A conservative acquaintance of mine posted a meme for the ages on Facebook yesterday, and even after trying to sleep it out of memory overnight, I still can't get it out of my mind. Yes, it's that ridiculous.
The meme stated, and I quote:
"Rich people stay rich by living like they're broke.. broke people stay broke by living like they're rich!"
Read that again, and again, and just one final time to try and let it fully sink in.
I was speechless upon reading this meme at first. Study after study shows that if a child is born into a poverty-stricken family in this country, the odds are he or she will be poor as an adult, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, if a child is born into a wealthy family, the odds are he or she will make decent money as an adult. Those with money are able to afford better education for their kids, better healthcare and more quality food, more opportunities in all areas, etc. If a family is really rich, this affords them even more opportunities as far as investments and taxes go (what are those tax loopholes again?). The poor don't have such opportunities. They aren't able to consistently provide their kids with good, healthy food, which leaves them more prone to obesity and other health problems. They aren't able to provide them with the quality of education in line with those from wealthier families. Often times, this education is limited to high school, because college tuition costs are too high. This, in turn, limits the "child's" job prospects after graduating high school. This isn't always the case, of course. There are exceptions. However, as far as odds are concerned, this is sadly how things are.
Looking at the meme from more of a sarcastic angle, it looks to be even more ridiculous than when going the common-sense route. Allow me to illustrate this point through some fictional dialogue.
Setting: On a rich person's yacht (yes, as opposed to a poor person's yacht)
Joseph Silver: "So, tell me, Mike, how did you stay rich all these years?"
Mike Koch: "You wanna know what the secret is, Joe?"
Silver: "Yes, of course, I think everyone does..."
Koch: "I simply live like I'm broke, always have and always will."
Silver: "Really? What about this yacht?"
Koch: "What do you mean?"
Silver: "Didn't it cost a lot of money?"
Koch: "Well, sure, but I mean, there are exceptions to what I'm saying, I guess..."
Silver: "...and what about your thirteen cars?"
Koch: "Well..."
Silver: "And your four houses?"
Koch: "You're missing the point, Joe..."
Silver: "I guess I am. So, what is your point exactly?"
Koch: "It's just like I said, I've stayed rich all these years by living broke."
Silver: "What does broke mean to you exactly?"
Koch: "Someone with about $50 million that only spends about $5 million or so here or there, until they get another several million."
Silver: "Oh, okay, well, I guess that makes sense then."
Koch: "You see? I told you! Now where are all my servants? I've been waiting at least five minutes for a manicure, pedicure, massage, a cocktail, and a cigar."
Silver: "Just like the broke people would do, right?"
Koch: "What?"
Silver: "Oh, nothing..."
Setting: In a poor man's trailer
Billy-Joe Bloke: "I think I finally found the secret..."
William Blankly: "To what?"
Bloke: "The reason I've been broke all these years..."
Blankly: "Really? What is it?"
Bloke: "I've been trying to live like a rich man, you know?"
Blankly: "Not really, no..."
Bloke: "Oh, come on, William. I mean, this is the hottest trailer in this area. I have that '89 Cavalier that's still out there..."
Blankly: "But it doesn't work. You've had to take the city bus..."
Bloke: "Yeah, but still. I can't keep being so greedy and spending so much money."
Blankly: "But you hardly have any..."
Bloke: "I know, and it's because I spent it all!"
Blankly: "But you hardly had any to begin with..."
Bloke: "Don't patronize me, man... Look, I'm doing the best I can. I couldn't afford going to college..."
Blankly: "Because you live like a rich man..."
Bloke: "No! Stop it with this sarcasm!"
Blankly: "Look, bud, I love you and all, but I'm just not understanding where you're coming from with this whole 'I'm-broke-because-I-lived-like-I-was-rich' deal. I mean, for God's sake, you've been on welfare for how long now?"
Bloke: "So?!?"
Blankly: "So how many rich guys do you know that have been on welfare?"
Bloke: "Whatever... You just don't get it. I'm broke today because I tried living like I was rich; it's as simple as that."
Blankly: "Even though you were never rich to begin with?"
Bloke: "Yes"
Blankly: "Okay then... Hey, how about I take you to your all-time favorite store, The Dollar Store, and we can get a few things."
Bloke: "Thanks for the offer, but I can't afford it."
Blankly: "Come on, it'll be my treat. I want you to continue to live as rich as you always have by joining me at The Dollar Store..."
http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/youre-born-it-america
The meme stated, and I quote:
"Rich people stay rich by living like they're broke.. broke people stay broke by living like they're rich!"
Read that again, and again, and just one final time to try and let it fully sink in.
I was speechless upon reading this meme at first. Study after study shows that if a child is born into a poverty-stricken family in this country, the odds are he or she will be poor as an adult, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, if a child is born into a wealthy family, the odds are he or she will make decent money as an adult. Those with money are able to afford better education for their kids, better healthcare and more quality food, more opportunities in all areas, etc. If a family is really rich, this affords them even more opportunities as far as investments and taxes go (what are those tax loopholes again?). The poor don't have such opportunities. They aren't able to consistently provide their kids with good, healthy food, which leaves them more prone to obesity and other health problems. They aren't able to provide them with the quality of education in line with those from wealthier families. Often times, this education is limited to high school, because college tuition costs are too high. This, in turn, limits the "child's" job prospects after graduating high school. This isn't always the case, of course. There are exceptions. However, as far as odds are concerned, this is sadly how things are.
Looking at the meme from more of a sarcastic angle, it looks to be even more ridiculous than when going the common-sense route. Allow me to illustrate this point through some fictional dialogue.
Setting: On a rich person's yacht (yes, as opposed to a poor person's yacht)
Joseph Silver: "So, tell me, Mike, how did you stay rich all these years?"
Mike Koch: "You wanna know what the secret is, Joe?"
Silver: "Yes, of course, I think everyone does..."
Koch: "I simply live like I'm broke, always have and always will."
Silver: "Really? What about this yacht?"
Koch: "What do you mean?"
Silver: "Didn't it cost a lot of money?"
Koch: "Well, sure, but I mean, there are exceptions to what I'm saying, I guess..."
Silver: "...and what about your thirteen cars?"
Koch: "Well..."
Silver: "And your four houses?"
Koch: "You're missing the point, Joe..."
Silver: "I guess I am. So, what is your point exactly?"
Koch: "It's just like I said, I've stayed rich all these years by living broke."
Silver: "What does broke mean to you exactly?"
Koch: "Someone with about $50 million that only spends about $5 million or so here or there, until they get another several million."
Silver: "Oh, okay, well, I guess that makes sense then."
Koch: "You see? I told you! Now where are all my servants? I've been waiting at least five minutes for a manicure, pedicure, massage, a cocktail, and a cigar."
Silver: "Just like the broke people would do, right?"
Koch: "What?"
Silver: "Oh, nothing..."
Setting: In a poor man's trailer
Billy-Joe Bloke: "I think I finally found the secret..."
William Blankly: "To what?"
Bloke: "The reason I've been broke all these years..."
Blankly: "Really? What is it?"
Bloke: "I've been trying to live like a rich man, you know?"
Blankly: "Not really, no..."
Bloke: "Oh, come on, William. I mean, this is the hottest trailer in this area. I have that '89 Cavalier that's still out there..."
Blankly: "But it doesn't work. You've had to take the city bus..."
Bloke: "Yeah, but still. I can't keep being so greedy and spending so much money."
Blankly: "But you hardly have any..."
Bloke: "I know, and it's because I spent it all!"
Blankly: "But you hardly had any to begin with..."
Bloke: "Don't patronize me, man... Look, I'm doing the best I can. I couldn't afford going to college..."
Blankly: "Because you live like a rich man..."
Bloke: "No! Stop it with this sarcasm!"
Blankly: "Look, bud, I love you and all, but I'm just not understanding where you're coming from with this whole 'I'm-broke-because-I-lived-like-I-was-rich' deal. I mean, for God's sake, you've been on welfare for how long now?"
Bloke: "So?!?"
Blankly: "So how many rich guys do you know that have been on welfare?"
Bloke: "Whatever... You just don't get it. I'm broke today because I tried living like I was rich; it's as simple as that."
Blankly: "Even though you were never rich to begin with?"
Bloke: "Yes"
Blankly: "Okay then... Hey, how about I take you to your all-time favorite store, The Dollar Store, and we can get a few things."
Bloke: "Thanks for the offer, but I can't afford it."
Blankly: "Come on, it'll be my treat. I want you to continue to live as rich as you always have by joining me at The Dollar Store..."
http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/youre-born-it-america
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