What a tamed revolution. So all that’s left is to be glad rich privileged people are also emotionally ill? That’s it? That’s the victory of the working class ? Sad.
We need better takes. At least Parasite was threatening. Joker was a teenage power fantasy. But today, war raging and all that, all we get is “hah, well at least they’re not happy either”.
Maybe. But they sure are healthier, more joyful, more relaxed and way more free. Freedom not luxury is what separates the rich from the poor.
I am amazed by the inability of so many artistic mediums to put a spotlight on this – because all that glitters is pretty we can’t see the casual optionality as the real extraction from everyone else’s work and sweat. Canceled plans are paid by the single under paid mother’s overtime. Giving up space business to pursue AI business is paid by over worked immigrants in dark kitchens and undocumented rideshare drivers.
Casual optionality – sounds pompous. But you see, the so called rich – you know that layer of social armor for the elite between well off and all the way up to only travels business class – these so called rich have extremely well planned optionality. Their freedom is pre planned.
Which is more than the zero optionality of the working class or the spontaneous fixed lives that the poor experience.
But the rich don’t get the casual optionality of the elites. That is what the metaphor around the idea of an “Epstein class” means – casual optionality. It’s echoed by “you can just do things” uttered in writing by the poster child of data center ponzi scheming. That is what they have – they can just do things. You can’t.
I saw recently some dude happy of election results – he said he could just live his life now – ha ha ha. You love the designated life doncha?
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