2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Do you know a really rich person? [View all]elljay
(1,178 posts)And I know many people worth in the tens and hundreds of millions, and one or two billionaires (or near billionaires). They are completely clueless about the average person and completely unaware of just how clueless they are. We have quite a crop of people who think they're socially conscious because they drive a $100,000 Tesla and buy organic vegetables at Whole Foods.
It has nothing to do with how nice they are or how much they give to charity (some are down to earth, others are arrogant as can be). They stay in their bubble and never go outside of it, socializing and vacationing within their economic level. Their children play sports, take lessons and play with other affluent children. They have a black, or an Asian or an Indian friend who runs in the same social circle, but they have never spent any time in a restaurant, park or club that is majority non-white and certainly not if poor.
You are so right - they wouldn't know incessant financial struggle if it were right in front of them (and it is, in the persons of their housekeeper, gardener, nanny, and the other underpaid people who make their privileged lives possible).