It is important to note that in this narrative of resentment versus hard work—as exemplified in the following quotes—the main character in the story tends to be the mythical “ski-bum,” who has chosen to live a life of poverty, giving up the modern allure of wealth for a life of adventure. While these types of people certainly exist (less and less so), the ultra-wealthy tended to view them as the face of inequality, used as a romanticized scapegoat to justify great wealth and great wealth inequality, and ultimately, to obscure the real face of people struggling in poverty. The regrettable irony
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