Question of the Day - Tuesday, December 13

[cassiopea]

*Late Edition*

My pardons for the delay! It was a crazy busy Tuesday the other day!





What was the most egregious display of wealth you've ever personally seen?





I'm just a humble middle-class person so my access to the wealthy elite is obviously limited lol but I did have one encounter when I was a kid while staying in St Petersburgh, Russia, with my parents. My mom and I were at the entranceway inside the Hermitage Museum, having just bought tickets. Suddenly the clerk gets a call and informs us that all other visitors in the museum must suddenly leave. At first, we were perplexed, thinking that maybe there was an emergency fire or something. No, the clerk said, there is an oligarch who is coming and wants the entire museum to themselves whom we actually managed to see as we headed out - rows and rows of expensive shiny black tinted cars. Let's just say we weren't exactly impressed, but what can be wisely done in a situation like that?


(No refunds on the tickets either BTW)

The only other time I've seen something that constitutes as extreme wealth was seeing giant private yachts along the coast in Italy, or the ones in Florida.

 

[Furballsmom]

Love that video LOL

This isn't about wealth per se, but not too long ago we were driving along a major highway that just happens to be a main artery going from downtown to the airport.

We start to see drivers moving over from the far left lane, repeatedly, and pretty soon along comes a (short) convoy of black government-type vehicles, hogging up that left lane at a relatively high rate of speed just so they could get whoever to his/her plane on time.

 

[denice]

Many years ago, when I was still living in the Dayton area, Janet Jackson did a concert at Wright State University. I was working both nights and weekends at the time and drove by Wright State University to get to work. Traffic was a mess because the concert had just let out. A really long stretch limo pulled out and of course all of us gave it room. I thought that was probably Janet Jackson and her entourage.

 

[Margot Lane]

…been debating whether to post this, so will just say beforehand whatever politics you personally hold….no, you know what? It’s near Christmas, nevermind.

How bout this: I’m sure I’m not the only one irked by having to walk past all the first class people boarded first in an airplane, in their big fancy seats, trying to ignore the rest of us.…

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Probably the time I was in the shopping streets of Oakleigh, a poor, high-unemployment, working class suburb of Melbourne. There was a Ferrari parked in the street. I imagine it belonged to some drug dealer.

 

[neely]

I’m sure I’m not the only one irked by having to walk past all the first class people boarded first in an airplane, in their big fancy seats, trying to ignore the rest of us.…

Or when they have elite status and instead of searching for a seat to wait by the gate they have access to an Admirals Club or Polaris Lounge.

 

[Tobermory]

I led university fund-raising programs and visited a lot of extremely wealthy people while traveling with the president, people who could give seven-figure gifts without blinking. In a career spanning almost 30 years, I met only a handful of people who really flaunted their wealth and were arrogant jerks about it. Yeah, they all lived lives that are hard to comprehend—private jets, homes (large ones) all over the place, etc.—but mostly they were lovely down-to-earth people who were extremely philanthropic. Most didn’t want their names plastered all over everything. They just wanted to support students. Maybe it made a difference that, with one exception, I worked at more modest regional universities rather than “big name” universities.

 

[denice]

I led university fund-raising programs and visited a lot of extremely wealthy people while traveling with the president, people who could give seven-figure gifts without blinking. In a career spanning almost 30 years, I met only a handful of people who really flaunted their wealth and were arrogant jerks about it. Yeah, they all lived lives that are hard to comprehend—private jets, homes (large ones) all over the place, etc.—but mostly they were lovely down-to-earth people who were extremely philanthropic. Most didn’t want their names plastered all over everything. They just wanted to support students. Maybe it made a difference that, with one exception, I worked at more modest regional universities rather than “big name” universities.

I think there is a difference between 'old wealth' and 'new wealth'. People from old established wealthy families are like what you are describing.

 

[iPappy]

I led university fund-raising programs and visited a lot of extremely wealthy people while traveling with the president, people who could give seven-figure gifts without blinking. In a career spanning almost 30 years, I met only a handful of people who really flaunted their wealth and were arrogant jerks about it. Yeah, they all lived lives that are hard to comprehend—private jets, homes (large ones) all over the place, etc.—but mostly they were lovely down-to-earth people who were extremely philanthropic. Most didn’t want their names plastered all over everything. They just wanted to support students. Maybe it made a difference that, with one exception, I worked at more modest regional universities rather than “big name” universities.

I have known a few people who I would consider were very wealthy. Days spent at home, they wore the same clothes I do--old T-shirt, jeans, messy bun, etc. All of them were so caring, kind, not to mention funny!...and gave huge amounts to local charities and weren't afraid to actually donate their time, too. I loved them because they weren't "fussy".
I've known my share of dime-store millionaires who live the life but are dangerously in debt over it, yet treat everyone else around them like crap and act like they're better than everyone. They go out of their way to be very obnoxious about "showing off" all they have. It's gross IMO. Just goes to show you, money can't buy real class.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

I can't think of anything specific. Getting into income inequity and disparity is something that really grinds my gears, so I could go on a rant about wealthy people, but I won't.

 

[strider rose]

people with large homes, two or three swimming pools and the like

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I can’t think of anything specific. The closest I’ve come to wealth was probably when FIL had a long-distance girlfriend who was an heiress but also had a first husband who was good at investing. She invited us to stay at her home in a NY suburb for FIL’s birthday. She stayed behind while we took a train into the city and did touristy things but was a nice hostess. Her home was nice size but not awe inspiring or even up to date. One bathroom was all pink tiles, another was all blue. The furniture was older but well cared for. She definitely didn’t feel a need to impress anyone. I might not have known she was wealthy if FIL hadn’t said anything. Some things I only noticed hinted to wealth in retrospect.

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

Three child care centers ago, there was this little girl whose mom only dressed her in designer clothes. She even asked the teachers if they could change her in to play clothes before going outside then back in to her good clothes after! Grr.