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Yetzirah

Filthy Rich
Tue Jul 20 2004


I was playing hookey in the mountains.

Got to see my parents and two of the three sons and their wives this weekend. We were all very lazy and lounged about the house mostly and had a nice time catching up.

There were a couple of heated discussions of a political nature. But none came to blows and no one was challenged to a duel. And come to think of it, not only politics was on the table, but some other observations about life came up, and one of them I have been mulling over ever since it was mentioned.

Someone was talking about wealth and how we in America are rather bi-polar about it.

You see we are bombarded with the idea that we can "get ahead", have the "American Dream" (which I have never quite understood fully), or "make it", whatever THAT means... Maybe that's the problem, these concepts are never fully explained.

Anyway, we concluded that while we all admire people who have started out with nothing in this country and worked hard and made a lot of money, there comes a certain point where that same pile of money can become a kind of albatross. And people start to resent you, become suspicious of you, and may even question your character and morals.

The tricky thing about this process is that one never knows when they have crossed the line into "filthy rich" territory. Is it when you buy that frivolous sporty little BMW convertible? Or when you hire the live in nanny. How about when you buy that summer home. Or have a home theater built. (Or in my case, purchasing a room full of leather bound books).

Perhaps the bar is higher than that. Say, your company gets on the stock exchange.
Or you buy your second high rise building. Maybe it's the day you hire your 5000th employee. Who knows? All I know is the very things that you were admired for yesterday, become the things that make you suspect the next.

The exact qualities that were described as "innovative", "energetic", and "enthusiastic" on your way up, are now called, "tricky", "obsessed", and "greedy" once you have entered the ill defined "filthy rich" category.

Yet all the time, we are lured into this supposed nirvana by the advertisers. They show us lounging on yachts, smoothly sliding our bronze golden platinum titanium credit cards over the counter to pay for God only knows what luxuries, and basking in retirement bliss at our country estates.

Perhaps it's just the occupational hazard of a society that is so wrapped up in financial achievement, and material possessions.

It's just odd. That's all I'm saying.





11 Comments
  • From:
    Allimom (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    Hubby and I have always told people that we have achieved the American Dream by getting into debt beyond our wildest dreams!

    Probably not the same though, eh?
    Alli
  • From:
    Enchantedbutterfly (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    I have to laugh at Allimom's comment! LOL

    After all my American Dream will never have me lounging on a yacht unless I marry into money.

    Your views on the rich are very well thought out. I guess I never looked at it like that before, but your right. People admire you when you work hard, but when you get it they think you dont deserve it and make you fork it out to those less fortunate and less motivated.

    Ah... the rant about the direction of socialism our country is heading into is starting to sneek out here, so I will end my comment before Big Toes goes to see Foot in Mouth, starring Erin.
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    The American Dream has always included the pursuit of wealth and the idea that we can build a better life for our families than those who came before us. For more than two centuries we have embraced it. Only in recent years has obtained wealth become such a negative.

    If one looks back carefully we see that much of today's class envy was created to win the Presidency in 1992 and has been promoted since to hang on to political power.

    We have been taught to think that it is not fair that some should have more than others. What better way to play on peoples emotions than to suggest that those who have obtained wealth are greedy and out to walk all over the little guy.

    As long as people covet there will be class envy I suppose. How sad. Even sadder is how it is being promoted today.
  • From:
    Shellybean (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    I agree with your statement that it becomes an albatross. There are levels of it too, and because of those who are in immense debt it's hard to tell finical bliss from financial hell. I have several friends with BMW's, and huge houses that cost nearly half a mill, but they're so in debt I usually end up picking up the tab at luncheons. That wont stop them from dropping a couple hundred on shoes, but they wont think about that until its time to go grocery shopping.

    I think the keeping up with the "Jones's " is gotten out of control in the US. I used to be one of those people myself, but there's more to life than the almighty dollar. I do think that with age comes wisdom, and hopefully some control on spending as well. In the end all that matter is the love you've given—really that's it.


    http://www.shellybeans.org
  • From:
    Dustbunny3 (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    I have over the years studied people and those who coast and those who strive for the Dream .
    Myself I worked hard from a lad to today and it seems when the dream comes true it then becomes a nitemare for some as they want more and then the UGLY head of GREED comes under the rock and becomes a right. No I am not rich but I owe no one but I have seen filthy rich and they are not as happy as I am.
  • From:
    Fairywishes (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    the keeping up with the Jones's has gotten hold of us here in the South East of the UK, it is very easy to get caught up in it all. Having the best quality cars, clothes, education etc. I seem to get myself wrapped up in it sometimes and feel disgruntled with my lot in life when in fact what I *have* both in terms of my family, my health and the financial side are all very good. I have to take a step back when I feel like this and feel grateful that not only do I *know* where the next meal is coming from, I live in a warm, comfortable home in a *very* nice area, my kids go to a school that people are queuing up to get into and I have enough money to do what I want to do. However there is always that irritable little gremlin BMW convertible to highlight that there is always more to chase....!

    great entry today, putting my thoughts exactly into words

    x
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    Take Bill Gates, f'instance. He's in the category of "filthy rich," but he gives millions to charity and education. So does he also come under the heading of "greedy," "obsessed," or "tricky"?

    Seems to me, in the case of the very priviledged, they're durned if they do and durned if they don't.

    Personally, I'd love to be in the "filthy rich" class.

    Shalom
  • From:
    AQuietEvening (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jul 19 2004
    Hmmm, I think that in order for me to fully comment on this subject, I may have to get rich... I'd like to try that albatross on. I want to see which is heavier...that or the one that weighs me down with too many expenses for my income. LOL

    ~QE
  • From:
    ImNotLisa (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jul 20 2004
    But I still want the butler! ;o)
  • From:
    Bookworm (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jul 20 2004
    Definitely food for thought. ;-)
  • From:
    AeolianSolo (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Jul 20 2004
    The problem is that Americans have never learned how to say, "Thanks, I have enough now."

    --Solo