[anaphoric]

Is wealth/poverty relative or absolute?

I think most people would be happier if they saw it in more absolute terms. I have witnessed wealthy people made to feel like paupers when a yet more wealthy person puts on a display that they can't afford. The phenomena is actually quite comical.

Still it's fairly clear that wealth will always be a measuring stick that people will use to display their relative worth. It's like plumage. A lot of resources go into growing those fancy tail feathers. In itself I don't see anything wrong with that. It's quite natural.

However it's important for societal cohesion that the absolute wealth of the average does not fall and that they can maintain some semblance of dignity.