I’m sure the psychology behind it is way too complicated for a simple answer but I’d like to read any and all explanations. A considerable number of mega-millionaires and billionaires have enriched themselves by taken advantage of many of the same people who worship them. Another considerable percentage were born into their wealth and haven’t done a single thing for anyone to admire.
I can understand envying their wealth. I can understanding resenting their wealth (I guess I must). But why the worship?
In our culture success at the expense of others is a basic tenet reinforced from early childhood and we tend to celebrate those who have excelled at it. Our education system, business environment, etc. are all based on the idea of competition, separating ourselves from the pack, and winning. We equate wealth with happiness.
It’s something we brought with us from Europe. Native Americans have a word, “wetiko” which means literally cannibal but describes someone driven by greed, excess and over consumption. They considered it to be a mental illness and they realized we all seemed to be infected with it when we came over from Europe.
I think some Asian peoples, Chinese and Chinese origins, countries around the Pacific Rim etc. etc. also have a little of this.
No doubt some of them are taught to stop and smell the roses instead of striving, but who can tell ? Some of them even like a little gambling on the side.
Can you name a few of these mega-millionaires who got that way by taking advantage of people? Can you then point to people who worship them? I am having a hard time thinking of anyone who falls into this category, except maybe some of the preachers out there who made a killing selling religon.
Additionally, if you check the numbers, the percentage of millionaires who inherited their wealth is about 20%. Side note, hereis an interesting article on billionaires and the percentage who created their wealth vs. those who inherited it. I suspect the numbers will surprise you.
Nature is based around cooperation too, from insects all the way up to primates.
What I described isn’t related to ruthless violence. Native American cultures valued cooperation over competition. We value competition over cooperation.
As a species we can be violent. That isn’t the subject of the OP. The point I tried to make is that within that culture - sure there were still wars and disputes over land, etc. - but as a culture they did not place much importance on competition at all. And they put a huge value on cooperation. And too much of a competitive spirit was considered to be a mental illness.
We are only aware of the super-rich because our media constantly tell us stories about them. It is easy work. Even then, it is only a small proportion who draw photographers and reporters. Usually they are interesting in some shallow way or have beautiful companions. I suspect the vast majority of ordinary people take very little notice.
I don’t think they are idolised. Envied maybe. And you should take note of the vengeful stories when a rich person falls. People seem to like that.
I don’t buy the premise of that much on any count. Assuming we’re speaking of US culture it tends to be less suspicious and hostile to people who’ve succeeded in the capitalist system than perhaps some other cultures, or than anti-capitalist Americans would like. I’d go along that far. But ‘worship’ is an exaggeration in general IMO, and I also don’t accept the premise of a zero sum game in general where one person’s wealth comes at the expense of other people.
I admire people who’ve built wealth from not much wealth, and am indifferent to people who’ve simply maintained wealth they got from their families. I see no reason to resent them. I suppose in passing moments I envy people with much more than I, but not much focused on it. I admire them like I’d admire somebody who capitalized on musical or athletic talent (even if it didn’t make them rich, just that they excel at what they’ve put their minds to). I wouldn’t ‘worship’ either.
I ramdomly saw a show on this a few night ago, you couldn’t help but be left with a sense of sadness at the shallow loneliness of many of these people; which cultures idolise rich people?
Hmmm… In our recent history there were a few Wall Street firms that knowingly sold utter crap to their clients (and paid big fines for doing so.) Golly… folks who make their wad selling timeshares are clearly taking advantage of the gullible masses (including folks like myself). The corporate gods who sell addictive poison (i.e. tobacco). What about those nice people that run the gambling industry, for pete’s sake!
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Can you then point to people who worship them?
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Sure. I’m standing up pointing to the mass of humanity around me!
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Additionally, if you check the numbers, the percentage of millionaires who inherited their wealth is about 20%.
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It’s Algonquin but in Ojibwa it is windigo and in Powhatan wintiko.
This isn’t just a Native American concept though. The same idea is taught in indigenous Arboriginal culture and other “native” cultures all over the world.
Although money can’t buy everything, it is the only thing that can by food and shelter, which are the only things that are indisputably essential… So one quickly learns in a monetized society that acquiring some capital wealth takes priority over all other achievements.
Once money acquisition becomes the central goal in life, it is a short step to the discovery that people are judged by how successfully they excel at that achievement.
