# Explain how rich people think **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 5, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435 "2022-11-05T18:49:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/61 "2022-11-06T19:40:53Z")
I almost posted that No Good Billionaire video here! After I watched it, I was going to start a thread asking at what point you become so wealthy it’s morally inexcusable, but this thread covers similar ground. You don’t get that rich without screwing lots of people. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/62 "2022-11-06T20:09:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Yeah, a rising tide lifts all boats. > > Yet wealth inequality is rapidly increasing. > > Two things can be true at once. Yes, indeed, of course. A rising tide lifts all boats, but to enjoy that you need a boat. Most people don’t have boats, they are just treading water, and a rising tide makes the coast recede. All within one simple metaphor. The metaphor that really bugs me, tough, is the one with the [trickle down](https://schumanchu.eu/html/r1/r1_00144trickle~down.html) economics (NSFW, of course). That is a really perfidious lie. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/63 "2022-11-06T22:16:19Z")
I think Gladwell makes the point that an excellent student will succeed and stand out at a smaller school (a smaller pond) and thus may get more support than at a large school where everyone is very good (which might cause merely good students to feel uncomfortable or drop out). Many fields are more competitive and specialized than they used to be. However, a mediocre student likely is not in this category and is more seeking status and cachet. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/64 "2022-11-06T22:33:02Z")
These threads pop up from time to time. I have to wonder are some people on this Liberal-leaning board so leftist that they simply can’t conceive of the concept of people wanting to work for reasons other than economic coercion? Yes, having money is nice. But what drives rich people, successful businesspeople, and other professionals is also a pursuit of power, control, and accomplishment. Elon Musk is driven by a desire to change the world, as was Steve Jobs. Donald Trump seems to be all about being a big shot making big deals. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/65 "2022-11-06T22:43:18Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > You don’t have to go to a top-20 to be successful, but it’s a whole hell of a lot more likely that you will, when you combine the top-20 with the other advantages of affluence. Just a little off-topic, but I was curious where the college I went to was ranked. Turns out the first search result said it was #20. Heh. But I was first generation of my family to have a four-year university education, so I don’t fit the rest of your criteria. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/66 "2022-11-07T12:19:38Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > each woman bring six pieces of evening attire - two formal gowns and four cocktail dresses. Gawd. I’m a guy, and if I there was a requirement to dress formal, I would have said no way. That ain’t a vacation. At all. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/67 "2022-11-07T13:35:17Z")
I think if you told Musk, or Jobs, and certainly Trump “This project has a chance to change the world, in about 50 or 75 years, maybe, but in your lifetime it will certainly be a money loser, and very possibly never turn a profit” they would walk away so fast you wouldn’t get to finish making the prediction. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/68 "2022-11-07T13:52:07Z")
You have to dress up for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. You have to dress up for a lot of things. It’s weird. I resisted feeling like a part of it for a long time, but once we moved closer I started getting to know people as individuals, and sometime around the time my son was born, I said to myself, “Fuck it. This is my family.” The last wedding we had, I went all out (to the extent my budget would allow) and just made a game of it. They can be a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/69 "2022-11-07T14:04:27Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > You have to dress up for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. You have to dress up for a lot of things. While I don’t share the sentiment, I kind of understand how, for some people, getting dressed up is an important part of the festivities—whether “getting dressed up” means formalwear, or Halloween costumes, or cheesy holiday sweaters. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/70 "2022-11-07T14:11:59Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > You have to dress up for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. Other than a formal holiday party, I have never experienced anyone who dressed up even a little bit for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Now, back to rich people. One aspect of it is that richer people need a lot more money just to keep things going. Personal and business overhead grows over time and becomes substantial. Same thing happened to me, but on a smaller scale. I recall being in my 20s and thinking an extra $10,000 would solve all my problems. In my 40s it was $100,000. Last year, I recall telling my wife, “We just need $1 milli8on to get through this.” (I was only half joking) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/71 "2022-11-07T14:12:17Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > I think if you told Musk, or Jobs, and certainly Trump “This project has a chance to change the world, in about 50 or 75 years, maybe, but in your lifetime it will certainly be a money loser, and very possibly never turn a profit” they would walk away so fast you wouldn’t get to finish making the prediction. Yes, they are businessmen. Like all businessmen, they seek to get paid. But the point is something drives them beyond the simple “do the bare minimum work possible to collect my paycheck” that drives most people. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/72 "2022-11-07T14:28:05Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > something drives them beyond the simple “do the bare minimum work possible to collect my paycheck” that drives most people. And who made this claim? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/73 "2022-11-07T14:30:12Z")
They likely would say that a project like that is the purpose of government. Like space exploration for knowledge, initial testing of diverting killer asteroids and civil defense. If the government asked for private assistance at a profit (which they often do) then they may sign up. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/74 "2022-11-07T14:55:26Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Other than a formal holiday party, I have never experienced anyone who dressed up even a little bit for Thanksgiving or Christmas. That depends in part on what "dressed up " means to you. I’ve known plenty of people who “dressed up” for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with the family by their definition of “dressed up” - which doesn’t have to be suits and cocktail dresses. Take @Spice_Weasel 's cruise. I’m sure anyone would think that a cruise that required two gowns and six cocktail dresses requires “dressing up” - but I know multiple people who have gotten annoyed about a cruise line that requires them to “dress up” by wearing long pants and a collared shirt in two of the restaurants. I’ve never known people to wear suits for Thanksgiving or Christmas- but I’ve known lots who wore something nicer than their normal jeans and sneakers. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/75 "2022-11-07T14:58:43Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > I’ve never known people to wear suits for Thanksgiving or Christmas- but I’ve known lots who wore something nicer than their normal jeans and sneakers. I believe you. I’ve just never personally seen that in real life. But my friends and family are about as informal in dress as you can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/76 "2022-11-07T15:04:18Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I believe you. I’ve just never personally seen that in real life. But my friends and family are about as informal in dress as you can imagine. Likewise. While my wife, and I, appreciate my height, it’s become quite clear over the years that she can pack clothes in a much smaller space. A sundress and underthings and sandals and she is good to go. My clothes takes up at LEAST twice as much room. Even my normal jeans and a fleese. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/77 "2022-11-07T15:35:26Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Gawd. I’m a guy, and if I there was a requirement to dress formal, I would have said no way. That ain’t a vacation. At all. Same here. I was invited by a relative to play ( ahem, _learn_ ) golf with him at this fancy ass golf community he lived in. After a short while he was telling me a bunch of other players ( residents ) were murmuring, tsk-tsk-ing, and discretely telling him that I shouldn’t be wearing jeans there. It’s not like they were torn or acid washed, they were quite new and tan in color. These people were so persnickety that they took attention away from their game to notice I was wearing tan denim pants from 50, 100 feet away? I thought to myself: how full of themselves can they be? It got worse. There was a younger guy who worked there who was giving me ( much needed ) advice/pointers on my swings, which I appreciated. As the murmurs continued, I said to my host that the guy helping me was wearing jeans too. The response was a thinly disguised haughty “well yes, but he _just works_ here, not lives here”. I was like, f\*ck all you pretentious a-holes! Can’t even enjoy a leisure time activity without projecting class/status in some way. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/78 "2022-11-07T15:56:20Z")
I worked for a gentleman that owned several successful businesses and had amassed one of the largest collectible car collections in the world. He even told me once that the reason he has money is that he doesn’t spend money. I saw him on more than one occasion pass on the bill at a restaurant because he said he didn’t have any cash on him which was most likely true. His wife told me that despite his wealth, he was afraid that everything he had could someday be taken away from him. The many years a I knew him, his personal car was a 1966 VW beetle. It got him where he needed to go and was cheap to keep on the road. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/79 "2022-11-07T16:13:14Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Take Trump for example. Knowing what we know about how he was raised, by a father whose love was conditional upon him winning and succeeding at business, it’s hard to see him turning out any other way. It would’ve been better for the human race had Trump drank himself to death like his older brother did. Instead he took all the dysfunction and directed it outward. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435/80 "2022-11-07T16:23:08Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > He even told me once that the reason he has money is that he doesn’t spend money. People can be really cheap about certain things, like the kind of car they drive, and really extravagant with others, like owning a private jet. People who just go crazy and buy everything they want at the highest price generally don’t stay rich. Then there are people who are really frugal and you have no idea they’re rich (The Millionaire Next Door sort of scenario, which I suspect applies to my grandfather, not that I have ever seen his finances, but he was once financially supporting no fewer than eight people (his adult kids, their kids and his parents) and he never broke a sweat. He’s the kind of guy who wears the exact same pair of Levis every day, fixes his own cars, and rations his toilet paper. “You should only need one square!” was a running household joke for a while.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-how-rich-people-think/974435.md?page=5)