I love handbags

[BainsBane]

107. No, I don't deny that a bag is a privilege at a lower income level

I address that point by noting that what many here consider common purchases would seem obscene in parts of the world. Some see Oprah's considering an expensive handbag as an outage, while some see my handbag as an unnecessary expense, while proclaiming their superiority in purchasing a cheaper bag (made, incidentally, in a Chinese sweatshop), while that bag would be out of reach to you. There are also people who would consider your wardrobe to be a luxury.

I share your concern for the system of inequality that is so pervasive. I am less upset by the fact that wealthy people spend their money on expenses that seem outrageous to me than the fact there is so much inequality in the first place. I am more fortunate economically than you, and less fortunate than some others on this site. What is clear to me, however, is that many here look at guidelines of acceptable consumption ONLY from their own perspective.

Part of this discussion is also a means of avoiding a discussion of racism. There is no white privilege because of Oprah or Beyonce is a common meme in US society. Or as someone actually said to me today, Oprah could not have been subject to racism because the President is black. Racism also has a strong class nexus. It keeps more people of color in poverty by denying them economic opportunities through discrimination and a range of structural factors.