The Rich

[Mich the Tester]

Some bloke in here has just started ranting about ' the rich', and how he feels that the current round of tax rises in NL doesn't go far enough; ' the rich' should pay even more than they're going to pay as he sees it. This is aside from the fact that the biggest tax rises are for anyone earning more than 56K euros, which I can't really term 'rich'. He goes on about how ' the rich' are greedy barstewards ripping off the workers.

Now, I don't know who this guy means when he talks about 'the rich' but I do deal regularly with quite a few people that could be termed very rich; directors of Dutch multinational tech firms, or people who've built very succesful businesses. They are not a generic group of 'bastards' or 'greedy people'. Some are to my mind very greedy and quite ruthless toward other people. Many are not, and understand quite well that they've had more chances than most people in life and they have a responsibility to others. So why talk of 'the rich' as some generic group; they are no more a generic group with all the same characteristics than 'the poor' are a generic group, just as black folks are not a generic group or disabled people are not a generic group. I find as wide a range of political ideals, spiritual ideas, ethical beliefs and cultural values among those wealthy people as you'd find among any other randomly named group.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest.

[doodab]

Have you tried ranting about the peasants driving up the price of champagne & caviar? That should wind him up.

[Mich the Tester]

Have you tried ranting about the peasants driving up the price of champagne & caviar? That should wind him up.

No, but I'm tempted to say road tax should be tripled to get 'the poor' out of the way in their abominably slow cars. Just to wind him up, like.

[sasguru]

Just say you agree completely, the other day you went to buy a Porsche, and the fooking rich have driven up the prices. The fools will pay anything for a car, ruining it for everyone else.

[doodab]

No, but I'm tempted to say road tax should be tripled to get 'the poor' out of the way in their abominably slow cars. Just to wind him up, like.

[Ticktock]

So why talk of 'the rich' as some generic group; they are no more a generic group with all the same characteristics than 'the poor' are a generic group, just as black folks are not a generic group or disabled people are not a generic group.

Simple. It's easier to objectify a group than a number of individuals - it's easy to complain about "the rich", even if you know some individuals who meet the criteria of that group but are nice guys.

It's no different from the many comments on here about Bobs, or saying all agents are scum. You may know individuals and say "they are an exception", but that still allows you to apply characteristics to the overall group.

Also, Tajfel.

[vetran]

just tell him to become a contractor and he can see €56k in the rear view mirror. Then he can rip off the workers as well.

My experience is that once they get a taste of wealth they become worse than old money.

[Mich the Tester]

Just say you agree completely, the other day you went to buy a Porsche, and the fooking rich have driven up the prices. The fools will pay anything for a car, ruining it for everyone else.

I know, the rich bastards in the government put a 40% sales tax on cars so I can only afford a Jag when really I'd prefer an Aston Martin.

[amcdonald]

If the rich are so bad, why are so many socialists in government millionaires

[Mich the Tester]

just tell him to become a contractor and he can see €56k in the rear view mirror. Then he can rip off the workers as well.

My experience is that once they get a taste of wealth they become worse than old money.

Or how about 'I find those with inherited wealth are generally more socially aware and responsible than those who claim they've worked hard for it'. That would get on his nerves. Yours too, perhaps

True though, the few old money people I know are actually quite decent and modest.