"What an idiot! Take your extravagant amount of money and be happy!"

[hilltopper]

Jay Williams, star for the Chicago Bulls crashed his crotch-rocket into a pole.

Andrew Luster, Max Factor heir GHBed and raped several women.

Mike Tyson, millionaire pugilist…pick your disaster.

Michael Ervin, ex-Dallas Cowboy star receiver star gets caught in motel with strippers and cocaine.

Daryl Strawberry, star baseball player can’t stay off the blow despite numerous “last chances.”

Allen Iverson, The Answer, arrested for assault with a firearm.

Winona Ryder, annoying yet highly successful actress arrested for shoplifting.

You all can add to this list…

How often when we hear these stories is the reaction, “What an idiot! Why don’t they just take all their money and be happy?” You can test this yourself – go up to any co-worker or friend and say, “I guess that Jay Williams got his kicks by ripping around town on his supercharged crotch-rocket. He was bound to crash.” Almost invariably the reaction will be, “What an idiot! He had it made and he went and screwed it all up! If I had that kind of money……blah, blah, blah.”

Why do we hold these people to a higher standard just because they have money? Does having all that money give you better judgment? Do we assume they have “advisors" and “handlers” (I love that expression, reminds me of animal husbandry) that keep them in line. Is it because they are supposed to be role-models?

My contention is we emit this reaction because these people didn’t really earn their money the “hard way.” OK, OK, you might say, hey they produce millions of dollars in revenue, and only a select few can do what they do. Fine, but in my mind they “earn” far more than they deserve compared to what teachers, scientists, and nurses make.

[smiling_bandit]

No, I think the answer is that if you’ve got enough money to buy a small town, you should be at least bright enough not to ruin your own life.

My contention is we emit this reaction because these people didn’t really earn their money the “hard way.” OK, OK, you might say, hey they produce millions of dollars in revenue, and only a select few can do what they do. Fine, but in my mind they “earn” far more than they deserve compared to what teachers, scientists, and nurses make.

they deserve as much as they can get people to pay them.

[Myron_Van_Horowitzski]

It also shows that the old adage is true: money can’t buy happiness.

We all think that if we had that kind of dough we’d handle it better.

[Beagle]

We all think that if we had that kind of dough we’d handle it better.

I would. But in this thread the bar hasn’t been set very high. I’m positive I would not snort my X million dollars, or shoplift with X million in the bank.

Specifically on the Jay Williams thing, that’s a different story. He took a calculated risk and tragically miscalculated. It didn’t involve victims or self-destruction. It was pretty stupid. Doctors don’t call them “donorcycles” for nothing.

[hilltopper]

*Originally posted by Beagle *
**I would. But in this thread the bar hasn’t been set very high. I’m positive I would not snort my X million dollars, or shoplift with X million in the bank.

Specifically on the Jay Williams thing, that’s a different story. He took a calculated risk and tragically miscalculated. It didn’t involve victims or self-destruction. It was pretty stupid. Doctors don’t call them “donorcycles” for nothing. **

The point is not that they are not handling their money well (they probably stink at that too:rolleyes: ) But that they don’t handle their lives well. They have a lot more to lose and many more resources to (make?) life more enjoyable, without having to take drugs, etc.

As for Williams and his “calculated risk,” most contract sports players have clauses in their contracts that restricts explicitly that type of behavior. He risked a lot more than a skinned knee and he should know that.

[MLS]

Of course, we could go on and list all of the wealthy athletes, entertainers and others who do NOT act like idiots. And all the ordinary folks who do incredibly dumb things and we just don’t know about it. I knew of a tenured teacher who was arrested for possession with intent to distribute. A large amount of one of the more dangerous controlled substances was found in his home. So he went from having a safe, dependable long-term job to being nothing. Permanent loss of teaching license, etc. The ironic thing was, he taught driver’s ed., health and gym. Point being he was far from wealthy, but he ruined his life. Happens all the time, you just don’t hear about it.

[Lord_Ashtar]

Would anyone say that the percentage of rich people who do stupid things is greater or less that the percentage of “regular” people who do stupid things?

What is a regular person these days anyway? With all these reality shows, anyone can be a star. Therefore, anyone can do something stupid and be on Entertainment Tonight about it.

[mrblue92]

People ridicule other people, sometimes as an object lesson (“don’t be like Mike… Tyson”) and sometimes because it makes them feel good about themselves. People ridicule famous people in a similar way because everyone creates a perception of these people through the media, and thus there’s common ground. It’s not that the famous and/or rich are necessarily more irresponsible than the norm; rather, it’s that the manifestations of their irresponsibilities (or mental illnesses) are more extravagant, visible, and spectacular.

Certainly it’s possible that a sense of entitlement is sometimes proportional to the amount of cash one has in the bank, but this is not a hard and fast rule.

[Dogface]

*Originally posted by smiling bandit *
No, I think the answer is that if you’ve got enough money to buy a small town, you should be at least bright enough not to ruin your own life.

If they had managed to get the money by means of acumen. They’ve managed to get the money by means of being circus shows.

Thus, we shouldn’t expect them to have any intelligence.

[The_Green_Feather]

I don’t think money will change ones personality. It will only amplify it. The people listed in this thread probably would have self destructed even without the money and fame. It would have taken longer and we wouldn’t have heard about it but the outcome would be no different.

[An_Arky]

gets caught in motel with strippers and cocaine

…well, getting caught was probably a buzzkill, but it sounds like he was pretty happy to me…

[hilltopper]

*Originally posted by The Green Feather *
**I don’t think money will change ones personality. It will only amplify it. . **

Kind of like the effect of alcohol? No but seriously, you don’t think money and fame and everything that goes with it changes one’s personality? I would have to disagree with you there unless you don’t consider arrogance, elitism, vanity, and eccentricity personality traits.

The people listed in this thread probably would have self destructed even without the money and fame. It would have taken longer and we wouldn’t have heard about it but the outcome would be no different.

With all that money and fame to lose, these people should improve their decision making, not make worse decisions. And the fact that the money is a gift from society rather than, as dogface put it acquired by means of acumen make it htat much more of a pisser. :mad:

[The_Green_Feather]

*Originally posted by hilltopper *
Kind of like the effect of alcohol? No but seriously, you don’t think money and fame and everything that goes with it changes one’s personality? I would have to disagree with you there unless you don’t consider arrogance, elitism, vanity, and eccentricity personality traits.

Money and fame and everything that goes with it? That’s a lot for anyone to absorb. Think about your average arrogant jerk. Add money and fame and everything else and you will not end up with a calm cool collected rich famous guy. You will have a rich, famous jerk who is arrogant beyond your wildest imagination.

How about a talented singer/songwriter who’s eccentric thoughts and desires are hidden in obscurity? Add money and fame and you get… Michael Jackson!! :eek: