What is more impressive- being born rich or having a prestigious career

[Anonymous]

We encounter many kinds of wealthy people. There are the hedge fund and law firm partner types or the surgeon. Then there are the people who have not accomplished anything themselves but were born rich. The born rich people often also have not try hard children. They seem to look down at the try hards and call them strivers.

[Anonymous]

Being born rich is not impressive at all. It might even be considered a negative impression.

[Anonymous]

Neither.

The more impressive is the wealthy person who flies under the radar while driving their 20yo Camry and wearing clothes from Costco.

What a DCUM question! 😀

[Anonymous]

Aren't we impressed with people who accomplish great things?

Maybe it's Jeff Bezos who founded a company and became a billionaire...or maybe it's Mackenzie Bezos who is giving away her billions in the divorce to worthy causes (often who have no idea she was even considering them as places for donations).

Honestly, I think the vast majority of all billionaires (whether self-made or inherited) in fact want to install a "striver mentality" in their kids. They don't necessarily need them to apply that mentality to making money vs. making an impact in the Arts or an NPO et al...but they aren't interested in their kids accomplishing nothing with their lives.

[Anonymous]

A layman isn't familiar with "prestigious" careers, but he is familiar with money.

[Anonymous]

What is a "prestigious" career?

[Anonymous]

Why would it be impressive to be born rich?

[Anonymous]

Being born rich helps in certain subtle ways, I have learned.

BR people are better at sales. They don't feel bad selling people something or empathizing on affordability, pride, guilt, etc.

BR people are better managing "the help".

BR people are better at standing up for themselves for services received, such as a contractor messes up and they demand a refund.

Feel free to take me to task if you think these are wrong impressions.

[Anonymous]

I'm most impressed by someone who is happy with an average amount of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being born rich helps in certain subtle ways, I have learned.

BR people are better at sales. They don't feel bad selling people something or empathizing on affordability, pride, guilt, etc.

BR people are better managing "the help".

BR people are better at standing up for themselves for services received, such as a contractor messes up and they demand a refund.

Feel free to take me to task if you think these are wrong impressions.

My spouse was born rich and apart from managing “the help,” none of your other impressions track.

Sales would be considered tacky because it requires hustle and talking dollars and cents. That’s beneath them. Unless you’re selling exclusively to other high net worth clients, in which case you’re “building relationships,” not selling.

And it would be gauche to demand refunds or complain about services rendered. You would only contract with well-vetted businesses in the first place, and if anything were to go wrong, you would spend more money on correcting it. There’s plenty of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being born rich is not impressive at all. It might even be considered a negative impression.

+1

[Anonymous]

I’m impressed by people who are not born rich who become rich or have otherwise very successful careers. Being born rich isn’t impressive.

However, I am envious of people who are born rich lol. If I had to pick between the two for myself I’d want to be born rich. 🤑

[Anonymous]

I think what's impressive is people who go from poverty and instability to a very stable, not necessarily wealthy, life. Most wealthy people I meet were either born wealthy or very comfortable.

[Anonymous]

I like people who are smart, interesting, funny, and pro-social. Many born rich and self-made people fail.

I like Warren Buffett. I do not care for Jeff Bezos. He's on a villain arc now.

I do have a preference for self-made people because they are usually interesting and energetic. Just having lots of money and stuff is not impressive to me.

[Anonymous]

Your surface-level understanding of social structures makes you look unintelligent, OP.

Sure, we can admire self-made people for their drive and business acumen... but you know they had to crush others to get to the top, and probably not see their kids or participate in family life. The rich dilettantes probably haven't harmed anyone as much.