Been thinking about Neige's history and historical potential poverty, especially as it relates to Minajael and his desire for freedom outside of his cushy life (and why he and Ruggie seem to be becoming a small popular pairing). So... headcanons ahead as usual:
Neige, who is surrounded by rich folks amongst his fellow housewardens and many of his dormmates. Of course it's only natural, those who go to elite schools like RSA would probably be disproportionately wealthier. It allowed them a better early education, more time to hone their magic and more freedom to make it past first year. Even if funds are entirely covered by school, for food and supplies, money can still buy quality, clothes, and importantly freedom. And Neige, being in film a long time now, is technically one of those rich students too. He is not like Ruggie from NRC where he has to rely on another person for his income, and sure he gives to charity but he can choose how much. Fabulous wealth gives the option of giving it away.
But... the problem is when all those students who have lived their whole lives start to speak about the lowly poor. Where Neige may perhaps still struggle with eating from the fear of being unprepared if he ends up having to go hungry again, other students may romanticise this idea. "Oh, what if I had to work for every scrap, and feel the rush of doing what I had to just to fill my stomach when work isn't enough?" They speak as if the impoverished are some characters from a story. These free and fun souls, so novel and different, to the rich boys who have only known hunger if it was self-imposed. And the neuroses of eating disorders are no joke but... it isn't the same.
He hears the adoration for the amount of 'strength' and maybe even 'wisdom' of the lowly street rat, who is street smart in a way that even the greatest liars of the most powerful families are not. And yet at the same time, poor people's habits are uncivilized. Sure they may not say it that way, but if Neige were to discuss a childhood meal he made, a stew or a casserole, at best it would be a novelty food and at worst it could be matched to gruel. He may not even want to think what these students may think of the food of poor foreigners, doubling up on the 'weird' factor. They can cover it in platitudes. "Oh but cooked bird feet are so oily! Isn't a meal with no vegetables a bit unhealthy? And the smell is overwhelming it must take a lot to eat something like that." They always talk around what they really want to say. Neige can't say much of anything... not that anyone would listen to the likes of him. And actor and world renowned star. Perhaps if he did, they would see HIS tastes for simple and even 'unhealthy' street foods and poverty meals as some kind of enlightenment. Perhaps that would be rven worse than what they think about all the people who eat those dishes because they must.
The struggle of hard work too can be romanticized. Of people who work several jobs and still make time for family or hobbies. It seems like an exciting life, rather than the tiresome existence of dealing with rowdy customers or overstretched by lazy bosses and having no choice but to stay. "Oh but you can always get another job if you try hard enough!" And sometimes you try and it isn't enough!
Neige was superbly lucky to get his early acting roles, and to have met so many people and developed his skills as an actor, and even he knows he has so much growing to do. He was no Vil, who got to travel and see the world and people in it. If Neige did travel he would need to manage his family while at it, and do so for work and work alone. It would be extremely hard to just make for the hills when he has to try and manage a career, a home life, and an education. And it was not glamorous during those early years. Having to lie and hide and make excuses for not attending class or leaving early from shoots or rehersals or telling his brothers for the 5th time this week that he promises he'll be there for board game night tomorrow but he just can't miss out on this opportunity right now, or he has a make up exam, or he is just... too tired tonight... the life of someone without means is one of sacrifice. Sacrificing family time, or comfort from the cold, wet, or painful, or hobbies and even important pursuits like education.
Could his fellow classmates even imagine simply being unable to attend school? Not having the money or the time and thus not learning how to read beyond a basic level? To not know about the history of one's country or some obscure math formula or biology fact because they simply never got far enough to learn it? You may call it 'basic', but it's not something everyone got the chance to learn! Or maybe their education was abysmal because that was all there was there.
Sure, Neige is not like say Ruggie. He only knows so much about how hard life is without the comfort and security of money and fame. And he has some pretty petty problems a lot of the time, in comparison anyway. Paparazzi are horrific but nothing compared to the lack of safety of living on the street. Overwork is awful but he does far less at his job than many a labourer and has the gal to complain (or maybe doesn't out of respect for those who suffer less than he). Maybe it's "not fair to compare suffering" because "everyone suffers", but it isn't the same...
And others just would not understand. They may believe it, or believe they help, by giving money to whatever charity is popular this week, but what about vetting? And what about investing in infrastructure? Dumping a load of money on something will not fix the problem, just give more money that will filter away from taxation, or simple greed, unless managed. It's all a complicated web. And different people need different approaches. Neige seems to focus on donating to services to help orphans and underprivileged children but that is only a small pool of the massive well of suffering inequity has built.
And few of the rich folk around him get that. How could they? They never got the chance to learn. It's not their fault they were born into eternal comfort and imagine a life away from their struggles, imagining the 'poors' have it easier or more interesting... and all this is but a fraction of the reality of that life...
It's not their fault. But it must be fucking infuriating.
