Luxury Shame

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  • Posted By: littlevoice @ 12/02/2008 11:16:37 AM

    More times than not, wealth is more a result of access and less a factor of skill. I have lived in both worlds, and been taught by the best in both. My late Grandfather, who all through his life was a mentor and guide to me, constantly stressed the need to understand when one has "enough" and then the moral imperative to "give back" the rest. Not in handouts, but in "hand-ups".. empower the least fortunate with the ability to carry themselves with dignity, by making their own way. Enjoy your personal wealth by acknowledging the same, and your good fortune; then act responsibly. I work in high-end residential construction, and the amount of wealth which gets spent on a home far too large for the sake of a personal monument to the individuals' success is actually rather sick when one looks closely enough. We need to learn the "big lesson" all over again.... something about doing unto others?

    • Posted By: Dire @ 12/02/2008 11:51:37 AM

      I agree. This is also about education - education from the very start. There's a program (called "Baby School" if I remember correctly, for helping poverty level parents learn how to help their children from birth - from how to speak to them to help them learn proper language skills (not, "HEY! CRAPFACE! GET UR A** O'ER HERE!" like my neighbors speak to their children), how to help their kids study, discipline, and even how to handle money. Education doesn't just start in school - it starts in the home, and part of the reason that poverty exists is not only access to quality education in our society, but an education gap in social/class rearing. If a person works hard but has bad habits on handling money in addition to being accustomed to their class, what are they going to teach their children - the same bad habits regarding money. People born in an economic/social class tend to STAY in an economic/social class because that's what they KNOW and are comfortable with, and for those looking to get out of that class, learning bad habits in money handling, language, relations with other people, etc. are detriments.

      • Posted By: Spirit of Truth @ 12/02/2008 12:34:38 PM

        Simply put. You're wrong. Most people have the drive and desire to be successful and live out their dreams. The problem is we live in a country where power is driven by wealth and wealth is driven by greed. There aren't too many industrialized countries where it is popular for ones with power and wealth to undercut the poorest of their own country by enticing even poorer people from other countries to enter illegally to increase their own bottom lines. It is selfishness and greed. There ARE people in this country who have too much and who have accumulated their wealth breaking the backs of fellow countrymen with little compensation or benefits in return. Don't deny it any of you. There is an unfair gap in monetary compensation for work done in this country. The people of less fortune being born into this country are being born into a life of unexcapable peasantry. We have seen this repeated time and time again throughout history and few of the resolutions to these problems have been pretty. My biggest problem is hearing the wealthy speaking down to those of less fortune. I cannot bare to hear anymore affluent people speak to poor Americans telling them to "live below their standards", "at least you have food", "you think you're poor go to Africa", "you created your own situation by living outside your means", as tools to place blame and offload guilt. Let me remind everybody that this is not Africa, it is the United States of America. A once bright shining beacon of hope and opportunity to the world that has been sold out by those with wealth and power. In a trickle down economy how can any rational person blame the downfall of our economy on the poorer working people who have no power, no wealth, and no influence? The decisions to rape this country to the bone were made by the wealthy and powerful. That is where the decisions come from, that is where our leaders have come from, and like responsible managers, that is who must accept blame. The guilt this article describes is not from the point of having wealth it is an inner guilt that has been recognized through their immoral aquisitions of personal wealth. So go ahead. Hoard what you have left and still refuse to contribute and blame it on personal guilt because of so many poor. There are simple solutions for turning most of this around. You could increase wages for your workers. You could give pensions, benefits, and true upward mobility. There are many ways to do right if you are fortunate. Most people just want opportunities to work and better themselves through their efforts. They don't want handouts.

    • Posted By: T-in-Texas @ 12/02/2008 11:41:24 AM

      Yet, if it wasn't for all the money being spent on high-end residences, YOU wouldn't have a JOB!

  • Posted By: mercifulangel @ 12/02/2008 12:33:01 PM

    well my, now i was born very poor and i am poor still never mind the working of a 40 hour week never mind that i finished high school but never had enough money for college.
    i and my family have suffered beyond reason just to pay the bills and eat if we are lucky a boloney sandwiche ., but you know what we are rich compared to all the poor homeless folks who are sleeping in boxes and eating rotten food from the trash.
    why should the rich care they are too busy wearing the latest fashions and diamonds on there bodies and of course laying their heads upon a nice warm soft pillow and eating as extravegant as a king .
    it is a shame that it took a recession for them to be shameful of their lot in life .
    you know what i figured out about money it is wonderful if you use it with love such as charities and such but i would be ashamed if i were rich and i had all the comforts around me and didnt help others who were hurting now im not saying all rich people are awful in the regard for human comfort but know this every night when you go to sleep there are those who have no shame in the torture of those that are poor and if i had a wish it would be for all those whom are rich to live 24 hours in the shoes of those that are poor and also know that you can be filthy rich but without love and giving love you are as poor as a pauper ever could be.

  • Posted By: lea0123 @ 12/02/2008 11:50:15 AM

    I'm sorry. I'm a little confused with this article. Am I supposed to feel sorry for these rich, snobish brats who are now beginning to feel shame over the economy they gave a boost to going under? All of these high powered executive types who make more money then is conciounable while they watch their companies struggle and/or go under need a serious and embracing reality check. That the executives at AIG still haven't gotten the picture is enough to turn a sane persons stomach. I'm so glad to see that my tax dollars went to fund their spa day instead of to save their poorly managed company. One can only hope that Obama will do what he said he was going to do and tax the hell out of people in the upper crust so that maybe for once their money will go to something other then their showy purchases and designer waste. Oh and does anyone notice the problem with their now altruistic shame. They aren't spending any money which is in turn making the economy worse. Thanks to the uber rich who didn't deserve their millions and billions to begin with.

    • Posted By: changeforthebetter @ 12/02/2008 12:27:05 PM

      Give me a break. Shame? First of all, if someone has that kind of money they probably worked their butt off to get it . Why is everyone so up in arms with CEO salaries and private jets? Let me ask you people this: if you were held solely responsible for a $500 billion dollar companies bottom line and had to sign off on that companies financials every year which could land you in Federal Prison should anything be out of compliance, how much would you want to be paid? And another thing, CEOs HAVE TO fly on private jets. Does the President of the United States fly first class on commercial air when we are in tough times? Think about it. You don't put your top executive and figurehead for your Global brand on American Airlines. It is a stipulation of their employment deals that they fly on private jets for security reasons (ever heard of disgruntled ex-employees?). What I don't agree with is that these CEO's whose companies HAVE NOT performed still earning ungodly sums of money. Why shouldn't they take a hit just like the shareholders do when the performance is sub-par? I think that Pro-Athletes should be held to the same standard. Ford should withold every single Lions football team players salaries until they win a stinking game! Sorry for the tangent, but finally I do agree on one point with lea0123...keep spending richie riches. The poor folks and middle class need jobs. Someone's gotta sell those overpriced coffees, Flat screens, Iphones, Prada bags, $170 jeans and Ferrari's. Whatever turns you on, go out and buy it!!!!!! FOR GOD"S SAKE YOU IDIOTS who get paid millions of dollars to run the biggest companies in the world, get your preverbial **** together and save the automotive industry. Why shouldn't they get a bailout too? Because the government didn't already own interest in them? Let's get real here, if the Auto's go under it will cost this Country much more in the long run than $25 billion. 2 million lost jobs is a MAJOR problem. They need to have a clear plan for turnaround, but I say Congress must support them. Michigan might as well fall into a black hole if the Auto Industry goes under. This article was totally pointless, except for giving all of us something to rant at!

  • Posted By: klstoltz @ 12/02/2008 12:26:20 PM

    I am a retiree living on a fixed income that is affected by inflation. However, I do not resent the fact that others have more than I. It is my opinion that those who are rich earned the right to spend their money on anything they want to and should do so without shame.

  • Posted By: nickgr @ 12/02/2008 12:20:52 PM

    $170 jeans is trendy,

    $10 jeans is a shame...

  • Posted By: bllyness @ 12/02/2008 12:18:58 PM

    Does anybody remember Rome or the French Revolution? Anybody read about how the rich destroyed their empires due to their ignorant opulence? Shame is the least of their problems, I would feel down right scared, if I had an excessive amount of money. Because if this economic mess doesn't get straighten out one way, well let's just say those who have been economically conservative (ie shameful rich)and that wanted the country to stay that way, will suddenly have a new found understanding for gun control and other "liberal" ideas. It's like this, you can't beat a dog everyday and expect it not to bite you back eventually.

  • Posted By: petepaulpan @ 12/02/2008 12:17:03 PM

    check out ... www.LuxuryRealEstateMarket.com

  • Posted By: holmeed @ 12/02/2008 12:16:40 PM

    Do you believe it yet working Americans? CRIME DOES PAY! Its a full blown plutocracy and oligarchy!

    LIE, CHEAT, STEAL, RINSE , REPEAT Its the way to success in this country

  • Posted By: redrocka @ 12/02/2008 12:11:19 PM

    OH NO, BOO HOO, WHAT EVER ARE WE GONNA DO???? Give me a break. The rich, to a large degree, got there on the backs of workers who rarely shared in the profit and definitely didn't get rich. The rich in they spending habits have raised the cost of goods and services for the rest of us (since "richer" people have been moving into my area prices have risen and even in this economic downturn aren't sliding down much). There are many aspects of this whole situation that could be talked about or argued but the bottom line for me is that the government shouldn't be helping the rich (companies or individuals), they all (including us regular folk) should be paying their equal fair share of taxes which many if not most do not do. And if we are going to suggest tax breaks to rich or businesses for helping to create jobs for us regular folk then the only way that should go through is if the jobs pay a living wage with either health insurance and retirement built in or funds provided to allow you to live reasonably AND pay for your own health care and retirement. Just having jobs that don't allow for all of this isn't benefiting the American worker. Oh and for some of you rich people please please please try to have some "taste" in your purchases! (if you can't find it in yourself to have some quality please hire someone that does! ) :)

  • Posted By: knxvil @ 12/02/2008 12:05:20 PM

    Sorry if that was a double post. It never confirmed my first one.

  • Posted By: knxvil @ 12/02/2008 12:04:52 PM

    "Masarati" --> MASERATI

    If you're going to blather on about the rich, at least hire a good proofreader while you're at it!

  • Posted By: Thorhalla @ 12/02/2008 11:32:59 AM

    The robber barons of this century continue to flaunt their wealth that they obtained on the backs of the poor people who work for wages that are nothing less than a joke. Oh yes, and it's the fault of poor people that they are poor, they don't want to work hard. Complete baloney written by people who have zero comprehension of what it means to be poor. I'll use myself as an example. I have a Bachelors and Masters (my Masters is from an internationally recognized school). I work three jobs. My family lives about 25% above the poverty level. But, I guess with all my education and my working three jobs, I'm just ignorant and lazy. This tripe makes the rich feel better "the poor are in their unfortunate state because it is their fault, not because I pay too low and don't engage in fair labor practices." This nonsense helps those selfish suburbanites sleep at night, surrounded by their possessions and wrapped in their greed.

    • Posted By: Spirit of Truth @ 12/02/2008 11:58:52 AM

      Well spoken. I am in a similar ship but have lost faith in our system and will not spend anymore money earning my MBA because I have learned that at the end of two other reputable degrees I have earned that there will be no opportunity waiting for me because most jobs of quality are given out of favor or nepotism not because of talent. God bless you and your family. Stay true. Stay humble. I believe that our time will come not out of desire but because of necessity.

    • Posted By: T-in-Texas @ 12/02/2008 11:51:30 AM

      What is your Masters degree in that causes you to work 3 jobs and live just above poverty?

  • Posted By: rocky mountain mom @ 12/02/2008 11:54:13 AM

    If any of the 'sheepish' rich want to adopt a poor family this Christmas to asuage their feelings of guilt, they can surely adopt my family. My husband is disabled and we are in the donut hole of the government-required Medicare D plan. Our monthly prescription bills jumped nearly $600 when we hit the gap. We don't have to choose between meds and food because my husband needs his meds to live - so the choice is made for us.

  • Posted By: LLatjr @ 12/02/2008 11:53:34 AM

    Visit the website of the P.O.W.E.R.S. organization and see an economic system that allows for opulence without creating mass poverty. See an economic system that encourages government spending without taxation. See an economic system that ends poverty and the need for charity while it reduces economically motivated crime, provides national healthcare, free higher education, housing, and sustenance for every American. People Offering World Economic Relief and Stability; ask you to support an Economic Rights amendment that does all of the above and more. Help us spread the word. www.powerspeople.org

  • Posted By: LLatjr @ 12/02/2008 11:53:03 AM

    Visit the website of the P.O.W.E.R.S. organization and see an economic system that allows for opulence without creating mass poverty. See an economic system that encourages government spending without taxation. See an economic system that ends poverty and the need for charity while it reduces economically motivated crime, provides national healthcare, free higher education, housing, and sustenance for every American. People Offering World Economic Relief and Stability; ask you to support an Economic Rights amendment that does all of the above and more. Help us spread the word. www.powerspeople.org

  • Posted By: petepaulpan @ 12/02/2008 11:52:05 AM

    check out ... www.LuxuryRealEstateMarket.com

  • Posted By: ferbert @ 12/02/2008 11:50:13 AM

    Shame? They shouldn't be ashamed. Either they earned that money - or someone gave it to them that earned it. Why do people like you write articles to spur wealth envy? It is these rich people that create the jobs for the people that you spark the envy in. Have you ever worked for a poor person? Taxing them more will mean they will have less money to invest in companies - which means that the envious will be the first to lose their jobs.

    And mbronner - this is so typical - someone says that they don't like Obama - and you immediately pull the race card. Grow up! You probably only voted for him because he is black. If you did - you are an idiot. When you vote - nothing else should matter except if the person you are voting for represents most of what you believe in. Not because of the color of their skin. Remember- Hitler was white - and Idi Amin was back.

  • Posted By: ferbert @ 12/02/2008 11:49:45 AM

    Shame? They shouldn't be ashamed. Either they earned that money - or someone gave it to them that earned it. Why do people like you write articles to spur wealth envy? It is these rich people that create the jobs for the people that you spark the envy in. Have you ever worked for a poor person? Taxing them more will mean they will have less money to invest in companies - which means that the envious will be the first to lose their jobs.

    And mbronner - this is so typical - someone says that they don't like Obama - and you immediately pull the race card. Grow up! You probably only voted for him because he is black. If you did - you are an idiot. When you vote - nothing else should matter except if the person you are voting for represents most of what you believe in. Not because of the color of their skin. Remember- Hitler was white - and Idi Amin was back.

  • Posted By: mscolleen2003 @ 12/02/2008 6:42:38 AM

    Why is it the job of the working rich to pay for the lazy poor? I think everyone has a chance to have something in the United States, the problem is only half are willing to work for it. Sorry, but no one should be ashamed of their own hard work and profit. Who should be ashamed is those who are to darn lazy to go to school and work to make something of themselves.

    • Posted By: sickofredbs @ 12/02/2008 11:47:29 AM

      It is everyone's responsibility to take care of each other. We are in theory a civilized society. The rich aren't obscenely wealthy because they work harder, and most of the little guys aren't lazy. Trust me the CEO who takes home 20 + million and more in bonus, does NOT work harder than the employees who work 40+ hrs a week, for a very small fraction of the CEO salary and no bonuses, and few benefits. I agree, that with more respopnsibility a larger salary is quite justified, but there is a line between "just" compenstaion and greed. We are seeing that line clearly defined. Tell me, when is the last time you were paid a bonus for doing a poor job at work? I'm sorry, justify the bonuses for CEOs at a company that isn't profitable.

    • Posted By: jennyct @ 12/02/2008 8:26:04 AM

      So you believe that people are poor because their lazy?
      The just-world phenomenon, also called the just-world theory, just-world fallacy, just-world effect, or just-world hypothesis, refers to the tendency for people to want to believe that the world is "just" so strongly that when they witness an otherwise inexplicable injustice they will rationalize it by searching for things that the victim might have done to deserve it. This deflects their anxiety, and lets them continue to believe the world is a just place, but at the expense of blaming victims for things that were not, objectively, their fault.

  • Posted By: me_too @ 12/02/2008 11:46:12 AM

    If the rich feel so guilty, why is one of the "top gifts" to give this year a pair of $170 (starting price!) jeans from Nordstroms? I can afford them easily, but honestly my 2 favorite pair of jeans come from a thrift store and cost me $10 each. Name brand is out of control, but really it's all about people's insecurities that they hide behing a large Prada bag, and the designer labels market to that, making you feel like you'll just DIE if you don't have one. Enough is enough with "designer" - and I will NEVER buy anything that advertises itself as either "haute" or "coutore" because that is just LAME. I honestly feel sorry for the people caught up in a world of designer, McMansions, country clubs, and yachts. You are all sheep, without a single interesting or original thought in your head, and you all secrety hate and envy each other, but you pretend to be bff. It is such a lame and pathetic existence. Maybe this will help them take a step back and look at how empty a materialistic life is.

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