[May 13, 2024] CNBC: ‘Wealth can be pretty isolating’: Problems that rich people face, according to therapists

[Melpomene]

I would literally do whatever the fuck I want.
What do you mean???

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The simple notion of regarding work as a source of "purpose and meaning" belies their disconnection from real, worldly concerns. How many people of lesser means are working jobs that mean nothing to them, robbed of work that could give them a "purpose," simply to survive?

 

[Shahadan]

I would literally do whatever the fuck I want.
What do you mean???

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That works for a time if you're suddenly rich, and that's a whole other matter if they were born into it.
Also that's why you see bored rich housewives do fundraisers or charities and have some business ventures they don't need.

 

[WascallyWabbit]

There's no way we can have constructive conversations on this topic so I'm gonna guess this thread gonna get locked lol

Outside of sympathizing with the rich, I honestly took this article as a challenge to learn to sympathize with people who exist outside yourself.

There are a lot of people who have lost the ability to sympathize with ANYONE who's not in complete lockstep with them. So many people just waiting for a justifiable target to spew vitriol at.

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This is a good way of looking at it

 

[Shahadan]

Outside of sympathizing with the rich, I honestly took this article as a challenge to learn to sympathize with people who exist outside yourself.

There are a lot of people who have lost the ability to sympathize with ANYONE who's not in complete lockstep with them. So many people just waiting for a justifiable target to spew vitriol at.

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quoting this for the new page

edit: ah; beaten

 

[Vipershark]

That works for a time if you're suddenly rich, and that's a whole other matter if they were born into it.
Also that's why you see bored rich housewives do fundraisers or charities and have some business ventures they don't need.

Click to shrink...

I imagine I would travel the world until I get bored of it, and then (assuming I'm filthy rich and have the means to do so) would literally just start funding artists and creators and causes I support and probably trying to buy off politicians.

It doesn't seem like there's a shortage of things to do. I can literally pay people to create the things I want to see in life.

Not to mention being able to splurge on the hobbies that I already have to an extreme degree.

 

[Roubjon]

Being wealthy is a very exclusive club, so the problems they face and the emotional anguish they feel throughout their lives I can imagine is a bit isolating. "Who can I complain to? I'm rich? I guess I'll just do rich people things to cope. No one cares if I'm sad anyways."

Which is kinda sad on one hand. But then there's the fact that money is such a nasty dictator of people's quality of life that it seems like a rite of passage for a wealthy person more than anything else.

I do sympathize, but it's certainly nothing I'd lose sleep over.

I feel like the key to being rich is to give most of it away, so you still have to stress about money just a bit. At least that way you are grounded in reality the tiniest bit but are also doing good for the world given your circumstances.

 

[AlgusUnderdunk]

Gee, maybe they isolate themselves because they panic about losing their wealth and power.

 

[belairjeff]

You can always, you know, use your wealth for good? Such as starting a business and paying your employees above a living salary or try donating it instead of crying about having too much money.

 

[jb1234]

Grass is always greener.

 

[Hrist]

Man the brain rot on display as soon as we speak of rich people is amazing

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Brain rot is definitely there, mostly found in people desperate to defend the ultra rich, who cause their own problems *and also those of everyone less wealthy than them*.

If the argument that wealth caused these issues is true, then one more reason to properly tax them. The root of the problem here is that the ultra wealthy have too much wealth, which hurts the whole planet. If it also hurts them, more reason to remove some of that wealth. It's even to their benefit.

That works for a time if you're suddenly rich, and that's a whole other matter if they were born into it.

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This is propaganda, not reality. In the real world, people seek their own meaning, and find it in community, the arts, personal projects. The notion of work being the sole purpose and meaning has always been propaganda that hurts those that believe in it, because it prevents people from even understanding where meaning can be found.

This stupid notion you're desperately clinging to is precisely what people have to unlearn after they retire. And that is saying it all, really.


We always come back to this. This entire problem exists only because of the societal propaganda that the only thing that gives meaning is work. Everything in this thread considered a problem stems from this, from social isolation to lack of purpose. We diminish every life choice that is not solely about maximizing profit - and look where that leads us. Everything that is remotely nurturing is demonized and minimized, seen as "lesser", as women's work unworthy of respect [just look at how many incredibly important roles pay less than trash because "women's work" - from nurses to teachers]. And yet it would give many people so much more meaning than the relentless pursuit of capital.

That includes the mega rich. If instead of forcing people to pee into bottles and lobby to force the poor to to work for less money than is needed to live, the ultra wealthy could work to improve their societies, if instead of hoarding the wealth they'd give back, they wouldn't suffer from self isolation, and at the same time their wealth wouldn't choke the societies they live in.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

I guess this thread proves the point. What's the threshold net worth where mental health concerns go away?

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Man the brain rot on display as soon as we speak of rich people is amazing

That said, nothing seems really new in that article sadly, I was expecting some rare insight. Still, I hope those people find fulfillment somewhere.

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Seems like caring about mental health stops at a certain income level around here.

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considering a lot of the ultra rich are responsible for a lot of ongoing misery perpetrated on the lower classes, what are we supposed to make of an article on CNBC talking those poor, lonely rich people and won't you please sympathize with them? What's the proper response?

 

[Melpomene]

Outside of sympathizing with the rich, I honestly took this article as a challenge to learn to sympathize with people who exist outside yourself.

There are a lot of people who have lost the ability to sympathize with ANYONE who's not in complete lockstep with them. So many people just waiting for a justifiable target to spew vitriol at.

Click to shrink...

I just don't understand what one expects could be constructive about this kind of thing, though. If they, with all the means in the world, cannot meaningfully remedy whatever is ailing them, what is anyone reading this supposed to do other than feel condescended to? I don't disagree that people do what you're claiming they do, but is this a case of people "waiting" for a "justified" "target," or do people simply feel that they're being asked to give something - even if just their emotional investment - to those who will never give anything back, simply take?

There's a massive difference between telling someone to care about the needy who exist outside of their circumstances and asking them to expend energy they may not even have left for themselves on being concerned about those with resources they couldn't dream of.

People are being afforded less and less of "themselves" as time goes on and economic circumstances place more and more demands on them. I don't think it's heartless to say that people who have nothing to concern themselves with but themselves are not as entitled to a piece of them beyond the most fundamental, base level of concern for mental health in isolation.

 

[Vipershark]

I've always wondered if it was possible to do gentrification in a healthy way.
Would it be possible to go into a poor neighborhood, buy up all the property, gift it back to the people already living there without kicking them out of their homes, then hire local companies to come in and renovate their houses and communities and exponentially increase their property values without displacing them from the area?

What would happen if you started pumping crazy money into poor areas without removing the poor people?
Has that ever actually been attempted?

 

[Zukkoyaki]

CNBC is little more than a corpoganda mill

 

[RaphaBE]

I like ERA because I learn new things everyday. For instance, today I learned that mental health doesn't matter once you reach a certain wealth. /s Seriously, do fucking better than those disgusting posts, folks.

 

[Arkanim94]

So sad.

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

At least they can afford therapy.

 

[take_marsh]

Somebody call a waahmbulance.

Wealth might not solve your emotional health, but it is an undeniable necessity for people to grow as people. I recently learned of the Maslow's heirarchy of needs.

So these people are having trouble at the third level and beyond. As most people will their entire lives to some degree, I imagine. However, they are incapable of understanding how good they have it because they'll never even think about the first two levels. The first level hardly even exists for them, so I think they'll only care about it in terms of other people if it benefits them in some way.

I ain't a psychologist though. I'm just spitting. I don't have a lot of sympathy for these individuals blinded by their luck. I'm sure there a lot of people don't have sympathy for many of us because plenty of us here on this forum have a house, job, etc. We're relatively very lucky. The world kinda sucks.

 

[Ashrak]

To be honest, i really don't see the problem. Being rich (meaning: getting everything that you need and want) and don't having to deal with people sounds like a HUGE win to me.

 

[Derbel McDillet]

Everyones all fuck the rich until it's a celebrity they like's movie not opening well or not winning the Oscar or not getting good reviews and then it's all the sympathy in the world for someone who got paid for that role months ago.

It doesn't require sympathy, but I can understand the concerns. If I come into a large amount of money, how many people can I trust with that information. Feeling paranoid.

Everyones got something, I don't have to take time out of my day to be concerned, but I can read this and go, "yeah, that makes sense".

 

[Sarvijoki]

Fuck those people so much

 

[apocat]

I like ERA because I learn new things everyday. For instance, today I learned that mental health doesn't matter once you reach a certain wealth. /s Seriously, do fucking better than those disgusting posts, folks.

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Sure it does. But when the mental health issues are described as a consequence of feeling alienated from the people who you've profited off, then I don't have much to say.

If I sit and have a conversation with a wealthy individual and they describe suffering from a mental disorder, or are haunted by the memories of a traumatic experience, I will be all ears. Of course that matters.

If they tell me they feel alone because their parasitic hoarding has left them disconnected from the rest of humanity, then I'm at a loss as to why I should care all that much, knowing that people around the world are literally dying because of the system they keep running, despite it seemingly not even making them happy. I guess I could tell them to give up their wealth in order to help the poor?

God Visits a Prayer Group - Key & Peele

God answers this group’s prayers.About Key & Peele: Key & Peele showcases the fearless wit of stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as the duo takes on e...

youtu.be

 

[Derbel McDillet]

Sure it does. But when the mental health issues are described as a consequence of feeling alienated from the people who you've profited off, then I don't have much to say.

If I sit and have a conversation with a wealthy individual and they describe suffering from a mental disorder, or are haunted by the memories of a traumatic experience, I will be all ears. Of course that matters.

If they tell me they feel alone because their parasitic hoarding has left them disconnected from the rest of humanity, then I'm at a loss as to why I should care all that much, knowing that people around the world are literally dying because of the system they keep running, despite it seemingly not even making them happy. I guess I could tell them to give up their wealth in order to help the poor?

God Visits a Prayer Group - Key & Peele

God answers this group’s prayers.About Key & Peele: Key & Peele showcases the fearless wit of stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as the duo takes on e...

youtu.be

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Mind you, these are second hand accounts from therapists. No one rich is telling you that they feel alone or asking you for sympathy.

 

[firehawk12]

Remember affluenza. Being rich is so hard it makes you kill people without realizing it's bad.

 

[apocat]

Mind you, these are second hand accounts from therapists. No one rich is telling you that they feel alone or asking you for sympathy.

Click to shrink...

This is true.

 

[GeorgePBurdell]

considering a lot of the ultra rich are responsible for a lot of ongoing misery perpetrated on the lower classes, what are we supposed to make of an article on CNBC talking those poor, lonely rich people and won't you please sympathize with them? What's the proper response?

Click to shrink...

What is the proper response to those with lesser means having mental health issues? How about the middle class? How about just rich people but not ultra rich, is it ok to acknowledge and sympathize with them? Where is the line where you can have too much money that you are no longer deserving of empathy for anything?

 

[darz1]

So 1% is the loneliest number?

Of course rich people have problems; grief, heartbreak, loss, loneliness. These are emotions that all humans feel, regardless of wealth.

However, being ultra-rich will also shield them from many of the day to day problems that poor people face and it will allow you to be able to step back and address your emotions

Feeling lonely because you are rich is not the same as feeling lonely because you have no social life because you are working yourself to the bone everyday to just to get by, or because you don't have a car and it takes you hours on public transport just to do the things you need to in order to have food on the table. When you don't have the luxury to take time off to address your inner emotions or your loss or your grief, and you have to keep going and going or you will be out on the street. These are problems rich people simply don't have to worry about.

So yes, rich people might have some problems, but excuse me for not being sympathetic some rich people feel lonely

 

[Booshka]

What is the proper response to those with lesser means having mental health issues? How about the middle class? How about just rich people but not ultra rich, is it ok to acknowledge and sympathize with them? Where is the line where you can have too much money that you are no longer deserving of empathy for anything?

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Colloquially it's a billion because that's the first class to tackle and then go from there.

 

[Sawneeks]

There's a good study out there looking at how money influences mental health. I can't remember the exact details but essentially having less money lead to significant mental health issues. The more money you had, the less negative impact it would have on your life - up to a certain point. I can't remember the exact number ($150k a year, maybe. It was a mid 2010s study) but once it hit that point money had no impact on your mental health. Until, of course, you got to the ultra rich in which it did start having some negative impacts. Nowhere near the same level as lacking money, but it did decrease quality of life.

I'm not going to go tracking it down since I know many here won't read it. But it's something to keep in mind, as well as general empathy.

And y'know. Reading ability. Like how this article has quotes from THE PSYCHOLOGISTS and not the clients themselves. And most of y'all in here are whining about these people complaining and it's not even them who are saying it for the article. It's said in confidence to their therapist.

I like ERA because I learn new things everyday. For instance, today I learned that mental health doesn't matter once you reach a certain wealth. /s Seriously, do fucking better than those disgusting posts, folks.

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Welcome to era. This is the culture that is fostered here over the years.

 

[CloseTalker]

I like ERA because I learn new things everyday. For instance, today I learned that mental health doesn't matter once you reach a certain wealth. /s Seriously, do fucking better than those disgusting posts, folks.

Click to shrink...

Era's discussions about wealthy people are always super nuanced and thoughtful, I'm not sure what you mean /s

 

[coolasj19]

Excuse me for not reading any follow up posts or the whole article.

But I feel like you can choose to stop being rich. You could even chose to only be "very well off". And then you can trade out your loneliness for other problems. Anyway, that's the difference. Insane wealth is a continuous choice and you get to enjoy the negatives that come with it. Other people don't have that choice.

 

[TheEchosOfTheCyborg]

There's a good study out there looking at how money influences mental health. I can't remember the exact details but essentially having less money lead to significant mental health issues. The more money you had, the less negative impact it would have on your life - up to a certain point. I can't remember the exact number ($150k a year, maybe. It was a mid 2010s study) but once it hit that point money had no impact on your mental health. Until, of course, you got to the ultra rich in which it did start having some negative impacts. Nowhere near the same level as lacking money, but it did decrease quality of life.

I'm not going to go tracking it down since I know many here won't read it. But it's something to keep in mind, as well as general empathy.

And y'know. Reading ability. Like how this article has quotes from THE PSYCHOLOGISTS and not the clients themselves. And most of y'all in here are whining about these people complaining and it's not even them who are saying it for the article. It's said in confidence to their therapist.


Welcome to era. This is the culture that is fostered here over the years.

Click to shrink...

Something I wonder is children born into that wealth and as such, have no comparison to make or even a comprehension of not being able to get what you want. Do they just grow up lonely and miserable? How much does that warp your worldview and self-importance, especially into adulthood?

That being said, I do think one of the solutions is to remove the wealth and cap the maximum amount of wealth a single person can have at where it's decided it's deemed healthy like say whatever $150,000 in 2010 is now.

 

[Messofanego]

This is pretty basic stuff. Like when someone gets a lot of inheritance money or win the lottery, that amount of wealth can have negative consequences. I wouldn't mind having ultra rich people pay me to be their therapist. I will empathise with their mental health concerns and then convince them to redistribute their wealth and to lobby for progressive tax policies.

 

[Sawneeks]

Something I wonder is children born into that wealth and as such, have no comparison to make or even a comprehension of not being able to get what you want. Do they just grow up lonely and miserable? How much does that warp your worldview and self-importance, especially into adulthood?

Click to shrink...

I'd imagine it's a lot and I'm sure there are plenty of studies about it.
Do they stay isolated? Do they view others as less? Can they comprehend the struggles many others face in terms of financial issues? And you could even extrapolate that out to other things that come with monitoring money: restraint, weighing choices, consequences, and even work. If a child has everything they need a never has to work a day in their life what could happen to them?

 

[T002 Tyrant]

I know some Orcas they could get the know really well. They'd never feel lonely again.

 

[RaphaBE]

What is the proper response to those with lesser means having mental health issues? How about the middle class? How about just rich people but not ultra rich, is it ok to acknowledge and sympathize with them? Where is the line where you can have too much money that you are no longer deserving of empathy for anything?

Click to shrink...

The line is very well known around these parts - $100,000 per year.

 

[CloseTalker]

The line is very well known around these parts - $100,000 per year.

Click to shrink...

lol if that's the line a very large portion of Era users are the enemy

 

[Nepenthe]

When people get upset at folks' inability to sympathize with the ultra wealthy, I instead think about how people in worse circumstances than I am likely do not sympathize with me despite also having problems myself as a human being.

And I'm okay with that.

 

[TaxiDriver]

The lack of sympathy is sad to see. People face all sorts of challenges in life regardless of money.

There are poor people in third world countries who look at people like us (mostly middle class in developed countries) and think how lucky we are and that we have no right to complain.

 

[Nepenthe]

There are poor people in third world countries who look at people like us (mostly middle class in developed countries) and think how lucky we are and that we have no right to complain.

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.... And?

I am okay with someone in third world circumstances not giving a shit about my life. Not everyone needs sympathy from everyone all the time.

 

[carlsojo]

If money is such a problem
I think we should rob them

 

[julia crawford]

Well they are unnatural monsters surviving on the immoral exploitation of others and a symbol of moral decadence and instruments of abuse and death of the working class, so it's normal for them to feel a little strange I guess

 

[TaxiDriver]

.... And?

I am okay with someone in third world circumstances not giving a shit about my life. Not everyone needs sympathy from everyone all the time.

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Not caring is ok but to laugh at and dismiss their problems is not nice.

 

[Sawneeks]

When people get upset at folks' inability to sympathize with the ultra wealthy, I instead think about how people in worse circumstances than I am likely do not sympathize with me despite also having problems myself as a human being.

And I'm okay with that.

Click to shrink...

It's more what it says about an individual, honestly.

To be indifferent of this view is one thing but to have active animosity and dismissal of another's personal struggles is another. I'm sure there are folks who see this headline, shrug, and move on - that's fine. But getting angry and blaming someone for their own mental health struggles is another.

 

[MarvelousIntent]

I don't know if money buys happiness, but I'd sure like to find out.

 

[Mazzo]

there's one easy fix

 

[Nepenthe]

It's more what it says about an individual, honestly.

To be indifferent of this view is one thing but to have active animosity and dismissal of another's personal struggles is another. I'm sure there are folks who see this headline, shrug, and move on - that's fine. But getting angry and blaming someone for their own mental health struggles is another.

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I don't particularly see it as a big moral failing to dismiss the problems of the ultra wealthy, or even revolt at the idea that we are expected to sympathize with their struggles because there is a power dynamic in play that cannot be shrugged off.

 

[Messofanego]

There's a good study out there looking at how money influences mental health. I can't remember the exact details but essentially having less money lead to significant mental health issues. The more money you had, the less negative impact it would have on your life - up to a certain point. I can't remember the exact number ($150k a year, maybe. It was a mid 2010s study) but once it hit that point money had no impact on your mental health. Until, of course, you got to the ultra rich in which it did start having some negative impacts. Nowhere near the same level as lacking money, but it did decrease quality of life.

I'm not going to go tracking it down since I know many here won't read it. But it's something to keep in mind, as well as general empathy.

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One study said happiness peaked at $75,000 in income. Now, economists say it's higher — by a lot.

It turns out that money can buy happiness for most people — although some may remain miserable no matter what.

www.cbsnews.com

Does Money Buy Happiness? Actually, Yes

Making more money is associated with greater happiness and life satisfaction. And contrary to prior research, there is no plateau at $75,000.

www.forbes.com

That is indeed old research by Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton and it was kind of debunked or at least disagreed with by Matthew Killingsworth and Barbara Mellers that there was a cap on happiness after 75K. More research found money did improve their sense of control, security, and ability to focus on relationships until 500K a year. More money is associated with more happiness and life satisfaction. Bear in mind, they didnt get many respondents who earn millions a year, so it's not conclusive and I'll see if I can find studies for that subset. There was a minority of ultra rich people for whom the wealth didn't help their mental health (and maybe they were already suffering before the wealth "if you're rich and miserable more money won't help") like going through traumas, but for most, money did improve their well-being.

 

[Melpomene]

The lack of sympathy is sad to see. People face all sorts of challenges in life regardless of money.

There are poor people in third world countries who look at people like us (mostly middle class in developed countries) and think how lucky we are and that we have no right to complain.

Click to shrink...

And so we should lecture them on their lack of sympathy? If anything, this demonstrates that it's not unusual at all.

 

[Sawneeks]

I don't particularly see it as a big moral failing to dismiss the problems of the ultra wealthy, or even revolt at the idea that we are expected to sympathize with their struggles because there is a power dynamic in play that cannot be shrugged off.

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'big' puts it strongly, more like a definite side eye.

I supposed my issue comes in that it's possible to have empathy and also understand the power dynamic and potential history at play per individual. I figured it would not be such an improbable task to expect empathy for others even in such circumstances.