Why do some people have so much hatred for the affluent or ultra wealthy?
That IS what it IS. It is the crab in the barrel mentality. The premise is that if I DON'T HAVE then NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE!
I agree AH. I'll never understand people's fixation with what a rich person does with their money or the idea that strangers should be able to dictate how much money rich people should have "in excess" or "leftover."
It amazes me also. Whose money is IT? It is the rich person's money to do with as he/she wills. To paraphrase Bobby Brown in My Prerogative, why are people talking about my money, I MADE IT, THEY DIDN'T, I'm outta here!
It is jealousy for the most part. There are people who contend that socioeconomic struggle is good for the character. They glorify being poor, struggling from paycheck to paycheck. They see this as quite the normative lifestyle. They assert that by being socioeconomically poor, they are superior to those who do not have to struggle.
The affluent, wealthy, & ultrawealthy among us are oftentimes quite demonized among the lower classes. They are seen as the scapegoat for many of the so-called socioeconomic malaise. They are furthermore called pejorative names such as greedy & materialistic because they have a lifestyle beyond that of mere basic struggle. They can live a life basically free of the worry that so many people have.
Many people have limited life choices because of their socioeconomic predicament or rather choice. They know that oftentimes they have to scrimp &/or do without to pay bills. They also realize that they have to forgo some things because they simply cannot afford it. They hate the more affluent classes because the latter have Unlimited life choices as money is no object in doing as they desire or fulfilling their dreams.
Also, there is a subconscious religious inculcation that having money is evil & does not connect one to the spiritual world. Many religions glorify, even deify poverty as the ideal state of humankind. Such religions contend that poverty or being poor brings humankind closer to the spiritual source while being wealthy takes humankind away from the spiritual source.
There are people who envy the affluent because secretly they wish THEY'RE affluent. They see the life that affluent people have while they are living day to day. They see the opportunities the affluent have that they, in their minds, WILL NEVER have. They hate their lives; however, instead of improving their lives, they use that hatred as a displacement mechanism on the wealthy. May write a hub on this subject close to my heart later on.
Thank you for selecting my answer. It is so greatly appreciated.
Hate is perhaps too strong a word in the context of your question. I don' think hate for rich people exists per se. If hatred of the wealthy manifested as readily as, say, hatred of race or religion, then there would be many cases of criminality - ie hate crime against the wealthy!! I don't see many cases of hate crime against the wealthy at least not in my neck of the woods!
I think where confusions do arise is with the power, both political and social, that the wealthy are perceived to control. Emotions do get heated when the wealthier classes are seen to be manipulating the strings of power for their own good, and politicians, elected to represent the majority of people of all kinds, are caught like rabbits in the glare of blatant inequality,not doing as much as they say they will to try and even things out.
Way back in the UK's history when industry was first being developed and the material revolution was clunking into gear, the poorer people had to form trade unions to help them fight for social and financial justice. Some politicians helped. You could say this was the beginning of the struggle for justice - the wealthy feudal system gradually changed and adjusted as industry progressed and stock markets were born. The so called privileged classes had to evolve - and are still evolving.
Nowadays new wealth can be gained almost instantly - what with lotteries and bonuses and what have you, but I don't see hatred emerging, I feel a latent urge to possess material things, which is why city riots bring lots of looting by people not normally keen to steal.
You might say wealth can blind some to the plight of their fellow citizens, so it's what wealthy people do with their money - their attitudes and profligate lifestyles - that can anger and wind up certain individuals - especially when the press get hold of a story. Again it's up to the politicians to try and get a balance between a healthy economy, good fiscal policy and high enough wages. In the UK at present the gap between rich and poor is as big as ever.
Human nature being what it is, the powerful seem to always overdo things, they fall into the trap of exploitation - and the poor end up at the bottom of the pile - from the rush for trade to the banker's greed, the political system in place at the time has to try and pick up the pieces.
These days 'celebrity' is big business but I don't think poor people hate them , I think they love them!!!
You've made excellent and true points. In the US, I hear verbal expressions of disdain, jealousy or outright hatred for the wealthy. Some bad apples call strangers rich B*#!$@es, etc. all the while wanting the assets or cash the rich person has.
Agree with Express. So many people DOWN the rich yet paradoxically want the good life. One cannot live the good life without wealth, now can they?!
Jealousy is certainly the core of it. For people struggling to make the bills each month, it's easy to look at the guy who never has to think about a bill and think 'screw you'.
But there is also a certain degree of injustice as well. For example, a father/mother works two jobs and can barely feed their children, while a socialite gets born into wealth and gets drunk at parties. Since one of the tenets of the U.S. is 'work hard and you'll make it' it can often seem like that isn't working in practice. That's not to say that all rich people didn't earn their money. Lots of people hit it big with a good idea and hard work. It's just that there is no ratio of work to wealth. You increase your chances of moving up, but you could still work every day and get nowhere. Which is counter to what the U.S. preaches and why many people think it is unjust.
Then there is also the amount of wealth. Lets say you have enough money to live a lavish lifestyle until your death, while still providing the same for your children. Then, on top of that, you still have several billion dollars. What, exactly, is that money for? Essentially, it's currency that has been removed from the system for no other reason than 'because I can'. Even if you believed people shouldn't get something for nothing, why not use that money to build something or create new incentives? A lot of wealthy people are very generous, but I'm saying that sense of greed is another reason why the non-wealthy might view them poorly.
I agree about jealousy & nothing is promised to any of us rich, poor or in-between. Whatever we have at any economic level can be taken away or grown, it's in one's mindset and what they are willing to risk for various rewards financially.
Definitely, the poorer classes oftentimes have a negative, fatalistic, & passive mindset while the wealthier classes have a proactive & positive mindset.The poor lead a GRAY life while the rich lead a RED life.
Your guess is better than mine. What amazes me is the number of ultra wealthy and affluent people who have totally bought into this idea.
by Grace Marguerite Williams 9 years ago
When will people come to the realization that socioeconomic wealth is the most important thingin American society(always has and always will be) as socioeconomic wealth means power, influence, political clout, and having the means of making the rules? What many people fail to realize...
by Grace Marguerite Williams 2 years ago
This is what one would call inverse logic. There are people who value struggle. They believe that struggle is normative. They don't believe in a life which is without struggle. They deride people who have abundance & have it much easier than they do. They somehow...
by Brian L. Powell 9 years ago
What is meant by the word "poor" when referring to people?The topic has been flying around my circle lately, and while the word poor is a very common word, I get the impression that people have very different views of the meaning. I am hoping for some clarifications of different...
by janesix 9 years ago
Why take more resources than you need to be comfortable? How many cars or jets or mansions is REALLY enough?Is it wrong to take more than your fair share?
by ahorseback 8 years ago
Is it just liberals here in forums or does everyone just love to hate a rich person , the wealthy , the famous , celebrities ,.........I mean most rich or famous people earned their way to where they are right ? And yet , there is a lot of talk about taking more from the wealthy ,...
by H C Palting 6 years ago
Why are the wealthy often hated AND envied?
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