at what point of material well-being does one become incapable of comprehending that there are people whose upbringing did not match theirs?
None.
By which I mean, I don't think it's about level, but exposure. We have a natural tendency to assume that others are like us until proved otherwise...if you don't ever confront the fact that people can be much worse off than you, face to face, not in the abstract "give money to others" sense, not through just hearing about it, but really seeing it, smelling it, tasting it (as it were)...you don't really understand.
(I'll not mention exactly when it was that I learned this lesson. Let's just say it was probably later than you would expect.)
no subject
None.
By which I mean, I don't think it's about level, but exposure. We have a natural tendency to assume that others are like us until proved otherwise...if you don't ever confront the fact that people can be much worse off than you, face to face, not in the abstract "give money to others" sense, not through just hearing about it, but really seeing it, smelling it, tasting it (as it were)...you don't really understand.
(I'll not mention exactly when it was that I learned this lesson. Let's just say it was probably later than you would expect.)