It saddens me that wanting enough time to develop yourself is considered a " moral high horse" implying "special treatment". Personally, I think virtually anyone should be able to get spartan survival with a part time job giving them enough time develop themselves - or work a full time job to live reasonably well. Reading Samuel Delaney's biographical sketch The Motion of Light On Water, the US seemed to offer that possibility in 1962 but today minimal rent in most places requires two jobs.

The same forces that mean those people "laying down cement in 100 degree weather" often can't actually "put a roof over their family's heads" are the forces that keep poor artists for existing in this society.