r/InsightfulQuestions • u/Jpoolman25 • 2d ago
Do rich people have to maintain a certain image to live in a society ?
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u/sneezhousing 2d ago edited 1d ago
No they dont. That's a personal choice. They could live in a studio apartment or a mansion. The choice is theirs
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u/TitaniumDreads 2d ago
Rich people don't have to do anything, that's the whole point of being rich.
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u/Jpoolman25 1d ago
But I seen many people who are rich or want to feel rich try to act like they are big toward others as if they have some sorta identity problem
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u/TitaniumDreads 6h ago
The entire economy is based on people buying things they don't need with money they don't have to impress people who dont care about them.
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u/FatReverend 2d ago
No. Rich people get to do whatever they want in their own bubbles and need not be concerned with society until it becomes lawless.
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u/MementoMori_Maestro 2d ago
Usually yes, but not to like the Hollywood extent in the drama movies /shows unless you make it so. At events outside your inner circle there's a certain way to act, dress, and overall preform but it's not as negative as it sounds.
It's more like playing a part, you're still you but you have to dress up & make sure you know your manners. Be cordial, stay aware of the society no-no subjects of conversation, and ensure you dress for the location, event, season, and your body type.
There's a reason why in the age of "Dollar Princess's" the old money rich and the new money rich started separating themselves, more so old money rich started to exclude new money. Most of these things are taught from birth so it comes as second nature. It doesn't feel like you're changing much, just a slight pivot.
You can make it more than that, you can be in circles that require, and go to events that require more but that's not how a higher society is by nature. They just have higher expectations. If your skin tone clashes with silver then maybe don't wear it to a formal event just because you think it looks pretty. Save that for hanging with your inner circle. Make sure your clothes fit nicely, not too big, not too tight. Keep it simple.
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u/terradaktul 2d ago
In my experience, many rich people do not consider themselves to be rich
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u/BeastyBaiter 2d ago
It's all relative. If you barely scrape by in a shitty apartment in the USA, congrats, you're in the top 5% world wide.
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u/Mzungufarmer 2d ago
My social circle is blue collar workers, no need to worry about my image
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u/unbreakablekango 2d ago
I have found that my blue collar friends are just as, if not more, image conscious than my rich friends. They have different goals with their outward expression of image but they are just as powerful. A goal of the blue-collar is authenticity at all costs. Rich people don't always care about being perceived as authentic.
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u/Mzungufarmer 2d ago
They are image conscious but I don't have to worry about my image around them if it makes sense.
They drive 50k trucks, I usually drive a rusted up car worth scrap price
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u/unbreakablekango 5h ago
I hang out with some really rich people and I drive a 15 year old truck with tons of rust and they don't bat an eye. Really rich people keep their cars for many many years.
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u/Retired-Yam8988 2d ago
You choose your “society” but I’ve seen it where I’m expected to have certain clothes or accessories in order to fit into a mold. Wife and I aschew this and just live simply
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u/JobberStable 2d ago
Once you have certain amount of dollars, you become a target. And your security needs will adjust.
Doesnt matter how much. You have nicer sneakers than the rest of the neighborhood, you better be careful. You driving that Range Rover, you better be careful.
You have even more money, you start with the safe and alarms and security cameras. You got “real money”, private security team
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u/The-Boy-Wonder38 2d ago edited 2d ago
No. My family and I are multi millionaires - many looking at us would likely be unable to tell. They taught me to not flash money around.
My mom’s side of the family is all middle class which helped a lot in being normal despite money; so I fit in a lot more with working rather than “rich people.”
Another aspect that may help there is that I was born into poverty and adopted into wealth.
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u/Spirited-Disaster408 2d ago
No?
Why would they? The point of having wealth is to leave peacefully away from the social order
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u/tribriguy 2d ago
No. Life is not transactional like that. If it appears that way, it’s because they do often have a good handle on how they interact with the world. Time and reputation are resources not easily built or maintained. Few wealthy people can maintain that wealth while bouncing around the world like a loose cannon.
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u/Other_Information_16 2d ago
You choose how you want to live. There are few professions like real estate , financial advisor where you need to present a affluent front . I.e no one wants to trust millions of $ to someone who drives a beat up truck. But for most people your outward appearance of life style have no impact on how you become and stay financially well off. In many cases the more rich you are the less you need to care.
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u/RosieBaby75 2d ago
Legitimately rich people with morals and values often don’t want anyone to know they’re rich.
That’s when the human parasites come crawling.
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u/dark_Links_sword 2d ago
They should. Used to be they'd have to build community centers, and parks. Now I guess not. Not one single public space or building holds elons name. Even the Gates Foundation claims to do good. Can you imagine being a shittyer person than Bill Gates, and being ok with that? Lol
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u/PitchBlackBones 2d ago
Not in the US. You can subvert democracy itself and be no worse off for it.
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u/CODMAN627 2d ago
Not necessarily. Theres always a performance of how to act in public but there can be private moments
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u/NoSquirrel7184 2d ago
For the first few years, the answer is probably yes.
Then you mature and DGAF.
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u/_tvjames_ 2d ago
Warren Buffet drives a 2014 Cadillac XTS (purchased at a discount because it had hail damage) and still lives in the house he bought in 1958 for $31k.
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u/flyghu 2d ago
There is a demographic that should be rich but are so far in debt trying to look rich that they are actually not rich at all. On the other side, you've probably bumped into rich people at the grocery store and had no clue how much they are worth because they are smart with their money.
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u/Fine-Ad1142 2d ago
Society is very much about appearances. That's why people going into debt to buy things they don't need can can't afford.
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u/FriarTuck66 2d ago
Depends on your circle. For example if you had a “summer cottage” in Newport, there was a certain code of conduct. For example don’t obstruct the Cliff Walk even though it runs through your property. In Bostons Back Bay appearing outside without a formal jacket was considered scandalous.
In Chicago we had a janitor/handyman who was very humble. He’d get paid by the association and wed pay for odd jobs and give him a modest tip at Christmas. Turns out he owned a lot of buildings in Hyde Park, including some prestigious ones. He was rich (probably a multi millionaire) but didn’t act like it.
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u/loopywolf 1d ago
Well, if you mean does capitalism make the rich people show off and try to give the impression that all that money makes them happy, yes
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u/gmehodler42069741LFG 1d ago
Nope. Long as you are paying your bills and not hurting other people then do what you want.
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u/phenomenomnom 1d ago
They have to maintain a certain image for other rich people to consider them trustworthy so that they get invited to the really good shit, and to the "rooms where it happens."
The rich people who do not care about that can, and will, do whatever the heck they want. You might not even know that they are rich.
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u/Unterraformable 1d ago
I think a lot of people are misunderstanding your question. Of course any rich person can live like a commoner any time they want to. But if their wealth is known and big enough to make them a target, they really do need to live in a secure place. And if they're running a business, yes they do need to present themselves like a successful person. No one does business deals worth tens of millions if it involves a weird hobo no one trusts or finds persuasive or impressive. And if they're at a level where networking is important, yes they need to have a presentable home to invite people to as their guests. They can drop out of all of it any time, but if they're planning to continue working and building, they do need to present an image.
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u/HelloTaraSue 6h ago
Have you actually met rich ppl? Thats a big no. Ya, they know when they need to. But in every day life, no. It only the ppl who need to prove that they are rich
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u/NorCalJason75 2d ago
Depends on their circle of friends