I have actually sat down and watched a few of these housewives series of reality shows and figured that the audiences (us) are obssessed with wealth. It looks like it obviously can't buy class, smarts, or common sense, but we watch it.

I loathe to watch the ATL housewives show because living here is the land of car rich and bank broke people. The foreclosure rate is through the roof. Folks were buying up houses they can't afford, but did it to impress the Joneses. Pushing $30,000 cars and can't afford to keep their landscaping up. I can't watch it. People do back flips to live this publicly wealthy lifestyle.

Whatever. Instead of buying boatloads of pocketbooks and throwing lavish parties, I'd rather stash some more away in my mutual fund.

I actually have very little interest in those types of shows.

It always astounds me that there are so many wealthy people who seem sooooo damned ghetto.

Dog the Bounty Hunter, The Hogans, ATL, and yes--the Osbornes



But even in my own comfortably middle class life in the last few years, I discovered I was one of the only one of my group of friends who didn't have my own home theatre system complete with 50 inch flat screens. Seriously


Sure, I owned the kayak and took multiple trips to Miami beach to go dancing, etc. etc.--but this is different. These are things I buy to do , and not status symbols.


I'm quite a bit more poor this year than I've been in DECADES, but I've been very very lucky in that I've travelled even more this year than the previous years thanks to very generous family. But I firmly believe now, within every fibre of my being and not just lip service to a cliche, that happy people look back on memories of what they've done--not what they own.


When I watch shows where these people get excited over planning extravagant get-togethers where nothing goes down but petty drama, I feel no tinge of jealousy whatsoever.

But when I watch that fine ass Scottish dude, Ed Wardle, camping out alone in the wilderness, I feel inspired.



That being said, I'll always want enough money to buy the next Apple product, and get my hair did---but those aren't so bad, are they?

I am constantly appalled by them ATL and other Bravo "housewife" bitches and how they handle money, especially since most of them are fronting and have since lost their homes.

Money means jack shit to me and I hate all reality television. I will never get people's obsession to keep up with the Joneses.

I crave more money...I know it will make me happier.

Well, I'm not ashamed to say that money means a whole lot to me but I don't place it or things above people. But financial security is very important to me and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I've been on my own since I was 18 and I've been stone cold, top Ramen broke and have since been blessed in many ways. So I respect the power of money. I need money for all the basic necessities, creature comforts, and to pay for the many wonderful travel experiences I've had and the great opportunities to indulge family and friends. Plus if I can help a few people out along the way that's even mo' betta. So, stop hatin' on money. Yeah, money!!!

SCNDLS said:

You a mess.

I am very thankful I can feed my travel habit. But people with real money don't impress me.

Vendetta1 said:

I keep telling folks that anybody who has to get up and work for somebody else everyday ain't rich OR wealthy. Like Chris Rock said, "Shaq is rich, but the man who signs HIS checks is WEALTHY." My other fave is: "If Bill Gates woke up with Oprah's money he'd slit his fucking throat!"

peacenlovealways said:

I'd like some more money too. It would be nice to have a big flat screen TV in my house, but do I really want to spend my time with my big flat screen hi-def TV watching these trifling bitches, a bunch of ghetto and trailer trash bimbos looking for their baby daddies, a bunch of ghetto and trailer trash Playboy Playmate/Penthouse Pet wannabes trying to win the heart of some washed up old 80's metal singer or second rate R&B star, or endless reruns all over the tube? Having been unemployed for certain periods, television isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I think the real problem with our obsession with wealth has been the near total emphasis on having a lot of "stuff", meaning all of the finest designer brand name fashion, high tech gadgets, deluxe kitchen and bath appliances and accessories, the biggest gas guzzling vehicle with leather seats and a booming car stereo, etc. Yes, travel has also been emphasized a lot, but usually it involves luxury cruises or trips to exotic places like Hawaii, the Caribbean, or Europe. I'd like to travel to those places myself, but my real main motivation for making lots of money is to get some freedom to do what I want to do and not have to worry about bills, mortgages, or other costs. While I'd love to have some cool gadgets, I don't absolutely need them. Preferably, I'd like to own some income generating assets or an online business which generates me enough money so that I don't have to go to a job and work 40 to 50 hours a week and spend 2 to three hours each day commuting to and from this job.

SCNDLS said:

:falloff;

Oh, and Kitty Kat, I see you're starting real early with all that Tar Heels shit.

Imago said:

Exactly how I feel. In 10 years time I'll remember trips to Phuket, Bang Saen, England etc. but if I had a big flat screen TV instead of this old 21" one would I remember or give two shits about it once it's obsolete and been replaced already probably more than once? Hence no big TV, no fancy video or audio equipment, no iPod, no phone, no video game console, no car, few expensive clothes and no things or luxury items I have any real care invested in (including my camera, which I like, but wouldn't greatly miss). Sure I like nice stuff, in a way, to look at in the store, but I just don't really care all that much about them to bother to go and get them. I've no real passions based on material things, I've realised. No hobbies that don't require anything other than good company. And the money to take me to exotic beaches.

But seriously, I like travel and eating out, but never spend that much and certainly never pay over the odds for a name or location for status and having bragging rights or anything like that. I know all the things and experiences I like and I can afford them and I don't strive to have anything more. I want to be a nice guy who's good to people and I want to have some fun. I used to love 'things' but somewhere along the way my greedy Xmas lists and birthday requests and fascination with gadgets gave way to contentedness and a disgraceful lack of conventional ambition.

That's not to hang shit on people who feel differently though. I admire people who have lots of money, who've worked hard for it, and in particular are still sensible with their money and keep some perspective. I admire ambition, in a way, and that drive that I don't have. I'm not envious though. Different strokes for different folks. I like to see the go-getters doing their thing but I'm ok not being one.

Experiences over things, for me.

ultrablue said:

One day you and I will be old men and you'll be all like, "remember that one time in Patpong, when we went to that club where those Pandas humped each other on stage to Paula Abdul ?"

And, I'll be like, "yes, too bad we had to leave early to start the Mullet Man Poodle Thread v 3.0 "


Lawd, the memories.

Imago said:

Not even far-fetched at all.

SCNDLS said:

Dude, that has been my signature since Apri '09!

GQ rated Duke as one of the top 25 douchiest schools in the nation!

Imago said:

I don´t really know you that well but, from what I can tell, the travelling has done you very good on so many levels, whether mentally, spiritually,personal level or healthwise.You should even travel a bit more if you have the possibility to do so.

And you are right about happy people being the ones who can look back and have fond memories of what they have done, rather than what they have.

Money isn´t everything and I am definitely not into status symbols but the most important and fascinating thing about money, IMO, is the fact that it buys you freedom, time, even health and the possibility to help and to travel.
Of course this is also possible withot tons of money but money makes a lot of things much easier if spent wisely.

If I had LOTS of money,my life would be totally different and better...not just for myself but also for many other people. The influence of money on your life and personality depends a lot on what type of personality you have.

KatSkrizzle said:

Like Chris Rock said, there's a difference between being rich and being wealthy. Wealth lasts generations.

728huey said:

Exactly. Money is extremely important to me, but as a means to an end, not as a tool to impress anyone. I care about it not because it allows me status or flat-screen TVs or anything else people use up their credit limits on, but because it allows me freedom: freedom from worry, and hopefully freedom to live the life I want when I'm a feeble old man drooling all over myself. If anyone here ever saw the way I currently live, you'd probably think I was a bus-boy or a 7-11 clerk making minimum wage based on my apartment, my mongrel stereo system and archaic computer. I could not give a shit's dick-ass about that stuff.


What I do care about is having the means to retire at 50, go back to school to get an economics degree & then spend the rest of my days listlessly laying on a couch reading all the books I don't have time for right now because I'm working every waking hour.

damosuzuki said:

KatSkrizzle said:

I mean

Coming from GQ that means a lot.
[Edited 10/23/09 6:33am]

uPtoWnNY said:

He also said you can lose rich over a weekend with a coke habit. Ask Rick James.

728huey said:

2 to 3 hours...

damosuzuki said:

^^^ THAT'S what I'm talking about. I'm not up on technology - if you came to my place, you'd swear you were in 1989. But I don't care, it's more important to have loot in the bank and investments, than all the latest 'stuff'.

SCNDLS said:

Mike Tyson was 'rich' too.

uPtoWnNY said:

Same here. When it comes to technological trends and gizmos I've always been It's all just more expensive ways to do what the hell you've already been doing. Money is important to me for the reasons already mentioned. I need it to do things I want to do, not to have a bunch of crap that will supposedly be outdated in time.

Adisa said:

Some of my relatives call it being 'cheap', but when those fools need help, guess who they call?

uPtoWnNY said:

I believe it. I also don't get with all the bullshit shopping for clothes either, but I'll let Bill Cosby do the talking for me on that topic. LOL. Seriously, I only buy what I need in the way of clothing, and I only buy it when I need, never just in case.

uPtoWnNY said:

Right? My ex best friend always took digs at me about being tight. Told me I wasn't generous. Even recently told his wife (who told me) that I was stingy. He'd say we should get a bigger TV or buy a PS3, like it was really important to him. Even stuff about how we had the gold cable package rather than platinum that he had and patronising us always slipping in how we are (in his eyes) poor.

In 7 years of friendship I have never once borrowed money from him while he has borrowed from me more than 10 times. 2 weeks ago I lent him $150 because he didn't have quite enough money to go to Malaysia to do his visa run.

SCNDLS said:

The working class heroes out number your prep school spoiled brat boys any day!