How does wealth come into comfort?

Comfort is something which is felt, at least at some point, by everyone in their lives. However, the degree to which comfort is experienced depends on a number of factors. One of which is money. The distribution of money within a society based on capitalism is bound to affect the comfort which people feel.

Ostensibly, one would suggest that discomfort is a part of life felt much more by those of less wealth. Through less wealth, there is less ability in a capitalist system to purchase goods and services which make one feel comforted, including necessities. Because of this, are people are likely to feel alienated as they lack the resources to escape this problem, therefore discomforting them more? If there is a limited availability to the poorer margins of society they therefore have less opportunity to experience comfort, and are subject to a number of hardships and disadvantages because of this.

Conversely, is there an aspect of desensitisation for those who have a vast amount of wealth? Through mass comfort, perhaps the upper classes, those who have enough wealth to make themselves feel more comforted through the ability to purchase masses of goods and services, perhaps build a tolerance which limits their comfort through hyper-comfort and a lack of sensitivity to the comforts they receive. It is perhaps an infinite cycle of chasing hollow superficial wants which leads to less comfort.

Therefore, do the polar opposites of wealth bring a similar result, in the sense of comfort? That is not to question the overall result that it is most likely much better to have wealth than not to have enough, however it is a question on whether masses of wealth bring comfort.

Undoubtedly, however, comfort does not solely come from purchasing goods and services. It comes from the ability to affect the world around you, or be affected by the world around you; to feel different in a positive light on behalf of this. For example, you may feel comforted through the love of someone close to you, or giving love to someone close to you. Perhaps then, is comfort better obtained through more meaningful and compassionate objectives and acts?

There is often a greater sense of community with the poorer divisions of society, who frequently band together and aid one another to get by and survive; union of people who feel akin to one another, helping one another for their needs. Could this lead to organic comforts through aiding other people? This is something which the poor perhaps have more access to, therefore have a different form of comfort more readily available – a comfort which is bound by human connection and the want to help each other. Again, that is not at all to suggest in any form that those with inadequate wealth to survive are of a better position, or not unprivileged. However, it is a pondering on whether a lack of availability to purchase goods and services within a capitalist society leads to greater connection with human beings; finding this comfort without the money and selfishness.

Inevitably, this questioning is touching on the very surface of the multitude of inputs and factors which affect human comfort. Wealth is something which affects us all, positively and negatively, and it has the same effect on comfort too.