Do you think poorer people are nicer people?

[Anonymous]

My new car just stopped in the middle of a road today. Wasn’t sure what the problem was. Many Range Rovers and Mercedes drove by and then a nice landscaper stopped to help me. Then some other nice folks stopped to help push my car off to the side of the road. Dh and I come from humble beginnings and I was just thinking some of the kindest happiest people I know are poor.

Then I thought I have never stopped to help someone on the side of a road. I would make excuses that I have 3 young kids but I need to do better.

[Anonymous]

First, you need to understand that most people driving Range Rovers and Mercedes are totally useless.

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

But in addition to that, yeah. Poor people are generally nicer and more willing to help others.

[Anonymous]

I think people have more empathy for your situation if they can see themselves in the same situation, so a person who's had a lot of car trouble is more likely to help you when you are having car trouble.

[Anonymous]

Well, poverty generally makes people stressed and unhappy, so I wouldn’t say poor people are necessarily nicer.

But there’s probably something to be said along the lines that people with less means probably need to rely on each other for help that they can’t afford to pay others to do work for them.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s easiest for middle class people to be kind. Poor people are struggling. Rich people feel entitled. The middle is where it’s at. Of course there are many good people of all stripes. It this has been my observation with respect to money.

[Anonymous]

Many of the really rich people I’ve met are not mean so much as clueless. Think Gwyneth Paltrow.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Poorer people have to share and rely on each other. The more money and power people have, the more entitled and corrupt they tend to become. It's human nature.

[Anonymous]

Poor people donate a proportionately larger share of their income to charity. If you go on the money and finance forum you'll see this play out, as people will say they donate 3K to charity when they earn $300K/year plus, and will say how they're barely making ends meet due to junior's skiing lessons.

[Anonymous]

Yes. The "I've got mine" way of thinking gets stronger the more you've got.

[Anonymous]

Generalize much OP? Good people and bad people in any social class. You can’t see life black and white.

[Anonymous]

Buy AAA like the rest of us.

You have no obligation to help .me

Besides I don't know the difference between a shoe horn and a crescent wrench

[Anonymous]

Actually there have been studies that the wealthy exhibit overall less empathy than others. And also exhibit more law-breaking behaviors.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2018/08/13/are-rich-people-more-likely-to-lie-cheat-steal-science-explains-the-world-of-manafort-and-gates/?utm_term=.59fea2935a64

[Anonymous]

No. When my friends and I met at a playground with our kids we found a wallet. It was the poorest person there who grabbed it, took out the cash, and said she'd drop the wallet in the mailbox.

When we all gaped at her in shock, she was like "What? That's how much it costs to get all your crap back. That's life."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. When my friends and I met at a playground with our kids we found a wallet. It was the poorest person there who grabbed it, took out the cash, and said she'd drop the wallet in the mailbox.

When we all gaped at her in shock, she was like "What? That's how much it costs to get all your crap back. That's life."

That’s an anecdote. It’s not data. Learn the difference.

[Anonymous]

I think the wealthier one is, the harder it is to have empathy for others, esp. the less-well-off.