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Comment by sph | Hacker News Reader

It was a figure pulled out of my ass. I've never earned half that, and these days I'm eating ramen because I am not accepting the status of modern society and trying to spend all my time and mental energy to find a third way. Hence this rant.

I am not prescribing anything to anybody. It is just sad that criticising the status quo is seen as proof of privilege. It is ungrateful of me to entertain the idea that life can be much more, as I have at times enjoyed the fruits of our modern society... Seems like a convenient ad hominem.

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For what it's worth, there's many people who agree with you, myself included. Modern society has created unnecessary work, stressors and pressures that are quite artificial. Everybody goes along without questioning it, at least not aloud.

I will admit that I am by nature someone who takes the alternative path. It's entirely possible that the world is working just fine and I am unable to adjust to it. However, I can't change my nature and have to find a different way to live, because there is no other option for me.

> the world is working just fine and I am unable to adjust to it

It is not. Believing that everything is just fine would be actual proof of privilege. Because the average Westerner has a roof over their head, heating, food and are chronically dissatisfied, depressed, purposeless, powerless against their bosses and those in high power that rule over us (yet they tell you your vote counts!). But somehow they are shamed by their peer if they voice their dissatisfaction, and told "oh, you would prefer a life of subsistence? Because that is the only path!"

Where have all the philosophers, activists, idealists of the 19th century gone? Those that thought of a better world, workers to be respected, a fair economy? Many would like to think we have arrived, that this is the fated utopia they have worked for.

Nonsense.

My theory is that anyone that attempts to negate another's opinion based on their 'privilege' is not worth having a conversation with. It quickly turns into a downward spiral where eventually the only ones with a valid point of view are the poorest and most wretched amongst us. Its like the people that do a stolen land acknowledgement before a meeting and then drive home in a 100k Tesla feeling smug that they made a difference.

It’s totally reasonable to criticize the status quo, and to me at least it is totally okay if that is coming from a place of privilege. But there are also so many out there(most even) who can’t afford to think about anything but the next paycheck to put food on the table for their family or for themselves. I think replacing “modern slavery” with “modern society” is a great improvement! They don’t call it the rat race for nothin!

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