If you became very wealthy, do you think you'd eventually become a rich douchebag?

[Max|Payne]

Say you win the lottery or something and you now have enough money to not worry about money for a long time, do you think your behavior would change over time?

Would you become worse? Better? No change? Other??


I'm afraid I'd become an even bigger antisocial sadsack in my luxurious man cave.

 

[Magic Mushroom]

I like to think I'd stay mostly the same. I hope to find out ;)

 

[thevid]

I would be better. That's why I deserve all the money.

 

[julia crawford]

i would probably never leave the house

 

[Strelok]

Of course, if I become rich that means I've always been better than you peasants!

 

[Lucia]

I think I would be a bit less socialable.

 

[T002 Tyrant]

There's no such thing as an ethical billionaire so unless I redistributed 99% of my wealth into improving either my local environment or the world depending on how much I had I'd be by default a worse person.

 

[BasilZero]

Likely be the same

Would not make it public either

 

[MasterYoshi]

I'd probably be an isolated prick, but I wouldn't like, shit on people at their places of work or anything like that

 

[Dan Thunder]

Genuinely think I'd be better. I'm approaching 50 so don't think it'd affect my personality much. For me though it'd remove a lot of stress from my life and I feel I'd be a better person to be around.

 

[Max|Payne]

Genuinely think I'd be better. I'm approaching 50 so don't think it'd affect my personality much. For me though it'd remove a lot of stress from my life and I feel I'd be a better person to be around.

Click to shrink...

That's why stuff like universal basic income and free Healthcare would do wonders for the people's general mental well-being.

 

[RysultSet]

While I cannot really imagine actually having that much money, I cannot fathom becoming like all those horrible people that are already hoarding all that wealth.

The amount of issues in my life I could easily solve through just pouring money onto and in turn improve my life so immensely... Makes a girl think.
There's no fucking way that would change me into a worse person.
I think it would do the opposite, without all those burdens on my shoulder.

And honestly I would just start gifting it to other people in need. There's no way I'd need to hoard it or even amass more.
Just even buying a single flat as a place of living and skip decade long payments or rent and then keep working would be an incredible improvement to my life. I don't need to go overboard and instead keep all that money.

But, as I said, can't actually imagine having that much money, so I don't know. Maybe it would change me into a worse person. I'd hope it wouldn't.

 

[Manta_Breh]

At that point with all that money, things would be easy to get and done. So when things don't go your way, I can see people absolutely being rude or short with people that can't deliver to them what they want.

I'd like to think that I'll be the same more or less, but I do feel like money in the end will always change a person, perhaps not for the better. Maybe I'm just cynical.

 

[subpar spatula]

Anyone saying better is a liar.

 

[citrusred]

Yes but I would also become a hermit so no one would notice.

 

[Skade]

I'd still live as an hermit, just in a nice house instead of my actual small apartment. So i don't think i would change much.

But we never know. So... Eh.

(and i'm probably already some kind of a jerk, so...)

 

[Leclair]

Well. I'm already a poor douchebag

 

[squall23]

It depends on if I'd be considered rich after spending it on my friends and family like buying houses and cars for them.

 

[Jubilant Duck]

I think it's impossible to have that much money and not have it affect how you are day to day. It's too titanic a situation shift in how society is currently set up. Having no financial worries by default allows for much more day-to-day confidence and the ability to put mental energies towards other things. Money can buy higher-quality food and living situations. It can buy services that take load/weight off you, e.g. hiring a maid or personal cook.

That said, there's a giant spectrum between, to use a consumer example, "buys expensive stuff therefore gets picky about every little detail/fault" and "buys expensive stuff therefore treats the point of sale rep like they're subhuman trash". There's a difference between hiring a cleaner who you pay well and act like a responsible, human employer with vs folks who hire "the help" and just treat/see them as such.

The existence of people with orders of magnitude more money than most people is inherently immoral, but that doesn't necessarily mean any individual person benefitting from that system has to be evil in their day to day.

 

[Kitsunebaby]

Not feeling anxious and resentful all the time might make me somewhat better, honestly.

And I've spent so many years as an underpaid service worker that I doubt I'd become one of those rich, unempathetic assholes.

 

[Addi]

It's probably a bit like getting drunk. Parts of your personality get bigger. I'm happy drunk, so I think I'd be nice and a giver.

 

[Paroni]

I think I would just become lazy as fuck. Probably would not upgrade my standard of living into luxurious levels, I would just try to make the money last for a lifetime without having to work and worry.

 

[Lynchian Anomaly]

I'd be happy living how I live now but with the safety net of never having to worry again.

 

[Hollywood Duo]

I'm sure it would change

 

[Fat4all]

i just want one of those big bathtubs that elderly people got where it has a door and they sit in the bath

after i buy that ill give the rest away

 

[bluehat9]

If it was a ton of money I'd vacation all the time. If it was just enough to not work again and live well you'd just never see me because I'd just hang out in my mansion.

 

[BebopCola]

I'd become quite the contented recluse, I think. I'd still want to help society, but I'd be able to do it from a distance with money and keep my sanity rather than slowly become the Cresftallen Federal Employee from the lamest Dark Souls

 

[P-MAC]

I chose slightly worse because I was trying to be honest.

Personally I hate what the rich do to this world and even now when I'm nowhere near rich, I donate to causes, help people who need it, do things for the environment and generally try to have a positive impact.

If I had total financial freedom, I know for a fact I would still hold these opinions, do these things and do them more, having as much of a positive impact as I could.

But could I say I wouldn't also be selfish and do things for myself that could have a negative impact? No, I cannot.

We all have human nature and if we're solely going off the people that are already rich, well, the vast majority of them do seem to change. Being able to do whatever you want at any time with no restrictions is inherently going to change you. Would be pretty douchey to claim I'm better than those people without actually experiencing that huge change in world view.

 

[Fliesen]

I'd be happy living how I live now but with the safety net of never having to worry again.

Click to shrink...

Basically this. My net worth has recently gone up quite a bit in recent years, but it hasn't led to me spending more, i'm still living a relatively frugal / modest lifestyle (my wife and i have always been living way below our means). But it's nice knowing that i myself, or my children, shouldn't really have to worry about things like homelessness / job loss / not being able to put food on the table. (that, of course, depends on them also knowing that living a good life doesn't revolve around excessive consumerism).

Like, i still refuse to buy these fancy ass new running shoes, even though i'm quite certain that the interest my investment portfolio generates would likely cover the sticker price ... in less than a week or so.

 

[Kromeo]

I suspect I'd buy a biggish house with 100" TV and then just mostly keep to myself

 

[mangopositive]

I have enough philanthropic fantasies to indicate I'd probably be better, at least in the short-term.

I've been so many different people already though.

 

[N64Controller]

The thing with wealthy people isn't so much that they necessarily become douchebags it's that overtime you lose contact with reality. Having so much money that you never need to worry about it and can spend it on whatever you want really slants your view on everything, even if you are well-meaning. It's nice to think about all those philanthropic endeavors you're dreaming about, etc. But it's objectively extremely easy to be "Philanthropic" or to "give back" when you're filthy rich.

Not having to worry about anything is a life-altering experience. Kind of like suddenly realizing you're invincible or can't die would be.

It would change every single one of us. A lot.

 

[Neo C.]

From your perspective, definitely.

 

[Spork4000]

I think I've lost touch a bit sense I transitioned from poor to upper middle class over the last 6-ish years. I don't think anything could make me an intentional jerk, but briefly forgetting the struggle happens to me now. Can't imagine if I was truly wealthy.

 

[Pein]

Worse, not worse like I'm an asshole but I'd do typical rich stuff that would be viewed as bad.

Super cars, multiple houses, maybe some flights on a private jet.

 

[Biteren]

I probably would be a Huge asshole with out realizing it, but I always imagined if I was rich I would do cool shit like I'll have a fair/carnival/festival for no reason other than just to do it and everyone can go.

 

[Herne]

I hope not. I know I'd be throwing money around to worthy causes, but without being in that situation I can't make an accurate guesstimate.

 

[N64Controller]

Let me just say though, as long as you don't become a landlord you will not reach douchebag supreme

 

[Kaiser Swayze]

If it changed me for the worse, I hope I'd at least aspire to become a supervillain instead of just a douche with a lot of money.

 

[shaneo632]

Not ostentatiously douchey but I could imagine myself being a lot less impatient and just wanting to throw money at problems in a way that might piss not-rich people off.

 

[Soda]

There's no such thing as an ethical billionaire so unless I redistributed 99% of my wealth into improving either my local environment or the world depending on how much I had I'd be by default a worse person.

Click to shrink...

Agreed. If you've got a billion, you need to be redistributing a minimum 90%, but really more like 95-99%.

 

[mere_immortal]

I've got no interest in massive mansions or supercars. I'd buy a decent house for UK standards and a reliable new car. Probably do more travelling and buy a nicer TV, a bunch of lego and stuff so depending on your view on consumerism and carbon footprint I guess that would be worse. But at the same time I'd want to look after family and friends, then chuck some money around to good causes.

 

[Fallout-NL]

That's why stuff like universal basic income and free Healthcare would do wonders for the people's general mental well-being.

Click to shrink...

Yeah amen.

 

[eXistor]

I'd like to think I'd be fine, but I don't know.

I'd stop work completely and just stay inside all the time.

 

[BarryFishFinger]

Given that me being a nice guy doesn't seem to be cajoling the universe into granting me a sizeable lottery win, and given that it appears to be the case that an awful lot of horrible, horrible people have ended up wealthy - I've decided to put it out there to the universe that I'll be a right prick when I win.

I'm going to drive past my former work in my expensive car jeering at former colleagues. I'm going to start boundary disputes with anyone who happens to abut my new estate. I'm going to bully and bribe my way through local planning relations and tear down ancient woodland because it spoils the view from my hot tub. I'm going to become a culinary snob, go to local restaurants and make disparaging remarks about the food. I'm going to continue not giving to charity. I'm going to start a Twitter account and post unfair things about 'the poors' being lazy and so on.

Bring it on.

 

[HStallion]

I want to be really confident and say that I'd stay true to my values, donate a big chunk of my fortune and all that… but part of me is also sure I'd be corrupted in no time going off of how often it happens throughout human history.

 

[Yesterzine]

Probably.

I just wouldn't become a transphobic rich douchebag.

 

[breakdancing duck]

I'm by no means rich, but I find myself already having lost touch with the financial concerns of my younger years. I can remember, but it's not automatic. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking on the scale you live.

 

[AlgusUnderdunk]

Like, crazy wealth? Aside from taking care of some medical problems and some debts, I'd be investing all that in low income housing and community services. Also a small but bizarre house, like a sensible Wonka.

 

[I Don't Like]

Not at this age. If I won the lottery I'd immediately hire a lawyer to oversee donating a bunch of it annually to various orgs and I myself would scour gofundmes periodically. I do that now and I make good money but I'm no lottery winner.

I'd also quit my job and spend a ton of time volunteering - also something I currently do at least once, sometimes twice a month (and would do more if my work schedule permitted but I work late). So, I'd actually be spending more of my time around folks who need help and that would radicalize as a leftist even more, if anything.