Janet CollinsPretending to be Poor
March 17th 2009 20:16
Flaunting wealth and an opulant lifestyle is now a thing of the past it seems. Gone are the trite conversations at social gatherings that dominated the past few decades. If personal weath is actually escalating, just don't tell anyone about it. It's just so out of date to do so.
One thing that has emerged recently, and is poised to be a growing trend for those with money, is the pretence of being poor. Where these people once dominated social conversations skiting about how much their shares were worth, it is now the “in thing” to talk about how much they have lost in these troubled times. Being frugal has also emerged as the latest trend in keeping up with the Joneses.
In fact, reports around the globe have everyone being much more cautious when it comes to spending – even the rich. Limosine companies are now being asked to quote a price before any booking is made and shoppers for executives on Wall Street are being asked to look out for bargains.
It is almost impossible for me to visualise these rich people curbing their lifestyles to a great extent but according to many of the articles around they are doing a lot more than that. Is this all for the sake of image? It appears so.
This group of millionaires and billionaires have now been been branded the New Faux Poor (NFP). According to this month’s Tatler magazine, these people tell lies about downsizing their homes, their bonuses and their expense accounts. They also exaggerate the amount of money they have lost and keep quiet about the overseas holidays they have taken.
Vogue magazine also got into the act this month with “40 Tips for Fabulous Frugality” in its More Dash than Cash column.
In a recent article in UK’s Telegraph, Meet the New Faux Poor, pretending to be poor and impressing people with a new found frugality is all the go. Some are even pretending to live in much less salubrious suburbs and boasting about catching the bus.
Far from being a reality though, this whole new behaviour among the wealthy was analysed very well in the Telegraph article. Things aren’t quite as bad for them as they make out was the conclusion. While they may have lost money there is still a fair amount in the pot.
How on earh would they cope if this fantasy actually became a reality?
Sources:
Tatler
Vogue
Telegraph UK
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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they are so detached from reality and what constitutes "acting poor" or "acting frugal"
*vomit*
great article Janet
Comment by Cibbuano
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Does that mean we can buy all their junk for serious discounts? Woo hoo! The real poor are going to get a bargain at a fire sale!
Comment by Janet Collins
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I think "acting poor" is repeatedly telling everyone how much your shares have plummetted and "acting frugal" is probably resorting to doing your own grocery shopping and not being seen buying any French champagne!
Some act. Once you'd have over a billion, it doesn't really matter, does it?
Comment by Janet Collins
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We probably could but I don't think they'd be going so far as selling off the famiily jewels. Not yet anyway.
Comment by Aimzster
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Comment by Janet Collins
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Good point. Why don't they just start competing with who can give the most away. That is a great idea.
Thanks for visiting.
Comment by Wilson Pon
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The fact is the richer will get richer, while the poor will become poorer...
Comment by Janet Collins
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It is a bit sickening when the rich feel they have to resort to playing poor though.
Comment by Natalie 2
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It makes me want to barf when I see the uber wealthy acting as though they can truly sympathize with normal people. When I lose my home, I live in a box under a bridge. When they lose their home, they move into one of their other ones.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I think we all seem to be on the same track of thinking here. It is pretty sickening really.
Comment by Spike 2
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I have no problem with people being wealthy (if they earned it), but please don't pretend to understand or sympathise with those of us who have actually had to survive on £2 for two people for a whole weekend (yeah, been there). Meh.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I suppose it has to be better than them skiting about what they have but really. Do they honestly think they can fool people into believing they are doing it tough?
Comment by colocountry
There have been a few dystopic novelists who have envisioned a future without greed but their novels have not been popular. We have been conditioned to be an acquisitive society and those who hold egalitarian bents are asked / told to back off and allow the free market to operate unencumbered. One would hope that the recent ructions emanating from the financial bastions of the world, will be enough to 'right the ship'. "There's something rotten in the state of Denmark!" and places closely proximate.
Col
Comment by Janet Collins
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Good to see you again. I don't know much about Denmark but it is probably just the same as here in Aus or the US or Britain.
Many of the rich have lost their wealth on paper but they had so much before that I doubt the affect on their everyday lives has been detrimental and I think they still live pretty much the same as they did before.
Pretending they are struggling is an insult to everyone else who is doing it pretty tough.
Comment by stu-kicks
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Comment by Janet Collins
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Pardon my ignorance, but what are "pieces of eight"? Is that some American thing I don't know about?
Comment by Janet Collins
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Thank for visiting. I don't know how many billions you have to lose (or still have) to justify being a pauper.
Comment by The Rusty Can
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Comment by Janet Collins
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When we all get to where they are act, we will all know exactly how to "act" poor.
Thanks for your support.