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

[The Albatross]

If I won the lottery I don't think I'd change that much. Maybe, probably.

If I became wealthy thru some thing that I perceived to be my own intelligence or achievement or cleverness or something, I probably would be worse. It's hard to be surrounded by yes men who telll you you're a brilliant genius who can do know wrong, without that getting to your head.

The people most convinced they absolutely wouldn't change are probably the biggest culprits for becoming a lot worse.

 

[Scarecrow]

How is anyone gonna know I'm a dbag if I fulfill my dreams of leading a recluse existence?

 

[Casualcore]

Slightly worse, but I'm slightly worse every year regardless. I'm slowly turning into jade.

I'd buy a small house, figure out how much I can give my sister who lives in poverty per year before we have to pay taxes on the gift, hide the rest, continue being a hermit.

Might be able to afford more meat. I would destroy the world faster living like that.

 

[kyle mechlachlan]

I'd be one of those people that goes extreme hermit that you don't hear about. Which is why I'd only ever get rich through some random event or lottery and not through direct exploitation.

 

[GrantDaNasty]

I think wealth can corrupt. I've seen it happen to people I personally know. It could be that wealth just "emboldened" their worst qualities but even then, it brought change for the worst.

I don't want to be a millionaire. If I can pay my taxes, rent/utilities/expenses, have a bit of money for leisure, then I'm happy. Money does not equate success for me (I think for a lot of people it does).

 

[wideface]

Realistically, I don't know. In my mind I imagine no change but who knows.

 

[Xun]

I doubt I'd change much, but it's honestly hard to say.

 

[Nachos]

I've seen this start to happen subtly to me after I got a new job that almost quadrupled my salary (I work in software). It was entirely luck-based – I didn't have any referrals or connections to the company, and just happened to impress them enough for them to give me a chance

But the way I've started to mentally approach money since then has been wild to me (especially since I have literally zero debt now). I remember struggling to pay $1500/month with another person, but now I can pay $4000/month by myself without breaking a sweat

I can always get fired/laid off, and that will knock me down several pegs, but I can feel myself changing, just by virtue of not needing to worry about money nearly as much. Even right now, I feel like a douche for saying all this – I'm 99% sure I'd be a corrupt asshole if I really struck it rich

Power and genuine comfort make get out of touch with the normal working person

 

[Vincent Grayson]

I'd pretty much be the same person, but with a lot less stress about money and such, and the ability to quit a job I don't enjoy and pursue the kinds of things I find enjoyable and satisfying.

 

[Tbm24]

I'm sure someone would look at me grocery shopping in a super car with a raised eyebrow. That and taking heavy fashion inspiration from Lenny Kravitz.

Probably the extent of it.

 

[SwampBastard]

When I fantasize about winning a billion dollar lottery jackpot, I get excited about the idea of setting up a foundation and giving away pretty much all of the money to that foundation.

 

[Derbel McDillet]

People are already douchebags without being rich.

 

[pbayne]

I dunno think i would just buy a modestly better house than i have, then spend the rest of my time on various holidays. If i had so much money than what i knew what to do with id just give to all my relatives.

 

[LowParry]

I'd just avoid people and hang with the few friends I have and family. It's for the better. Though it'd be fun to be one of those people that would pay for someone's groceries but for like 10 people in line. Throw a lot of generosity around.

 

[HardRojo]

I'd like to think I'd become a slightly better and more empathetic person than I currently am. I'd definitely become a worse person for intolerant and bigoted fucks.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

I truly don't know.

I guess I've not thought beyond assessing my immediate wants with money to actually reckon what how having money might change my behavior beyond the immediate sense of being able to afford some stuff that I want. Like I've only thought that I'd buy a home and pay off my current and modest debt load, and maybe buy a new car that's better for the winter climate I live in but not necessarily luxury. Something like a hybrid Honda CR-V.

Past that, I haven't imagined using money for power yet—even if I used my newfound money to take a stand for a cause that's generally seen as noble, there are likely to be people calling me a douche for it

 

[Reym]

I'm already the worst person I know. You might think that means the only way to go is up, but lol no. I wouldn't trust me with $20 found on the street.

 

[DarthKamen]

I like to think better, I'd definitely try and share it around with friends. And I could finally afford good, consistent therapy so ideally I'd improve a good deal.

 

[Euphoria]

I'd probably stay the same. It would likely just get invested and I would live on dividends.

 

[Caeda]

If I had money, I'd buy more shit for my friends, and donate. I'd be less stressed out all the time, and wouldn't be so snappy all the time. I could quit working for a while and focus on getting my degree. Then i could get a job I like instead of having to suffer at one I don't out of desperation.

 

[Gavalanche]

What is the definition of wealthy in this context?

I do pretty good money wise, and as far as I am aware I am pretty much the same. I have the same friends and do the same things as when I had a lot less money.

 

[DarthWoo]

I'd probably become a somewhat more generous reclusive hermit.

 

[sirap]

Went through it myself and yeah, wealth changes you even if you try to not let it. Fortunately I didn't become too much an asshole.

 

[BassForever]

I'd go full 80's kid villain, buy up a bunch of beloved land and build a shopping mall.

 

[TaySan]

I like to think i would be the same just invest better in myself and buy modestly but who knows

 

[Ouroboros]

Better. I'd give most of it to charities or research. I've lived a very simple 30some year life. I don't see that changing even with more money.

 

[ngower]

I'd buy myself basic things like a house, pay off my debts, put some money in a trust for certain family members and then probably just give away large chunks of it so I'm not stupid rich and only have enough to basically never work

 

[subpar spatula]

I think I'd buy Era just for funsies. Probably tank after a weekend but YOLO.

 

[Flygon]

I choose to believe not much would happen. In reality, I can't predict this unless it actually happened. I wouldn't feel comfortable informing others of my wealth regardless.

 

[Budi]

It would give me a better chance of being helpful and nice.

 

[Martinski]

Doubt I would change much except having a larger place than a studio apartment, collect more champagne and not work.

 

[FTF]

I'd like to think not but there's a chance I would a little. I know I'd give a lot of money to family, friends and charities, so maybe that would balance things out lol.

 

[Platy]

Most rich people become assholes because capitalism kinda requires you to be one if you are insanely rich and have a company to run, since shareholders ask for an ever increasing amount of profits and the only way to do this is treating workers as sub human, by exploiting them or firing lots of them.

I would invest on a safe place and live out of interests. My life doesn't require much money, so it would absolutely include stuff like calling friends to expensive restaurants and paying for them or something along those lines.

 

[Lobster Roll]

The last thing I'd want people to know is that I'm wealthy, so probably not. I'd try to lay low and be humble.

 

[I am a Bird]

I would specifically dedicate my millions to pissing off other millionaires.

Like some sort of spiteful jed clampet.

 

[Cymbal Head]

If I had a random financial windfall I would probably start looking for ways to give it away.

If I somehow became wealthy due to my own skill/talent/work, I just might become a self-important little jerk who builds a social bubble around himself.

 

[CopyOfACopy]

Drunk tony stark

 

[LumberPanda]

What I usually tell myself is if I won the jackpot I'd put enough away for retirement and work on more open source projects instead of having to code for a corporation.

 

[Mesoian]

Probably not. Most of my new fortune would probably be allocated to being able to live alone but comfortably. I don't find the acquisition of wealth to be enjoyable.

 

[AppleKid]

I'd become better in my eyes because I'd start donating significant amounts each year and, once I had enough saved up for my family's lifetime, quit my job and start dedicating time to social work. I have no interest in a lavish lifestyle and even if my income went way up wouldn't expect my spending habits to change much.

Right now it's all about saving for the future but once we buy a house and have a healthy amount saved for retirement I'd like to start donating more.

 

[finfinfin]

Million or so? Ideally, I'd stick with my day job as long as possible, because completely ignoring investment that's a 20k raise for 50 years, or 10k with a quarter blown immediately on people who need it and a quarter saved.

I would probably get depressed and weird and broke within five years.

Edit: if it was more, I would buy a couple of flats in my block and start knocking through walls. Maybe go vertical and put in a spiral staircase for some reason. Move? Nah.

I would also probably go to one of the big-name custom gaming pc brands, max out the ridiculous options like 16 TB of M.2 and 512 gigs of ram, six giant monitors, and play doom.

 

[Digital Dinosaur]

I sincerely do not fantasize about being rich for all the stereotypical reasons people are conditioned by culture to desire wealth and power. I do not care about that shit.

So I can't predict how wildly different circumstances would change me in ways I'm not self-conscious about. But I've idly thought about this before, and the first thing I would do is establish trusts designed to fund marginalized people and those in need. My "things I'd like to buy" list is pathetic compared to what genuinely rich people waste money on.

 

[KillstealWolf]

What do they say, power corrupts and money equals power? I feel like the things naturally go together.

 

[BWoog]

I'd like to think that I wouldn't.

I feel like if I won the lottery, I'd buy my family a bigger house, take us on first class trips, and then spend money on nerdy shit as a guilty pleasure.

I've never saw the need to buy shit like fancy cars/watches/jewelry etc. Always seemed like a waste of money.

 

[Gunny T Highway]

I feel I would stay roughly the same because of how I act even now with some decent money where I am not in debt. I would probably quit my job and just work on hobbies.

 

[flatearthpandas]

I think I'd be better without stressing over money. As i get older it weighs on me more and more and takes the fun out of everything.

Not really interested in a lavish lifestyle so I think I'd be fairly chill

 

[MisterSnrub]

I think I'd probably become a slightly bigger asshole without really meaning it, probably in terms of flaunting it or just being able to do things my friends can't, but it wouldn't affect my politics or outlook on the world

 

[ElNino]

I don't think I would change much. We already have more than most of our family and friends, and will help them out whenever they need it, but I don't feel that we "flaunt" it or purposefully cause anyone to feel uncomfortable despite some things being obvious.

 

[Hrodulf]

I don't know, someone should make me very wealthy so we can find out.

I'd definitely travel more, so at least "slightly worse" due to emissions, but I wouldn't be flying private and I can't imagine changing my life much beyond that.

 

[Melody Shreds]

Id give away anything other than what id require to live a comfortable life with my girlfriend because I view holding great wealth as inherently wrong.