or situation.
Any way we look at this idiom, it is one of the very best situations one can be born into. While only a few people will experience this type of life, it can carry a great weight of responsibility. The responsibility to be a good custodian of your great fortune, and use your life’s liberty from maintenance to accomplish higher ideals and goals.
Read on to discover the full meaning of this idiom and how to use it.
What Does “Born With A Silver Spoon,” Look Like?
The long lived idiom in English of, ‘born with a silver spoon,’ has been reinvented several times in its history taking on a different context depending on the fashions of the time, and what individual or group is utilizing the phrase but in general it has always been used to indicate wealth and position.
About one percent of the American population live in a category of great wealth and privilege. It is this type of lifestyle to which the phrase, ‘born with a silver spoon,’ is used. These mega rich families pass their wealth from one generation to the next as a process of inheritance. That wealth that was attained before serves to continue to care for family for generations. As a result, the following generations, no longer occupied with the normal task of earning a living, are free to make a difference for mankind by wielding their power and influence. While still others, ‘born with a silver spoon,’ flounder their family fortune in addiction and illegal activities, shirking their responsibility and family honor.
Understanding The Idiom, “Born With A Silver Spoon,” And Its Implications In Relationships With Others When Used
Idioms exist in all languages, and have several reasons for their use. In defining what an idiom is, we turn to Cambridge University’s dictionary for the definition. Cambridge University has long been identified as the final authority in matters of the English language. They define idiom as, “a group of words in a fixed order that have a particular meaning that is different from the meanings of each word on its own.” What this means effectively is that as English speakers and writers, we understand the attached meaning of an idiom, even though the words making up the idiom may not make sense or be obviously misleading, we know what is being said.
Historically speaking, the first time this idiom was used was at the turn of the eighteen hundreds. At this time it was common for people to carry with them their eating utensils to be used when they stopped to eat. The quality of the eating utensils indicated the status and position of the user. While the majority of people still used wooden utensils, some of greater means were using pewter, and those representing the most wealthy carried utensils of silver. Thus the phrase, ‘born with a silver spoon’ was used to indicate those who lived a wealthy lifestyle. Indeed, by the end of that century, a silver spoon had become a cultural marker like today’s credit cards to separate the middle and upper class from the poor.
The first time this idiom appears in writing occurred in 1719, when it was translated from the original spanish version of Don Quixote, “Mum, Teresa, quoth Sancho, ’tis not all Gold that glisters [sic], and every man was not born with a Silver Spoon in his mouth.”
This idiom has appeared subsequently in history both in text and verbally, most notably in 1840 in America during the Martin Van Buren government, known for its affluence. In this particular situation, toward the end of his presidency, the idiom was upgraded from silver spoon to golden spoon.
“Born With A Silver Spoon,” In The Community
There is an implication that those, ‘born with a silver spoon,’ have come by their good fortune without truly understanding it nor being deserving of it. Many feel that because they have not earned their wealth, they are ill prepared to administer the great responsibility that goes along with their inherited position. In this belief, those born with a silver spoon,’ are often not taken seriously by the community. In some rare cases they are shunned for their unearned positions of wealth, and left on the fringes of the community.
The reality of being born into privilege is often far different than the majority of people believe. Because those born into wealth have little need to consider making their living day to day, they are often free to work in higher levels of social contribution. Using their time and privilege to effect social change and intellectual advancement are part of the responsibility of having a silver spoon.
The best present day examples of this reality might be found in the few remaining royal families in the world. Largely relegated to symbolic positions of power, royal families utilize their ‘silver spoons,’ to serve charitable organizations, and encourage governmental social services enhancement. For instance, Prince Charles of England, is a supporter of animal rights and actively supports charities for children and single parent families. Here we can see how a life of leisure can free one to work in areas and for endeavours otherwise forgotten by government and private enterprise.
The opposite unfortunately, can also be the case. Here the person of privilege squanders their opportunity to make meaningful change in favor of serving their own agenda. A good example of this misuse of time and resources can be found in the Winchester family in the United States of America. Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester family rifle fortune, was famous for wasting her time and family resources to keep ghosts at bay in her home by continuously adding rooms to the family home. While her home is now a famous tourist attraction, she ultimately wasted her opportunity to utilize her life of privilege in support of social wellness.
Still others with ‘silver spoons,’ fall victims to their own wealth. There are those that because of their lack of purpose choose to utilize their fortunes to their own demise. Caught up in drugs, gambling and unlawful acts, these wealthy families can at their worst commit acts contrary to the wellness of the community. An example of this can be found in the heir, Robert Richards, to the DuPont fortune. A family fortune, founded on invention and innovation, ultimately finding its way to the hands of Robert Richards, who after becoming a recluse of sorts, succumbed to drugs and alcohol, and illegal behaviour, and ultimately acquiring a criminal record.
Some people are brought into a life of silver spoons. Children have often been adopted by the wealthy out of necessity for the child. While not being born into the family, they enjoy all of the privilege and resulting responsibility. For example, the great fashion designer, Oscar de la Renta, rescued a baby from certain death, later raising him as his own son to inherit part of the family fortune, leaving Moises de la Renta, with a silver spoon.
Example Sentences With The Idiom “Born With A Silver Spoon”
- Everyone in the Royal Family is born with a silver spoon.
- She struggled so much in her life that from time to time she would look in contempt to those born with a silver spoon.
- He always said it didn’t matter that he had been born with a silver spoon and he would trade it all for peace of mind.
English Idioms
Conclusion
While being ‘born with a silver spoon,’ happens only to a small proportion of the population, it is a ticket to a secure and leisure filled lifestyle. Born to wealth and power can be a great asset to the development of charity and charitable actions in the hands of the privileged. With great wealth comes great responsibility, and those born with a silver spoon have a level of responsibility far greater than most.
How the wealthy choose to utilize their time is the question. Some move time and resources into advancing the human condition, while others try to side step their responsibility and live meaningless existences. While most people look to see the wealthy take on leadership roles in support of humanity, there are some that see those who inherit wealth as undeserving. Tainted with a sense that the best money is not inherited, it may just amount to a jealous response to the person, born with a silver spoon.
In any event, to be born into wealth and power is a true gift, that if used wisely, can contribute to humanity in ways that most people simply can’t.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.