Relative poverty

Relative poverty is going to ruin this planet. We can't be happy (statistically as a people, not necessarily individually) as long as the guy next to us has more. I never understood that whole "keeping up with the Joneses" thing until I started thinking about our rich neighbors. They sold their business and came into about $80 million dollars. The husband has decided to go to medical school in California. They are not selling their house here, rather they have bought a private jet and learned (or knew already) how to fly so that they can commute back and forth. It would be about a five hour flight with one stopover.

And they traded in their Volvo station wagon for a new Lexus convertible. It looks so snazzy.

Now I feel a bit deprived. We drive a Honda, which cost about $12,000 seven years ago. We don't have a private plane. We can't retire and live off our millions for the rest of our lives.

Of course, I know that 99.99999% of the world is MUCH worse of than us, but I can begin to see how living near richer people than yourselves could make one a bit unhappy. And of course, this is all we see in the media, celebrities enjoying themselves on private islands, in luxury hotels, etc. Somehow that is easier to take than the people across the street from you having a private jet...