Pride of wealth and Simplicity

(an excerpt from my upcoming book, Yearning for Simplicity. The book is a derivative work of the 1905 book, “The Simple Life”, by Charles Wagner.)

An altogether common misconception is that differences between people can be explained by the differences in social class or occupation. But, as in so many areas, we tend to focus on the external, the outward manifestations of society called social rank as the source for our separations. But look a little deeper. If it were the case that differences in social class were what caused disharmony, then an idyllic peace should exist between equals. Those of roughly the same rank or occupation should get along fine. But everyone knows this is not the case. Rivalry between equals surpasses anything between classes of people. On the contrary, the most violent shock comes when equal meets equal and there is no war worse than a civil war. No, it is not difference in class that separates us one from another, it is pride.

The light turned green and some guy in a Mercedes cuts in front of me from the opposite direction to turn, causing me to slam on my brakes. It is not this man’s wealth that offends me, more power to him. It is not his Mercedes that offends me. It is not the fact that he was wearing a fine Armani suit. It was not his wealth that offends me, it is his contempt that offends me. His attitude is one of privilege, of heaping upon me suffering needlessly. His attitude that I count for nothing in his eyes because I am not rich like himself is what disturbs me, and rightfully so. Do not accuse me of envy, I feel none. I am offended as a person. It is not anything vulgar in me that asserts itself, it is what is noble which asserts itself in the face of his offensive pride. 

In certain places at the top of the societal heap, wealth dominates so much that men and woman are quoted as are values in the stock market, we gauge their relative positions on the Forbes richest list each year. The esteem a person is held in is proportional to the value of the portfolio. In this view, society is made up of the mega rich, the super rich, the newly rich, the wealthy, the middle class and the poor. The irony is that the rich man who showed his distain for me is in turn held in contempt by his superiors in fortune, and so on. This madness of comparison rages from the summit to the base. Yet it is not wealth that is to blame, it is the attitude of those owners of it which is subject to criticism. Many so called “old money” rich suffer from a complete lack of understanding the slightest need for discretion. It has been generations since anyone labored for anything. They are not even aware that they flaunt their wealthy attitudes about them and lack the tact and good sense to see it. Are they not unreasonable to complain of the envy of others, having done everything to provoke it? 

Tagged as: living simply, pride, simple, simplify, wealth