| > I feel bad because I'm younger than they are, but [I enjoy privileges] The world is not fair. You are not responsible for the way the world currently is, but you have a responsibility as a citizen of the world to work on lessening the inequality and pain. It’s good that you feel bad, but the next step is to use this feeling effectively and act on it by volunteering, working in politics and working in businesses that have a positive impact on society. > You might say I "deserve" my current place in life. No, you don’t deserve it. Nobody deserves their current place in life, some just got luckier with their genetics and circumstances. Believing in a just world is useful for society and the individual („they’ve earned it“), but it’s not true (truth is more „they got lucky they weren’t hit by a truck when they were 7 years old“). I can, however, respect your effort and that you work hard. Doesn't mean that somebody else who can't work like that is deserving of a lesser place. > I feel uncomfortable interacting with people of lower social classes. Spend more time with different people from different backgrounds. This sentence is the result of being alienated from your fellow human beings and honestly sad to hear. Realize that we’re all the same. > I give rather large tips, but it doesn't make me feel better. You try to minimize your bad feelings with small gestures and you know it. That's why it doesn't make you feel better. To truly feel better, you need to involve yourself in making the world a better, more equal place for all human beings. > I usually tell myself that they probably greatly appreciate the jobs that they have and are using it as a stepping stone to achieve their dreams Stop telling lies to yourself. Many people are stuck in soul-sucking jobs and are imprisoned by their responsibilities to their families. The US is unkind because the system makes you feel responsible and seems to judge you for the outcome of your life while your life has a lot of randomness and luck in it. It needs to change. - https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/8/21/17687402/ky... |
This is a very kind, very real statement right up until the moment that people realize that I can spend far more than they can. At which point I frequently become, in their opinion, either an asshole or a mark. I don't think I'm better than the guy who regularly waits my table at a favorite local restaurant - in fact, he works at least as hard as I do, has a great personality, and is always pleasant with us, and he gets GREAT tips (and not just from me). But I've seen a lot of people try to fuck me over just because I have more than they do. Not like a 20% markup. Try 200%. And labor on top.
Lucky for me, I've cultivated good relationships with solidly blue-collar folks over the years. I could tell them that I wanted XYZ done, and I wasn't particular as long as it happened in the next few years. So when their business went slack, and they needed the money, they had a job for more or less as long as they needed to pay the bills. I get a little price break, they get a steady income. And when I need to pay them, I'm happy to do it in cash. Maybe they report it, maybe they don't, not my concern but the one great thing about cash is that you never have to worry if my check will clear (yes, this is a very US-centric problem).