Symmetry wrote:See- an alternative can work without needless digs at people.
When I lived in the US, I was in a year book class, and one of the nominations was for worst dressed. It went to one of my best friends- a guy whose family was struggling financially. Second hand clothes, hand me downs, etc.
He was brilliant academically, but the nasty crowd used the awards to kick him.
Popularity contests- I'm wary of the how they can be used for hate.
When you say struggling financially, do you mean because of his shitty clothing? The relationship between poverty and luxury goods is a strange one. I was watching those guys fishing at the top of Victoria Falls, the one guy had an Abercrombie shirt. I don't think financial well-being has anything to do with clothes. There are those who are struggling financially who have nice clothes and those that wear "gift from grandma" clothes but are rich.
I think you are imagining socioeconomic status as if it isn't two distinct things hamburglared into one. You might think you're helping, but by even repeating the mantra "you're poor so you can't afford luxury goods" you are ruining the bedrock of society. Luxury goods destroy empires so instead you should say "I was really jealous when my friend got the worst-dressed award because he was able to show me that modern life is all a shell". Luxury goods aren't a goal, they are a curse. Financial well-being isn't a state of economy, it's a state of mind.