Ok, I earned approximately $18k when I was a research assistant, 20 years ago, and my possessions when I graduated were : 2 pairs levis, 4 t-shirts, 2 sweaters, 1 coat, 2 pairs shoes (trainers, boots), 1 formal shirt, bag of socks and underwear (I can't remember). I had a watch also.

My dad gave it to me - I guess I had privilege.

Ok, ok - I also had a car! Sort of - a citroen BX (look it up and marvel).

I had gone on holiday once in 4 years, also I had my thesis bound and I had many nights at the pub. Also I used not to heat my attic flat (I was tough), my mother came and helped me move out when I got my first job before graduation. She cried.

My point isn't boo hoo, I had a blast, but my point is that I struggled like hell on more than minimum wage 20 years ago. I had no commitments, I was going to earn money in the future (even pre dot.com compsci was a valuable bsc, and even 20 years ago a Ph.D in ML was even more valuable). I had no children, I wasn't french. I had my health (dear god I was a living marvel) I was pretty, I was loved and supported.

It isn't personal sin by people making six figures, it's utter shit poured down on people who are both clueless and helpless, and frankly people (like you, like me) qualify to judge by living it.

I don't qualify, but I can tell you something factual, without all the advantage that my middle class parents gave me (most of which was growing up with the expectation that I would go to University and study science and if I didn't I was a shameful idiot who could go and work as vegetable picker - fear is a motivator) all the financial skills in the world, all the cheap hobbies and all the diy would not have helped.

And by the way if you spend 45 hours a week digging holes how do you think you would contemplate home building projects?

Yes, some people work their way out of it, some people are extraordinary, and some people can have great luck and get the cards to fall for them. But most people are just... most people - everyday people. And most times, you get average breaks. Well, you can do the maths and work out the joint distributions - bad things can happen to good people, normal people don't need much to go wrong, and people who will struggle don't need anything to go wrong.

A wise man wrote :

She came from Greece,

She had a thirst for knowledge.

She studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College.

That's where I caught her eye.

She told me that her Dad was loaded.

I said, in that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola.

She said fine, and in thirty seconds time she said,

I want to live like common people.

I want to do whatever common people do.

I want to sleep with common people.

I want to sleep with common people, like you.

Well, what else could I do?

I said, I'll see what I can do.

I took her to a supermarket.

I don't know why, but I had to

Start it somewhere, so it started there.

I said, pretend you've got no money.

She just laughed, and said

Oh you're so funny. I said, yeah?

Well, I can't see anyone else smiling in here.

Are you sure you want to live like common people?

You want to see whatever common people see?

You want to sleep with common people?

You want to sleep with common people, like me?

But, she didn't understand,

She just smiled and held my hand.

Rent a flat above a shop.

Cut your hair and get a job.

Smoke some fags and play some pool.

Pretend you never went to school.

But still, you'll never get it right.

When you're lying in bed at night

Watching roaches climb the wall,

If you called your Dad he could stop it all.

Yeah.

You'll never live like common people

You'll never do whatever common people do.

You'll never fail like common people.

You'll never watch your life slide out of view,

And dance and drink and screw

Because there's nothing else to do.

Sing along with the common people.

Sing along, and it might just get you thru.'

Laugh along with the common people.

Laugh along, even though they're laughing at you

And the stupid things that you do

'Cause you think that poor is cool.

Like a dog lying in a corner,

They'll bite you and never warn you.

Look out.

They'll tear your insides out

'Cause everybody hates a tourist.

'Cause Everybody hates a tourist,

Especially one who thinks

It's all such a laugh.

Yeah, and the chip stains' grease

Will come out in the bath.

You will never understand

How it feels to live your life

With no meaning or control

And with nowhere left to go.

You're amazed that they exist

And they burn so bright,

While you can only wonder why.

Rent a flat above a shop.

Cut your hair and get a job.

Smoke some fags and play some pool.

Pretend you never went to school.

But still, you'll never get it right.

'Cause When you're lying in bed at night

Watching roaches climb the wall,

If you called your Dad he could stop it all.

Yeah.

You'll never live like common people

You'll never do what common people do.

You'll never fail like common people.

You'll never watch your life slide out of view

And dance and drink and screw

Because there's nothing else to do.

I want to sing with common people, like you.

I want to sing with common people, like you.

I want to sing with common people, like you.