Why Am I So Fascinated By The Obscenely Rich?

They just have different problems. Some are happier and well-centered, some are self destructive and miserable.

Welcome to the capitalist mindset, where we don't just subconscious equate riches with goodness but consciously do so.

Perhaps you should read some Marx.

Filigree said:

They just have different problems. Some are happier and well-centered, some are self destructive and miserable.

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People say that money can't buy happiness, but it totally can. Up to point, anyway.

Errant Lobe said:

I thought communism was dead.

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Marx was an idealist. He criticized capitalism and offered his own theory for a better economic system and others used that to create what we know as communism today, which was twisted and warped. He created, what we now call today, Marxism, while other interpreted his theory to create what they called communism and socialism.

Read the Communist Manifesto. It's a bit challenging, but it's a good read.

They've done studies where they found more money equals more happiness up to an income of about $75,000 per year, and then it doesn't matter anymore.

Once the basic stresses are removed from your life -- you have peace of mind because you and your loved ones are fed, sheltered, healthy, comfortable, and secure -- then the rest is gravy and it doesn't really make you any happier. Maybe you can afford more stuff, but stuff doesn't improve peace of mind. At best, it gives you a little blip of temporary pleasure, and then you go back to your baseline.

Here's the thing: The familiar is invisible. If you live in complete luxury, then after a while, you stop noticing it. And once that has happened, then all your happiness must be coming from your internal state, not your external state.

So having another car won't make you happier, but -- for example -- knowing your kids love you and are thriving will.

Errant Lobe said:

Queen Yinin, you are in the UK.
What level of impact has JK Rowling's success had on the common man, not to mention the below poverty levels?

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I'm... not entirely sure what this question even means. Her work has had a huge impact on an entire generation of children growing up, plus whoever read it to them, but I don't have the mental tools to dissect that properly. All I can say is that everyone really likes Harry Potter.

As for her financial success? I'm not sure it had one. I don't know J.K., she doesn't affect my life in any way. I read her books as a kid but I don't even own a copy these days. Literally the only time I think about her financial success is sort of say "well, that's a best case scenario, but really very unlikely" in regards to my writing. She's a household name, and every aspiring writer can point to her say "well, if she can do it, so can I", but presumably there were other household names before her. She'd not the only rich author. She's an inspiring rags-to-riches story. Everyone can looks at her house/lifestyle/bank balance and say "I wish I had that" but that isn't unique to J.K., or even to rich writers. They'll say that about any rich person.

She's donated a lot a lot to charity. That probably had an effect on a fair few people.

Queen Yinin said:

People say that money can't buy happiness, but it totally can. Up to point, anyway.

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But it can buy coffee and waffles, which is the same thing.

This is really interesting, because I always assume the other way around-- that the obscenely rich are not happy/good people. I'm guessing it's a holdover from the "poor and proud of it" teachings from my childhood.

(Something like, "Rich people. Never trust a rich person. They make their money off the backs of people like us, without a care for people like us. People like us actually work for a living. And keep working...and working... and working... because we're not lazy, corrupt bastards.")

I always felt like this was a pretty common perspective, because it was normal for my family's circle of acquaintances, but there's been plenty of times before where what seems normal and boring to me is absolutely bizarre to a large segment of other people. This is why I'm not afraid to write what seems normal and boring.

And I think you have to write the obscenely rich just as "normal" as other people. There are good people, and there are corrupt people, regardless of income/savings. There are happy people and unhappy people irregardless of income/savings. Wealth can bring different struggles in some areas, and less of certain struggles in other areas, but then there are struggles that are simply human and aren't strictly affiliated with class, race, or sex.

Silva said:

This is really interesting, because I always assume the other way around-- that the obscenely rich are not happy/good people. I'm guessing it's a holdover from the "poor and proud of it" teachings from my childhood.

(Something like, "Rich people. Never trust a rich person. They make their money off the backs of people like us, without a care for people like us. People like us actually work for a living. And keep working...and working... and working... because we're not lazy, corrupt bastards.")

I always felt like this was a pretty common perspective, because it was normal for my family's circle of acquaintances, but there's been plenty of times before where what seems normal and boring to me is absolutely bizarre to a large segment of other people. This is why I'm not afraid to write what seems normal and boring.

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It's possible to hold two different conflicting opinions. It's entirely possible to look down on the obscenely rich as immoral, lazy, corrupt bastards, but at the same time also want to be rich yourself. Because I know I'm definitely not an immoral, lazy, corrupt bastard now and I'd never let the money change me

I'm intrigued by old money. Families that have been rich for generations. I've known and still know what most people would call filthy rich. A good friend of mine is worth over a quarter of a billion. His father made most the money, but he's taken it from there, so not old money at all. But I have the fuzzy beginnings of a story in my mind where the living is all very casual. Where money is not an issue at all. I don't believe however that they are happier than the rest of us are. In fact, if they're idle there often less happy.

Maze Runner said:

I'm intrigued by old money. Families that have been rich for generations. I've known and still know what most people would call filthy rich. A good friend of mine is worth over a quarter of a billion. His father made most the money, but he's taken it from there, so not old money at all. But I have the fuzzy beginnings of a story in my mind where the living is all very casual. Where money is not an issue at all. I don't believe however that they are happier than the rest of us are. In fact, if they're idle there often less happy.

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This is something I've always believed. It especially applies to those who inherit money or win the lottery. It takes a certain kind of person to sit at home and do absolutely nothing all day, and those kind of people are generally just as happy in poverty as in riches. People need purpose. It doesn't have to be a good purpose, but people need a reason to get up in the morning, something to do with their day. (Note; I am not rich and I do not know rich people, but this does seem fairly obvious to me)

Now, if you were obscenely rich, you COULD argue that you could devote that day to charity work or something... but personally I'd rather just be upper-middle class and spend my day working to stay there.

You can be filthy and happy, though. It's true. But only if you're engaged. There's a quote attributed to an old time American comic, Joe E. Lewis. "I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better."

Money can't buy you happiness. But having no money will certainly buy you misery. It's akin to what JJ said upthread--the only thing I'd add to that is 75k with a family and living in a major American city, just ain't gonna cut it.

Queen Yinin said:

It's possible to hold two different conflicting opinions. It's entirely possible to look down on the obscenely rich as immoral, lazy, corrupt bastards, but at the same time also want to be rich yourself. Because I know I'm definitely not an immoral, lazy, corrupt bastard now and I'd never let the money change me

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Oh, for sure. I would like to think that's how I'd be.

But I think said inculcation was born out of a desire to justify and glorify the present (non-rich) lifestyle in a (sub)culture where getting rich just wasn't going to happen. If you think you will never get something, then you can move on to something else and not be weird about it.... or you can be stubborn and try to make it happen anyway.... or you can be really weird about and be like "well who wants that anyway. Not me!!! So I will make people not like me out to be bad people so that I can feel better about myself and where I am in life in comparison to them. 'cuz here in Murica we haul ourselves 'round by our bootstraps and who cares if that makes us walk funny."

So, yeah. Not really a healthy perspective on life. But pretty normal for my childhood.


Edit: I mean, I would like to be rich and not let it change me. I would not like to look down on rich people. *facepalm*

Silva said:

Edit: I mean, I would like to be rich and not let it change me. I would not like to look down on rich people. *facepalm*

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Hey, there's nothing wrong with looking down on rich people!

Queen Yinin said:

Hey, there's nothing wrong with looking down on rich people!

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I'm afraid I'm too short to look down on anyone.

Silva said:

I'm afraid I'm too short to look down on anyone.

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Yeah, I'm a little height-disadvantaged as well. And I'm not rich enough to afford a step stool either. We'll have to resign ourselves to glares and muttering under our breath...

Short people unite.

And subsequently plot to take over the world.

Maze Runner said:

the only thing I'd add to that is 75k with a family and living in a major American city, just ain't gonna cut it.

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Yeah, I would guess that's 75k per adult, i.e. a family household with two working adults would pull in 150k.