Actually your comment seems to me to be exactly describing the conflict between the Iridians and the Culture. Iridians would see the masses of people in the Cul

Actually your comment seems to me to be exactly describing the conflict between the Iridians and the Culture. Iridians would see the masses of people in the Culture as being grossly idle, wasted, no meaning, and themselves as having meaning, value, and good worth. The article does pretty much say that the Culture can be grossly disgusting from the point of view outside. To answer the question straight: people in the Culture live a life of leisure, they can do whatever, they can change their bodies at will and emotions, everything is a hobby.