See, you've struck at the heart of what I dislike about this... The thought that my consciousness could reside in your body or yours in mine.

Who I am is absolutely based on two factors: nature and nurture.

Nature though my genetic inheritance and nurture through the experiences I have had (from my parents to begin with but later teachers and books and friends and so on).

It's like when people say "I wouldn't do that if I were you". The answer is "Yes you would, because you would be me and I would do this". What they mean to say is "I don't understand how you can do that", which is a perfectly natural thing to say and something I encounter and empathise with myself.

But this enduring notion that we could possibly better off if only we were someone else is false and self defeating.

We are who we are and we are where we are because we are who we are and we are where we are.

If you want to be where someone else is, do what they have done (to the best of your ability) and go to where they have been (again to the best of your ability)... you will make progress to being them, but you can never catch up for they started off on the journey before you and aren't slowing down.

I would dearly love if we could swap consciousness... I feel, were it possible, the world would discover a great sense of peace and meaning in the existence we share.

But we can't, so rather than sit and mope about how "lucky" I am (or you are or they are) understand the people you look up to worked hard to get what they are and how fortunate you are to be able to learn from them.

Make your own luck!

P.S. I should point out that I agree with you it appears to be some great cosmic fluke that consciousness exists at all... but perhaps I only say that because I lack certain information ;-)