What makes some people view socioeconomic wealth quite negatively when

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  1. gmwilliams profile image81
    gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

    http://s1.hubimg.com/u/9167958.jpg
    in fact, wealth is a positive thing which enhances and elevates one's standard of living?  Do these people realize that wealth means more socioeconomic choices?   When will they realize that being poor and struggling is an abnormal way of life, existing from day to day?   When will they GROW UP and realize that in the real world, being wealthy means ownership and power over one's life and choices?

    1. profile image0
      calculus-geometryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Being poor is abnormal...and...being rich like Marky Mark is normal? Just out of curiosity, have you ever heard of this place called Africa?   I think a lot of people who live there may disagree with you as to what is an "abnormal" way of life.

      Perhaps you can solve this distasteful situation by becoming/marrying/getting adopted by a gajillionaire and giving away your riches to the filthy poors, so that they may improve their standard of living to a level that pleases you.

    2. GA Anderson profile image81
      GA Andersonposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The problem is that too many people view wealth as a monetary measurement. And if that is your yardstick, you, (generic "you" of course), are already on the path to an unfulfilled life.

      You know me well enough by now to know that I am not a "kumbahya" kinda guy. So I can honestly say I have never ever measured my wealth by how much money I have or whether I could pay my bills on time.

      So for this...

      " When will they GROW UP and realize that in the real world, being wealthy means ownership and power over one's life and choices?"

      I really have to say your priorities are really screwed up - in my opinion of course - you will never be as happy as you think you should be as long as you are measuring your happiness by your house and bank account.

      Geez! Now look where you have led me! Let me ask you; "When will you grow up and realize that money is not power - it is tool, and different folks use different tools to get the job done. I am damn glad my toolbox is different from yours.

      ps. I hope I haven't come across too strong, but you really hit a hot button issue with me. My wife is my opposite - she measures everything by money. But I think I am right. And as callous as it seems at the moment, I think Robin William's suicide helps validate my point. Everyday there is some news  story that illustrates a rich person's private troubles that prove money does not buy happiness, and, power is not happiness.

      pss. I am sure this qualifies as a tirade, so I offer an apology in advance.

      GA

    3. tsmog profile image85
      tsmogposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I agree wholeheartedly, however I see it slightly differently.

      Which comparison is greater or 'of more than'?

      A homeless person not working compared to a person at poverty level doing menial tasks. A homeless person's income is relevant to begging or luck finding something on the streets. The other person at poverty level has an annual income of $12,000. That is basically 12,000 times greater than the homeless. Is that a wealthy person? Don't they deserve respect for that success?

      An average family in the U.S. at $51k (2012) annually compared to the average millionaire's annual earnings in the U.S at $247,000 is only 4.8 times greater. Consider a millionaire or billionaire is determined by their net worth . . . not there net annual earnings. Most millionaires net worth is their business as a worth (a capital gain) . . . that is the accumulated wealth.

      [Sources: http://www.deptofnumbers.com/income/us and http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/st … naire.html

      Tossing labels out is misleading regarding wealth / riches and the poor at times and is useless until meaning is offered for understanding. Wealth, which is being used colloquially here IMHO, is being used more as a class distinction rather than the accumulation of capital . . . wealth. 

      For instance if the person with a net earning at poverty level lived as homeless, which could be likened to the many millionaires who live life as a typical person in an average neighborhood, there would be people throwing stones at them. They would be poor according to the rock throwers standards and labels. Yet, they would be accumulating wealth at a higher rate than the millionaire with those comparisons! They would in actuality be more successful in business terms - capitalism and free enterprise, however they would be 'classified' as poor based upon present socioeconomic classifiers. Is that being respectful? I dun'no . . .

      It is perspective at hand where differences occur . . . IMHO. Unfortunately today the costs of social liabilities are becoming extremely expensive today. Those are growing at a tremendous rate and will soon exceed the costs of social responsibilities. That is limiting the available capital for investment purposes. A car for instance.

      Social Responsibility costs as we know most are:
      Fed Income Tax
      State Income Tax
      Local and Municipal Taxes
      Property Taxes
      Social Security Tax
      Medicare
      State Disability Insurance
      Unemployment Insurance
      Sales Taxes
      Fuel Taxes
      Luxury taxes including liquor and tobacco
      Health Insurance - New (Once a social liability cost now tilted in favor of responsibility)
      . . . and others

      Social Liability costs many times mandatory for a deferred benefit, of which no actual benefit may ever be paid, as we know most are: Mathematically the benefit is an unreal value or an imaginary number. Any imaginary number squared is a negative number . . . i .

      (Health Insurance - No longer and Now changed)
      Vision Insurance
      Dental Insurance
      Auto Insurance
      Home Insurance
      Property Insurance
      Rental Insurance
      Life Insurance
      401K, 403K Plans
      IRA Plans
      Interest on debts
      . . . and others

  2. Kiss andTales profile image61
    Kiss andTalesposted 10 years ago

    Some people are born into wealth ,like well said in the movie the titanic ,old money, there are people that have no control over gold and silver not by choice, but that is not their treasure. Remember in the the bible the Jews where slaves under Pharaoh's rulership, it was after their God Jehovah delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh after the last plague of the first born dying that he released them ,with much wealth and gold .Reference Bible Ex 12:35 And the sons of Israel did according to the word of Moses in that they went asking from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold and mantles.
    Reference Bible Ex 12:36 And Jehovah gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, so that these granted them what was asked; and they stripped the Egyptians. 

    What was their real treasure  ? Their  God Jehovah who fought for them, who gave his people the Silver and the Gold because he owns it . But more important then the silver and Gold was that he protected the lives of over 600,000 men and extra were women and children .They were rich by God Jehovah's hand not their own in more then one way.
    You can own riches ,but riches mean nothing if you can not live to enjoy them,and your life is cut short.
    Put God first you will be rich forever.

  3. WillStarr profile image83
    WillStarrposted 10 years ago

    No one wants to be poor. We all want to have enough to be comfortable, and that means having wealth. But we all have to earn it.

    I've never been jealous of those who have succeeded. Most millionaires today did not inherit their money. They earned it through hard work and sacrifice, so why should they be hated and despised? I don't get it.

    1. gmwilliams profile image81
      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      THANK YOU Mr. Starr, a voice of logic and reason.  You are spot on regarding your analysis as usual.  It seems that there are so many haters and negaters regarding wealth and success.  In their purview and mind's view, if THEY aren't wealthy, then NOBODY ELSE should BE.   They want others to be poor and struggling like they are.  It is totally implausible that people who purport to loving being poor are the same ones who complain about rising prices and budgeting.  Well, if they were wealthy, that would not be problem at all, hmmmm!

      Of course, those who are socioeconomically wealthy earned it through smart/hard work and sacrifice.  They WILLINGLY admit this.  Look at our celebirites, many are hard working.  The problem is that many people refuse to EXERT and EXTEND themselves. Such people want to work just hard enough not to get fired, refuse to go the extra mile at work and get out of work, refuse to take the extra steps to advance in their jobs(they don't want the responsibility at all), etc.  They want to work and go home and watch the television or mindlessly socialize yet they HATE upon those who get promoted because the latter made sacrifices to get that promotion.   Yes, Mr. Starr, the world is so full of HATERS and NEGATERS.

      1. WillStarr profile image83
        WillStarrposted 10 years agoin reply to this

        Most of those who despise the wealthy have the mistaken belief that they inherited their money (like the Kennedy's), but that's not true. The vast majority are the newly wealthy, who earned it themselves.

        To me, the truly greedy people are those who think they deserve 'their share' of what someone else earned.

        1. gmwilliams profile image81
          gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Not only are they greedy, they are exceedingly selfish, THE NERVE!   It isn't the wealthy who are greedy, the poor has the LARGEST concentration of greedy people.  They see what wealthier people have and WANT the good life without making the necessary effort and sacrifices.  Their mantra is GIMME, GIMME, GIMME....

          1. WillStarr profile image83
            WillStarrposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Now you'll catch hell from the left! How dare you tell the truth!  :-)

            1. gmwilliams profile image81
              gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

              That's NOTHING NEW.  I say BRING IT ON, I'M READY FOR YA!

    2. Zelkiiro profile image59
      Zelkiiroposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Buuuuuuulllllllsh!t, they didn't. I may have brought up the abject horror that the early 1900s were for people who weren't filthy rich in the past, but at the very least--at the very least--those plutocrats did earn their millions fair and square.

      Nowadays you've got people who were born into their money comprising the majority of millionaires alongside such hard-workers like stock-brokers and hedge-fund whatevers and Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian.

      The people who actually did any work to obtain their millions (a handful of CEOs, a couple cutting-edge electronics engineers who made it big a la Steve Jobs and Bill Gates) are in the minority.

      1. WillStarr profile image83
        WillStarrposted 10 years agoin reply to this

        (sigh)

        About 80% of millionaires are self made:

        http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pf_article_110333.html

        1. gmwilliams profile image81
          gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Mr. Starr, THERE'S no use in educating.  No use at all, people are going to believe what they want to.....

          1. gmwilliams profile image81
            gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Mr. Starr, it seems that some have an adverse mindset and psychology that wealth is somehow negative while poverty is good.  That thinking is totally abnormal to say the least.  That type of thinking goes under abnormal psychology or inverse psychology.  No right thinking person wants to be poor; they want to be as wealthy as they can.  Nice talking to you Mr. Starr, you are a person of great intellect and logic.

  4. Zelkiiro profile image59
    Zelkiiroposted 10 years ago

    And to respond to the OP: Why do so many hate rich people? That's easy to answer--they control everything.

    And they rig everything to favor them while screwing us.

  5. Sed-me profile image78
    Sed-meposted 10 years ago

    I disagree with everyone on this thread so far... no disrespect.

    1) To GM: Money doesn't buy happiness, no matter how many capital letters you use to insist it does.
    2) To Will Starr: The point of this thread was that "money buys happiness", not "everybody hates millionaires".
    And
    3) To Z: This link has to do with billionaires, not millionaires, but the point is the same. http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle … eir-money/ (not that it matter imo. What do I care how someone got their money?)

    1. gmwilliams profile image81
      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Money DOES buy happiness.  Tell THAT to a homeless person or an impoverished person.   Money affords people a better standard of living without constant struggle.  I KNEW THAT AS A CHILD, WHY do some people persist in the idea that money does not buy happiness when it does indeed.

      1. Sed-me profile image78
        Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

        So... a tiny house full of love is bad and a giant mansion where everyone's tucked away in their rooms on their electronic devices is good.

        How is it possible you don't see that happiness is possible in both worlds?

        Robin Williams... suicide. He had everything.
        Cory Montieth from Glee... suicide.
        Whitney Houston.... drugs.
        Kurt Cobain... suicide.
        David Strickland... suicide.
        Surely you know the list... http://madamenoire.com/298699/celebriti … d-suicide/

        Of course the poor take their own lives and die of overdoses too, but that's not the point... the point is, if money could buy happiness, these rich ppl would still be alive.

        1. gmwilliams profile image81
          gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Why some people THINK/WANT small.  There is nothing wrong with a mansion with privacy.  Who wants to live on top of each other, NOT I!  Being wealthy is glorious.  Poor people AREN'T happy.  I grew up around poor people.  They talk about how they had to struggle and do without, even the necessities.  They talk about living in bad neighborhoods and in cramp conditions.  They talk about how they had to be content with inferior quality of food and no medical care.  Would rather be rich anytime than POOR.  THERE IS NOTHING GOOD ABOUT BEING POOR.  NO ONE is happy being poor unless he/she wants to live an uncivilized, primitive existence.

          1. Zelkiiro profile image59
            Zelkiiroposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Dude, I don't think even Scrooge McDuck is as comically-greedy as you. And that's a forkin' achievement.

            Also, not everyone wants to be rich. Being rich looks like a pain in the ass, having to keep up appearances and trying to furnish a huge house and whatnot. I'm largely content with the stuff I have--I just would like to have enough money to ensure that I'll get to keep it.

            1. Quilligrapher profile image71
              Quilligrapherposted 10 years agoin reply to this

              Greetings, Zelkiiro. I totally agree with you.

              Greed is not the need to accumulate more wealth and power than you have. Greed is to accumulate more wealth and power than you need. {1}
              http://s2.hubimg.com/u/6919429.jpg
              {1} http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/greed

          2. Sed-me profile image78
            Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Tell me you can see that not everyone thinks like you. Poor does not mean squalor. Poor doesn't not mean unhealthy. To be poor means you  do not have financial wealth. It is not synonymous with being unhappy. Some of the best ppl I have ever met have been dirt poor and I would stack their value against the value of a rich person any day. Value is not found in square footage. I pray one day you will meet ppl of quality like the ppl I know.

            1. gmwilliams profile image81
              gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

              NO WAY, no one in their right mind wants to be poor. I was taught to achieve and to be the BEST SOCIOECONOMICALLY as a child.  Well, some are content with NOTHING......their problem, not MINE.  Sed, why do you want people to be POOR?   I want people to be as socioeconomically wealthy as possible.

              1. Sed-me profile image78
                Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                Why would I want ppl to be poor? Am I keeping them from wealth by saying their happiness does not depend on their income? Were you planning on writing checks?

                My contention is that you must not know a very wide range of ppl if you don't know ppl whose value and beauty is not found in a bank account.

              2. Zelkiiro profile image59
                Zelkiiroposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                Most people don't want to be rich--they just want to be able to live comfortably without constantly being in fear that their next check will bounce. For these people, that's what happiness is: being content and not living in fear.

                Having flashy dinner parties and 40 cars and a spiffy butler just sounds annoying, and living in a 50-room mansion would be downright frustrating. I wouldn't want any of it, even if I were somehow magically loaded with cash. Well, except the butler. But only if his name is "Sir Bearington." And if he were a bear.

                1. gmwilliams profile image81
                  gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  Being socioeconomically wealthy DOESN'T mean flashy dinner parties.  The average rich person live a nondescript life.  Please read The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley Ph.D.   However, being socioeconomically wealthy means financial freedom and freedom from other socioeconomic fears.  Good night all!

                  1. Sed-me profile image78
                    Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                    Sleep well GM.

          3. Kiss andTales profile image61
            Kiss andTalesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Sad but many people around the globe are not born with advantages ,they can not help that they where born in poor land or country, it would be cruel to gloat about riches when many are just trying to get bread in their mouths, their own country under Demonic forces will not release food and aid that is sent to feed many.
            It would be so unwise to to think this country could not go through another Great Depression , again it will happen and money will lose it's value not to recover . The proof of how this goverment handle it's affairs is no secret.
            What did King Solomon say about his riches. Ec 2:11 And I, even I, turned toward all the works of mine that my hands had done and toward the hard work that I had worked hard to accomplish, and, look! everything was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing of advantage under the sun.

      2. Susana S profile image93
        Susana Sposted 10 years agoin reply to this

        Same crap, different day.

        Why the constant threads spouting the same stuff?

        If you're so happy with your wealth why do you spend so much time shouting at people on the internet?

        Surely you could be doing amazingly enjoyable things with all that money.

        1. gmwilliams profile image81
          gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I am happy and I want OTHERS to be like ME.  It is good to spread the word that wealth is GREAT. So I am educating people that being socioeconomically wealthy is FAR BETTER than being socioeconomically struggling from day to day, wandering when/if bills will be paid, food put on the table, and where one WILL LIVE either in a home or in the streets.  WEALTH means the difference between living humanly and living at the basest. There are so many people who REFUSE to realize that wealth is GOOD and that being poor is BAD.  When one is wealthy/rich, he/she OWNS; when one is poor, he/she is OWNED. GET IT, SUSANA, GOOD!  I am saving that money; wealthy people DON'T spend their hard earned money. They save and invest it for even more returns and value!

          1. Kiss andTales profile image61
            Kiss andTalesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            That is like telling people as an example being healthy is good and it is. But reality is genetics do not allow this to happen for many. They can not control all the aspects of being healthy. They want to be healthy. And yet cancer, ill born diseases plague the earth and effect many. Do you think people want the Ebola virus ,No but people get it and die. Yet what you are saying to people you should be like me ! When their life and course is different. And their surroundings does not make it possible to be like you ,Wealth in this system is short lived. The goverment is indebt. The great tribulation is coming and money will have no value . People can put their trust in God and the New Goverment that will last forever.wwwjworg .

  6. profile image48
    LillMercyposted 10 years ago

    GA,
    I completely agree with everything you have said. I have ended up in a verbally abusive marriage. One of the main things he can't understand is, I would rather be poor and happy, than rich and miserable.

    1. Kiss andTales profile image61
      Kiss andTalesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I feel like you LM ,all the money in the world can not buy real peace and happiness, if it did why are so many rich people unhappy. Why do others feed off the short coming of others. Real happiness is not gain in materialism, this country is made up of materialism. And look at the many break ups of marriages, fights in court over money, the god of this world has used money to control the world and unjustly uses it to control people. So true is the words Reference Bible 1Jo 5:19 We know we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the [power of the] wicked one.

      What will God's New Government under his choice do. Money will not be a issue because it will not exist.
      Reference Bible Isa 65:21-22 And they will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat [their] fruitage.
      They will build houses and live in them, And they will plant vineyards and eat their fruitage.They will not build for someone else to inhabit, Nor will they plant for others to eat. For the days of my people will be like the days of a tree, And the work of their hands my chosen ones will enjoy to the full.
      Notice it does not say nothing about money .it does not exist .learn more about the upcoming happy events.wwwjworg
         Reference Bible Ps 145:16 You are opening your hand And satisfying the desire of every living thing.  wwwjworg tell more about this happy time. Good News!

    2. GA Anderson profile image81
      GA Andersonposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Oops... looks like you might have misunderstood my "wife" reference. Our life together is great - she shares my values about what is important in life. The fact that her "values yardstick" also has dollar measurements is a small thing to me.

      GA

 
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