Display of wealth in America.

[onethousandknives]

I think I've figured out another thing that irks me about America. The display of wealth. As in, the hypocritic nature of it. I don't like how rich people in USA tend to pretend they're "struggling average Joes." I've met people who have 10 million dollars in the bank who have this mentality. That they pretend that their life experience is somehow like your life experience, even when they're light years apart. The mentality is literally "Well I'm not rich, but I just have a new BMW." I hate it. Like, people brag about how much they're making, what they've bought, etc, but then add the appendage of "well I'm just struggling like everyone else!" or whatever, when no, you're not struggling as much as someone making min wage. People have 300K houses, a few 40-50K cars parked in their garage, some 60" LCD TV and they're "average Joes" JUST LIKE YOU who drives a $1000 car and lives with his parents.

I don't like this pretention here in USA about this. Where everyone pretends to be as rich as everyone else. The rich do it, and the poor do it, the poor are told to be "average" like the "average Joe" rich people, they need to take out loans and go, say, buy a TV that costs $700 cash with $25 a week payments for 3 years or something, so they can be the "average Joe" with his average 60" TV. Thus this creates a false equality with the poor occasionally having shiny shit, but then having a bunch of "bills" and preventing them from ever saving money so they can use it to make themselves actually richer or meaningfully improve their life in some way.

[Ghost]

.

[Jester]

I always found it easy to dismiss people who brag about new cars. I know nothing about car brands. I know a few names like anyone does, but couldn't identify what they look like.

"I just got a new BMW."

"OK. I know that's a car but I don't know what kind."

Shuts them up pretty fast.

Nice.

[Jester]

I think I've figured out another thing that irks me about America. The display of wealth. As in, the hypocritic nature of it. I don't like how rich people in USA tend to pretend they're "struggling average Joes." I've met people who have 10 million dollars in the bank who have this mentality. That they pretend that their life experience is somehow like your life experience, even when they're light years apart. The mentality is literally "Well I'm not rich, but I just have a new BMW." I hate it. Like, people brag about how much they're making, what they've bought, etc, but then add the appendage of "well I'm just struggling like everyone else!" or whatever, when no, you're not struggling as much as someone making min wage. People have 300K houses, a few 40-50K cars parked in their garage, some 60" LCD TV and they're "average Joes" JUST LIKE YOU who drives a $1000 car and lives with his parents.

I don't like this pretention here in USA about this. Where everyone pretends to be as rich as everyone else. The rich do it, and the poor do it, the poor are told to be "average" like the "average Joe" rich people, they need to take out loans and go, say, buy a TV that costs $700 cash with $25 a week payments for 3 years or something, so they can be the "average Joe" with his average 60" TV. Thus this creates a false equality with the poor occasionally having shiny shit, but then having a bunch of "bills" and preventing them from ever saving money so they can use it to make themselves actually richer or meaningfully improve their life in some way.

I agree with your observations.

BUT... I'm not sure the rich have much of a choice. Unless you're cool, AND have a switchboard to screen calls, AND live and work in secured areas, there are issues with being perceived as rich.

Relatives, lovers and friends ask for handouts, loans, investments, and jobs. Charities hit you up. People act like you're Santa Claus. When actually you're still just a greedy kid - like they are.

So in today's shameless, egalitarian society, I reluctantly have to give the rich a pass on this.

[BlackKnight]

I think I've figured out another thing that irks me about America. The display of wealth. As in, the hypocritic nature of it. I don't like how rich people in USA tend to pretend they're "struggling average Joes." I've met people who have 10 million dollars in the bank who have this mentality. That they pretend that their life experience is somehow like your life experience, even when they're light years apart. The mentality is literally "Well I'm not rich, but I just have a new BMW." I hate it. Like, people brag about how much they're making, what they've bought, etc, but then add the appendage of "well I'm just struggling like everyone else!" or whatever, when no, you're not struggling as much as someone making min wage. People have 300K houses, a few 40-50K cars parked in their garage, some 60" LCD TV and they're "average Joes" JUST LIKE YOU who drives a $1000 car and lives with his parents.

I don't like this pretention here in USA about this. Where everyone pretends to be as rich as everyone else. The rich do it, and the poor do it, the poor are told to be "average" like the "average Joe" rich people, they need to take out loans and go, say, buy a TV that costs $700 cash with $25 a week payments for 3 years or something, so they can be the "average Joe" with his average 60" TV. Thus this creates a false equality with the poor occasionally having shiny shit, but then having a bunch of "bills" and preventing them from ever saving money so they can use it to make themselves actually richer or meaningfully improve their life in some way.

I agree with your observations.

BUT... I'm not sure the rich have much of a choice. Unless you're cool, AND have a switchboard to screen calls, AND live and work in secured areas, there are issues with being perceived as rich.

Relatives, lovers and friends ask for handouts, loans, investments, and jobs. Charities hit you up. People act like you're Santa Claus. When actually you're still just a greedy kid - like they are.

So in today's shameless, egalitarian society, I reluctantly have to give the rich a pass on this.

Thanks Jester.

Seriously, I have to park 3 blocks away from a good restaurant so I don't have to pay extra money.

"oh, you're driving a 200k car and you can't give me a $100 tip"

[GoingAwol]

Oh God!

I totally get you on this!

Another thing that kills me is how rich kids try to tell you how they work for everything they have. I met this guy at college that goes to class full time and only works one day a week making minimum wage. Yet he had really nice clothes, all the latest gadgets, and a sports car that costed 40K. And guess what? He made sure to brag that he bought the car himself. So let me get this straight..... A college student that only works one day a week making minimum wage had the money to buy a brand new expensive sports car? Get real!!!! If you are going to tell a lie atleast try to make it seem believable.

[Ghost]

.

[Moretorque]

The American financial system is phony so it's going to produce a phony culture, the fact of the matter is America should have collapsed into the ground long ago and more than likely will once the petro $ arrangement is disposed of.

Very few of the people who make a lot of money today do so by a honest method, Socialism is based on dishonest money so what does anybody expect.

[momopi]

I always found it easy to dismiss people who brag about new cars. I know nothing about car brands. I know a few names like anyone does, but couldn't identify what they look like.
"I just got a new BMW."
"OK. I know that's a car but I don't know what kind."
Shuts them up pretty fast.

Hint: if you meet a girl and:

1. She thinks if a car has 4 wheels and runs, it's fine,
2. You open the car door for her, and she reaches over to open your (driver's side) door for you

She is likely marriage material.

[Cornfed]

I always found it easy to dismiss people who brag about new cars. I know nothing about car brands. I know a few names like anyone does, but couldn't identify what they look like.
"I just got a new BMW."
"OK. I know that's a car but I don't know what kind."
Shuts them up pretty fast.

Hint: if you meet a girl and:

1. She thinks if a car has 4 wheels and runs, it's fine,
2. You open the car door for her, and she reaches over to open your (driver's side) door for you
She is likely marriage material.

LOL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyj2VNVB8qk