If you see somebody shaming the rich, share this article with them.
There exists a misguided notion that drive some people to boohoo wealthy people. Perhaps this can be attributed to the generalizing actions of a few fraudsters, those in cahoots with corrupt officials, or simply to the movies.
Here’s why we should never shame or critique people simply due to their wealth.
Diversity of Experiences
If celebrating a diverse array of people’s experiences is a virtue, we should not exclude those who have seen the most in life. The path to wealth is one filled with many challenges, setbacks, and sleepless nights. It requires one to interact with people from across the world and navigate global supply chains. So once they’ve made it, they’re often able to cultivate a nuanced, global view of the world that can enlighten others.
Contradictory
If you are one to support or even praise the hard work of regular employees, then you should be equally supportive of the employer who has created that business and given opportunities to those employees. Entrepreneurs are the biggest driver of opportunities for non-business owners.
Money is Blind
Just like Lady Justice, money holds no prejudice. Money transcends class, gender, religion. Money is empowering as it does not care who you are or where you are from and it is freeing as it enables us to be rewarded purely for the value we create for others.
Think back the last time you bought something. Did you buy it for who the creator was?
The Opposite
When aiming to determine if an argument has any merit, try framing it the other way around: If we should shame the rich, then we should also praise the poor.
The Most Selfless People are the Wealthiest
Those with great wealth are obsessed with making other people’s lives easier, better and happier. It’s no coincidence that the entrepreneur behind the company more than half of Americans rely on for super convenient one click shopping is also one of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs (that is, Jeff Bezos). In contrast, the poor are unwilling or unable to provide value to others. When was the last time you paid somebody for nothing in exchange?
Focus not on how you can enrich yourself but on how you can enrich the lives of others and you’ll never have to worry about money again.
Achieving Your Dreams
We celebrate immigrants coming here with their dreams but should we shame them if they are able to achieve them? We pity the poor but should we shame them once they become too successful?
Any notion of somebody becoming too successful is completely ridiculous.
It’s Just Math
Wealth is simple. Count with me. If you sell 50,000 products at $20 each, you’ve made $1 million in sales. Instead, what if you sold 5,000,000 units and made $100 million? How does the change of numbers change your moral character? It doesn’t, except that you've made more people happy. Besides, money is simply a moral amplifier.
Your Idol is Rich
If you are a critic of wealth then how can you be a fan of a celebrity?
Do you also despise doctors who save your life and lawyers who save your life in another way? At least one person you admire is wealthy, or it's unlikely you would have ever heard of them. It’s just hypocritical, irrational selective shaming. So if it’s not wealth you are targeting, you need to be way more precise. For example, if it’s really dictators, fraudsters or manipulative people you despise, then so say so.
Don’t say you hate business owners. Say you hate those behind government sponsored oligopolies in developing countries. Be specific.
Love is the Answer
To shame someone is hateful and dehumanizing. Just because you have more zeros in your bank account, does not mean you don’t have any emotions. You shouldn’t be shaming anybody. It’s ineffective at changing others’ behaviors and only serves to make you feel morally superior.
Success Inspires
Wealthy people are inspiring. By understanding they were once where we are (more than 70% are self-made) and seeing them overcome tough obstacles we believe we can triumph over our current struggles too.
Cynical pessimists (or in casual parlance, haters) also try to shame people who dare display any signs of success. But it’s a mistake to believe those with jewelry and fast cars are just showing off.
If one believes people like to buy cars only to show off, then there is a tremendous critical error to that line of thinking that can be answered in two words: car culture. Anybody who's driven an exotic car would know that the thrill comes from the exhilarating drive. These cars also bring joy to those who see them. So a lot of people like to buy things because they like it and they don’t need your approval or commentary.
It’s inspiring to see signs of success around us. It says to me, my dreams are possible, successful people who were once in my shoes are all around me. Opportunity abounds! Or would you rather live in a small village where you see no signs of success and everybody drives Toyotas (or Tuk Tuks, or no cars at all). For a lot of people born in rural areas, being surrounded by successful people by moving to a large city is a big factor that should not be underestimated.
The wealthy have a wealth of experiences we could learn from. Listen to understand and one day you might also become one of the teachers.
