Man, let me tell you, after I got out of the military but before I started putting myself laboriously through college, I was as poor as a church mouse. I had a job as a rental agent but it was only 30 hours a week. I had no car, no phone, no insurance, no air conditioning, hand-me-down clothes and lived on Ramen, carrots, and tap water. But my 3 cats were always fed. Always. Because pets are a RESPONSIBILITY I took on of my own free will, and once you take on that responsibility, by God, you better live up to it.
I am pretty sure the cat man was actually a libertarian (or something similar) making fun of the Occupy movement, though yes, there are a lot of those people that are like this!
Grew up with paper routes and cutting neighbors’ lawns.
Every summer as a teen I worked on the staff of a Boy Scout camp all summer. Slept in a small tent with another guy.
One year at VMI being hazed, and having only a small, cigar-box size lock box for personal belongings. Everything immaculately clean and orderly at all times. Rigorous studies on top of that.
Four years on ships in the Navy, living in cramped quarters with few belongings, poor-tasting food, long hours, hard work, some danger, etc.
Completed undergraduate in modest comfort, then medical school, the last two years of which I had no vehicle, lived in a small, vacant studio apartment on a thin futon on the floor, owned one pot, one pan, a plate, a cup, a bowl, a single spoon/fork/knife setting - all from Goodwill. Ate sitting at the foot of the futon using a flat rock found in the alley, which was propped up on a few bricks. Studied there too.
Spent several years of my residency training sleeping on the floors of my small offices (when not up all night on call). No car.
I never complained, and it never even crossed my mind that I had it bad, or that someone should feel sorry for me. Many had it much worse throughout history, and in our society and elsewhere. I worked hard, kept my nose clean, dealt with people honestly, never got anyone pregnant, never went on the dole, never borrowed from my folks, and paid off my debts ASAP through extra work and sacrifice.
I have a mixture of sadness and revulsion for what I see today in young people. Whatever I inherently had, or had instilled in me, or worked hard to develop in myself is entirely lacking in so many. Hemingway’s story title - “A Way You’ll Never Be” - often comes to my mind. So much has been lost in recent generations, and I think there is little chance of it being revived.
I sound like a typical old coot, and perhaps now just an example of a dying breed of dinosaur, but I’m quite blessed to be one.