I’m rich and hate rich people

[Anonymous]

I grew up in a lower and middle-class household and eventually became relatively wealthy (think big law firm partner wealthy). The longer I was around other wealthy people, the more I disliked them. Everything they stood for rubbed me the wrong way. They bored me.

A few years ago I walked away from rich people completely and now live a very different life. I have zero to do with old colleagues and friends and am much happier.

Anybody else feel the same way about the rich?

[Anonymous]

I just hate the new money people. They are so wildly insecure and flaunt their newfound wealth constantly. It makes me recoil from them.

[Anonymous]

I mostly feel that wealth hasn't made you in any way discerning, which is sad.

There are just as many personalities at the wealth end of the spectrum as there are at the poor end. Your circle didn't have the same priorities as you? It doesn't mean all rich people should be tarred with the same brush, now, does it?

I recommend extensive reading, international travel and going to classical music concerts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I mostly feel that wealth hasn't made you in any way discerning, which is sad.

There are just as many personalities at the wealth end of the spectrum as there are at the poor end. Your circle didn't have the same priorities as you? It doesn't mean all rich people should be tarred with the same brush, now, does it?

I recommend extensive reading, international travel and going to classical music concerts.

why?

[Anonymous]

OP here. I’ve probably traveled to more places on earth than anyone you know. It only reinforces my view. I’m not religious, but the “harder to fit a camel through the eye of a needle than get a rich man into heaven” saying rings true to me.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of rich people who you would never know are rich. You sound like an elitist and snob.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you OP. I don't know if we're rich but we have a mid 6 figure HHI, large college and retirement funds, paid off house etc. Wr have chosen never to trade up to wealthier neighborhoods because we feel the same way. I interact with many affluent people in my work and as a rule find them and their children less kind, more materialistic, more competitive, and more entitled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I mostly feel that wealth hasn't made you in any way discerning, which is sad.

There are just as many personalities at the wealth end of the spectrum as there are at the poor end. Your circle didn't have the same priorities as you? It doesn't mean all rich people should be tarred with the same brush, now, does it?

I recommend extensive reading, international travel and going to classical music concerts.

why?

Because most classical music is not as accessible an art as other types of entertainment, and it requires delayed gratification, close listening skills and ideally some musical literacy. The people you meet there skew to wealth but many will not. There will be a lot of musicians and aspiring musicians with their families. There will be cerebral types and informed amateurs who may have important day jobs. They won't come there to brag and throw their weight about. You will see a different side of people you may know professionally. The energy will be introspective rather than muscular.

If OP has worked extremely hard to get to where she is, she may have missed what the finer things in life actually are, how to enjoy them with people she can find common ground with, and how to contribute to them.
She could do the same for wine-tasting, or reading various types of literature, or themed traveling.

[Anonymous]

I get what you are saying, OP. I also grew up LMC and have close family members who still are. Sometimes I find it very hard to relate to people who do not have any real idea of what that world looks like. A lot of the people in my current income bracket do not seem to understand how privileged they are and show a tremendous insensitivity to those who are struggling. I also still really enjoy a lot of the low-brow things that we would do growing up because we had to money to spend on the fancy things. It can be hard to share those things with other wealthy people, because a lot of folks have just built their world around an idea that you have to go to a fancy restaurant or engage in some crazy expensive/exclusive hobby to have a good time. Obviously, one can only generalize so far, and there is lots of variety at all levels of the income distribution. But, I do find myself gravitating toward people who did not grow up with money.

[Anonymous]

Finer things in life as YOU define them. I have had plenty of free time over the years and have even more now. I’m talking about rich people, not classical music. You’re missing my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a lower and middle-class household and eventually became relatively wealthy (think big law firm partner wealthy). The longer I was around other wealthy people, the more I disliked them. Everything they stood for rubbed me the wrong way. They bored me.

A few years ago I walked away from rich people completely and now live a very different life. I have zero to do with old colleagues and friends and am much happier.

Anybody else feel the same way about the rich?

I'm sure we are considered rich and the only rich people I don't like as those that have a "privileged attitude". Those are the people who treat the less wealthy either with disdain or as being non-existing. Where you see it the most is how they deal with and treat service people. Do they treat them with respect and appreciation or do they treat them as servants to be at their beck and call. A GF and I were having lunch at a favorite restaurant recently and the hostess said "Mrs. X, we all adore your husband" and I joked "Well, it must be because he tips well!" and she said "No, it's because he makes everyone feel good about what we do."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get what you are saying, OP. I also grew up LMC and have close family members who still are. Sometimes I find it very hard to relate to people who do not have any real idea of what that world looks like. A lot of the people in my current income bracket do not seem to understand how privileged they are and show a tremendous insensitivity to those who are struggling. I also still really enjoy a lot of the low-brow things that we would do growing up because we had to money to spend on the fancy things. It can be hard to share those things with other wealthy people, because a lot of folks have just built their world around an idea that you have to go to a fancy restaurant or engage in some crazy expensive/exclusive hobby to have a good time. Obviously, one can only generalize so far, and there is lots of variety at all levels of the income distribution. But, I do find myself gravitating toward people who did not grow up with money.

This. I’m so glad I cut them all off. So much happier.

[Anonymous]

New money people can be insufferable, but there are aholes in every income level. Worst neighbors were in a lower class neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I’ve probably traveled to more places on earth than anyone you know. It only reinforces my view. I’m not religious, but the “harder to fit a camel through the eye of a needle than get a rich man into heaven” saying rings true to me.

You may have traveled but you sound provincial to me -- sorry. Rich is not a personality; it's a financial condition.

[Anonymous]

So I'm picking up that "big law firm partner wealthy" peers didn't make you feel warm and fuzzy? They worked by the hour right? Maybe they aren't the best standard to use in assessing quality of folks with "wealth."