This guy's suffering was real -- it's just that, contrary to what the article implies, it was not caused by the lack of material comforts, but by the low social position relative to others he compared himself against. If he time-traveled to Eastern Europe thirty years ago he would be the coolest kid on the block owning a car, American clothes and high quality toys and he wouldn't consider himself poor or deprived.

On the other hand, in the future, when everyone has their own planet, some people will still have planets with designer ice caps and others will have to contend themselves with off brand ice caps and the latter will feel underprivileged and unhappy.