That’s right, but I doubt the “would still be useful part.”

I’m not sure there’s anything more harmful to society than wealthy folk who think they were poor once, but were not.

Short-lived poverty feels like a game to me. It’s entirely motivational. The psychological toll doesn’t set in until repeated let-downs begin sinking in, and opportunities start evaporating. It begins undermining every other aspect of well-being and it really seems like somebody is playing a trick on you. This is why poor people prefer to be surrounded by other poor people. It helps to be reminded you’re not alone, which is what truly puts a person over the edge..

> ... poor people prefer to be surrounded by other poor people...

I'd challenge that assertion. I think people like to be around friends, and society tends to put people in a position where the only friends they can have are in the same economic strata.

If people who feel deprived are frequently reminded of their relative deprivation, they will tend to dislike it. If your friends all talk about their vacations in Bali and $300 dinners, most people will find themselves feeling at least a little inadequate no matter how wonderful, kind, loving, and compassionate those friends are.

The same thing will happen even via more subtle means as people give moderate-cost gifts or wearing clothing that is visibly more expensive.

You're 100% correct. People like to be around friends. It's perhaps worth considering that there might possibly be more to it than just that.

Well, you’ve exposed yourself as having never been poor for any real length of time. So you’re wrong, but things could be a lot worse.

"I was poor but then I pulled myself up by the bootstraps by getting access to my trust fund again"

Nah what you do is tell them it's 2 weeks.

Then pull them out after 2-4 years instead.