The person feeling the pain is the one who determines who is feeling pain. Who gets to decide? That's the entire point. The people who are most affected often have the smallest seat at the table. For example, in the issue of policing, the black communities would very much like some community influence over the police, but the police control the narrative. In the case of sexual harassment, #metoo was all about women controlling the narrative vs men.
Regarding the bottom layer, you're exactly right, though we (the collective "we") have a choice about what constitutes the minimum standard of living for the bottom layer. For example, in the USA, we have different opinions on this. A libertarian would probably argue that there is no minimum. Folks either make it or they don't, and if anyone wants to share, that's completely up to them, but don't force me to do so. Taxes, welfare, disability checks for veterans... all of that is contrary to a strict libertarian perspective.
On the other side, some folks argue that the minimum should include full and equal access to healthcare, tuition free education through the bachelors degree, a minimum monthly check of something like $1000 for everyone regardless of income, food, clothing, and shelter.
Both of those statements above represent a vision of "the bottom layer."
All that to say, I agree with you for the most part. But you're speaking in very broad terms.