Is poor the new rich?

Is poor the new rich? At one time it seemed that people would rather fake a rich background, than admit to earning their way through life. Now it seems that this has changed and there are stories abound of public schoolboys claiming they had to work to get through university: even one from burke's peerage (if anyone is interested I will dig out the name sometime). This way of the rich faking achievement by making up poor backgrounds is probablt new. Anyway we live in a time not driven by success but money: and no one caring if someone made it or inherited. So is it more fashionable to appear working class achiever or upper class?

Originally posted by s12345
Is poor the new rich? At one time it seemed that people would rather fake a rich background, than admit to earning their way through life. Now it seems that this has changed and there are stories abound of public schoolboys claiming they had to work to get through university: even one from burke's peerage (if anyone is interested I will dig out the name sometime). This way of the rich faking achievement by making up poor backgrounds is probablt new. Anyway we live in a time not driven by success but money: and no one caring if someone made it or inherited. So is it more fashionable to appear working class achiever or upper class?

Sometimes people can get a little inventive with their 'backstory' depending on the individual's social reference group. If their ingroup is in a wealthy class they may still want to be able to be identified with a member of their outgroup even though they would not want to be in the outgroup themselves. That is to say, they really just want more people to like them, even if it is based on a liberal projection. They may feel a greater sense of self or self worth based on other people's perceptions. Perhaps they don't feel that their ingroup really sees them as they would like to be seen. (looking glass self).

Originally posted by s12345
Is poor the new rich? At one time it seemed that people would rather fake a rich background, than admit to earning their way through life. Now it seems that this has changed and there are stories abound of public schoolboys claiming they had to work to get through university: even one from burke's peerage (if anyone is interested I will dig out the name sometime). This way of the rich faking achievement by making up poor backgrounds is probablt new. Anyway we live in a time not driven by success but money: and no one caring if someone made it or inherited. So is it more fashionable to appear working class achiever or upper class?

The real question that should be asked: Does it matter after all?

You know, even the fact that you (people) wanna debate stuff like that (like those who bring the subject of racism for example) shows that we are way far from "the light", bringing stuff like this up or trying to discuss it is recognizing a problem that shouldn't even exist. I know, most are gonna say "we do it because it does exist", but then, why does it exist? Because people would rather fake their worries on social issues than just walk past by it, because in the end it's all just like the trolls, you feed them, they grow stronger. So all this "class/money" and "racism stuff"... Why bring it up, really?

I dont think that its really fair to critisize for asking such a question. It took sociologists until the last century to even come to terms with such phenomena. OP, keep having ideas and explore them its good to think things through.

Perhaps some people are self-concious, and when their friends' families and acquaintances are struggling in a bad economy they don't want to admit that their family is wealthy and their parents pay for their apartment and college tuition. It's called tact.

Though people making complex fake back-stories about their "poverty" to feel cool or whatever, well that is stupid, and I have seen people brag about who is poorer, or who grew up in a worse house as a child recently. I think you are right.

Originally posted by mretgis
I dont think that its really fair to critisize for asking such a question. It took sociologists until the last century to even come to terms with such phenomena. OP, keep having ideas and explore them its good to think things through.

I encourage this kind of thought/questioning, I'm just trying to say that it probably won't solve anything right away, we'd just spend days and nights discussing the matter only to find out we didn't get anywhere really. At times like the ones we live now, we should be discussing practical actions not theorizing stuff.

Hey , Im willing to help you out.

If anyone wants to give me their money, So they can get the Real Experience of making it from poor.

I am willing to Pitch In.

If society as a whole stopped postulating on the little stuff because of a 'time of crisis' or duress society would never have left its cradle. Although mindless banter should probably always be discouraged (as in "becky, look at her butt..."), questions in regard to a curiosity should be encouraged if not for learning on the topic but at least for an exercise in formal or informal discourse.

Well if they lie to us and tell us that they earned it then we are given the illusion that we to can accomplish something and not get stuck in wage slavery purely struggling for an unattainable goal while they laugh at us.

reply to post by JizzyMcButter


definitely does present a carrot for those with a little motivation and initiative. Still, dishonesty is seldom a good policy to hold.

Originally posted by Drezden


Though people making complex fake back-stories about their "poverty" to feel cool or whatever, well that is stupid, and I have seen people brag about who is poorer, or who grew up in a worse house as a child recently. I think you are right.

edit on 2/11/2012 by Drezden because: (no reason given)

Over here, those are the white kids with dreads and African rasta hats who don't work but have two iPads and a trust fund bigger than most peoples retirements. We call them "Trustifarians".

People who are privileged seem to like the advantages of being privileged: who wouldn't: but realise that in the eyes of the world they have achieved little or nothing, and so seek to appear self made men or women. But as they do this they also hold up the old boys network; use this against those who have achieved as they would wish to appear to. We live in a capitalist system, but to take advantages of a background while wishing others to know of a fake back story seems so hypocritical. It's the way they wish to appear self made that annoys me, and the way they hold others back who really are.

reply to post by cuervo


Not too long ago I saw a group of "squatters" the people who are purposely dirty and they wear black and brown ragged clothes with bandanas and they hop trains (or some just pretend they hop trains up and down the coast).. anyway they always plague this certain area of town at night and I saw one of their mothers drive up in a BMW and call over her son (one of these squatters) and she told him what time dinner was going to be on the table.. he was so embarrassed. I thought it was hilarious.