People understand the world based on a “theoretical frame of reference” shaped by their life experiences and circumstances. These frames of reference are inherently filled with biases, preferences, and, occasionally, empathy – or evil. I understand the world largely in economic terms and believe, for example, that a rich black guy has more in common – and feels more comfortable with – a rich white guy than he would with a poor black guy.
Both rich guys might be able to respond to and feel what the poor guy is feeling. But in practical terms, they’ll probably understand and empathize with each other way better than they do with the poor guy. And both guys, by the way, may be equally predatory and not have a second’s thought about stealing the poor guy’s lunch. It isn’t about race, it’s about economic class and character.
My economic frame of reference informs me that my kids are cake eaters. I am well aware that they’ve experienced the burden of me – and I thank them for their tolerance – but they’ve never missed a meal, been homeless, or been untimely ripped from the bosom of society to fight a foreign war against an enemy financed by our new BFF, Russia. Luckily, thankfully, the kids are all right and are good people, but in economic terms they have their cake, and they eat it, too.
And so it is with most Americans. Yes, there’s terrible poverty in the US, but comparatively, most Americans live better and safer lives than King Solomon did in all his glory, thanks to New Deal safety nets, Medicare, and impressive organizations like Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services. So, why are we feeling so strapped and anxious when our communities are littered with storage buildings filled with all our extra crap?
My guess is that it’s a variation on that old Civil War “southern heritage” scam where rich guys convince poor people to fight and die in a war, cultural or otherwise, so that the rich guys can own and control even poorer people. It’s hard to realize that your pocket is getting picked when you’re busy screaming at some poor schmuck for using food stamps.