The devastation sweeping Los Angeles right now, as five separate wildfires ravage parts of the city, is simply unimaginable.
The Pacific Palisades blaze in particular, has seen over 1000 buildings destroyed, as an estimated 180,000 flee with 200,000 more on evacuation watch in what’s being considered the most destructive fire in L.A history.
As uncontained fires continue to ravage the area with no end in sight, the famously well-off region home to several celebrities, has seen conversations online already take a dark turn, devoid of compassion and tainted with a distinct distaste for the wealthy.
As news broke many comments online carried an ‘eat the rich’ sentiment. On a post by the BBC one reads, “Awwww poor rich people” before another adds “Lol good, zero sympathy for rich celebs” and a third says “Can you imagine losing your 4th house! Must be hard. Thoughts and prayers”.
Famously dubbed TinselTown, L.A may be perennially synonymous with the celebrity set, but the city’s socio economic demographic is far from that of suburban pockets like Hollywood and the Pacific Palisades.
A large portion of LA’s population is considered middle or working class, with the median household income according to the U.S. Census Bureau sitting at $80,000, some $19,000 less than that of Australians.
So no, it’s not just the rich who are losing their homes, belongings and even loved ones to this tragedy.
Misconceptions about L.A’s socio-economic standing aside, our empathy towards those affected by the fires should be unbiased.
Having the means to rebuild does not make the loss of a home any less devastating. A home is more than bricks and mortar, it’s the sum of its most intangible parts, a place made of memories. And then, there’s the loss of the irreplaceable, money-can’t-buy assets; family heirlooms, childhood photographs, hand-made treasures.
Hollywood’s biggest celebrities may lead lives far more glamorous and privileged than ours but they’re no less human and no less deserving of empathy.
So, while Miles Teller or Adam Brody may be financially fit to face the physical loss of their Pacific Palisades homes, it may serve to remember fires this destructive take more than just what we can see from the outside. Above all, our humanity and empathy towards others shouldn’t be tied to someone’s dollar worth.
