It bothers me that most of the Philosophers throughout history were wealthy men with the means to pursue a life of Philosophy. It seems to defy the heart of the issue. I realise of course that everyone is capable of suffering and the wealthy will obviously encounter their fair share - I mean it's entirely subjective and humans being what they are, are fairly adaptive. So one person living in poverty is going to suffer in their experience. However the wealthy will also suffer - perhaps it's suffering loneliness, or boredom - or whatever. The point is in each person's experience the suffering while quantitatively different will qualitatively be similar. An injury is still an injury, a broken heart is still a broken heart.
I've picked a stupid dichotomy because all the research about happiness points out that everything between abject poverty and what we'd call substantially wealthy register similar levels of happiness. I have the typical imaginary ranter (she changes form - at the moment she's a hip athiest who is quite vocal and well educated - it's entirely likely she's my muse which would totally figure - that mysterious figure supposed to quietly inspire you is abusing me - holy cow she's doing it even now!
Muse: Oh, so you're writing a blog and that makes you an artist?
Me: What?! No, I'm just saying that you're supposed to inspire me and you're abusing me.
Muse: Yeah well you're the one make gross over generalisations about how the suffering of the wealthy are essentially the same as those in poverty...
Me: Here we go.
Muse:... because we all know that not having clean water and and basic shelter IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS SOMEONE TURNING UP TO THE BALL FOR THE GOVERNOR IN THE EXACT SAME DRESS AS YOU!!!!
Me: Yeah well it would be quite humiliating if you were a man.
Muse: Oh right make a joke out of it - why don't you throw in some sort of gay slur.
Me: That's an example cross dressing, doesn't mean you're gay so essentially you're the one whose being the biggot.
Muse: We're talking about the suffering of the poor and the down trodden being the same as the wealthy. You don't know what you're talking about and you're putting on weight.
Me: Ok, you know what you're out of control..
Muse: OUT OF CONTROL! YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHIN...... OUT OF CONTROL? ARE YOU RETARDED?
Me: Hey! Steady now that's kind of out of line.
Muse: SHUT.UP. And what is this? Why are you even writing this. Why? Who is reading this?
Me: No one has to it's just creative...
Muse: Then keep a fricken' journal genius. Spewing your junk trash thoughts all over the internet.
Me: While that's a tautology it's a relevant good point.
Muse: Right so can we stop this nonsense then and go back to that quiet despair you were quietly working on?
Me: Can we please keep to the point? I was raising the whole thing about Philosophers pondering stuff and living in the lap of luxury while they did so. I just don't think it's fair. What about normal people like me.
Muse: You can't use the term 'normal' with reference to your self.
Me: You know what I mean.
Muse: Yeah but you're still essentially privileged, compared to the rest of the world.
Me: That's just crippling Western guilt brow beating me.
Muse: No. It's me making a substantial point.
Me: I helped out someone by mowing their radically overgrown lawn yesterday and then I sat through a film with horrific hay fever - it was embarrassing - sounded like I was crying.
Muse: Don't chat to me, I'm not interested. Least you could go to a film. Spose it was 3D
Me: Yeah it was - it was $25 to see and it was obviously post converted. There wasn't any 2D screenings of it.
Muse: What film?
Me: Thor.
Muse: You know there's people with no clean water to drink in the world, don't you?
Me: Yes. I know. That's why you're in my head.
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