I had a discussion with an acquaintance recently revolving around lifestyles and the concept of living within ones means. All was based on a fair wage. My side of the argument was that certain pleasures and conveniences should be forgone in order to live comfortably, rather than trying to demand a higher minimum wage. (The self-defeating nature of increasing minimum wage was an entirely separate discussion and won’t be addressed in this article.) The other side argued with a “but you have those things”.
This acquaintance was right… I do have those things. But what difference should that make, exactly? I have worked hard for my lifestyle. I have had to make certain sacrifices in order to achieve what I have. If, God forbid, my financial situation were to change, my lifestyle would accompany said change. Doesn’t that argument right there prove my point?
I’m perfectly satisfied with that being the relative end of the argument. Living within ones means is the expectation we must provide individuals. Not an expectation that they should be somehow entitled to “keep up with the Jones’s”.
-Mike H