Treading carefully with my beliefs, self analysis

I have recently noticed that I have a "natural" affinity towards feelings of anger towards the wealthier class without real justification. I find myself hating or disliking or being jealous of wealthy people and trendy people inadvertently. The thing is its my fault where i'm at. I have had multiple chances to create a lot of wealthy but in my younger 20's i was VERY angry at the world. Now i am in recovery mode. So i catch myself looking at people with wealth with disdain and looking at them with hate. A lot of it has to do with my political views so i am going to rehash a lot of my views to make sure this pattern doesnt form deeper into my psyche and ideologies that i choose.

Anyone else have this experience?

onequestion
I have recently noticed that I have a "natural" affinity towards feelings of anger towards the wealthier class without real justification. I find myself hating or disliking or being jealous of wealthy people and trendy people inadvertently. The thing is its my fault where i'm at. I have had multiple chances to create a lot of wealthy but in my younger 20's i was VERY angry at the world. Now i am in recovery mode. So i catch myself looking at people with wealth with disdain and looking at them with hate. A lot of it has to do with my political views so i am going to rehash a lot of my views to make sure this pattern doesnt form deeper into my psyche and ideologies that i choose.

Anyone else have this experience?

I went through that phase when I was younger, then went through a meta phase, which questions everything... and now am at the point where I just try to take care of myself and help others where I can. (Without hurting me)

Life isn't fair.

Sure do....it is hard not to hate the over opulent who squander the worlds resources so easily.
Its hard to understand why there is no mercy or compassion in them......their acting as if they have ultimate entitlement as if they deserve it and ordinary persons have no worth beyond slave status......
They have some pretty sickening ways......interfering with others lives just because they feel inconvenienced or whatever.....
I have no pity for them.Even wish them gone from the earth at times.....

I had this experience at one time, but I went about removing it(among other mental problems) in a way I'm not sure if I can teach. I went through several years of removing all of my prejudices by quitting sneering. I'm not sure if it works for everyone the same way, but it worked for me. I am grateful for my existence, and respect others'.

Maybe this quote can help you.

Happiness is not the right of man, the pursuit of happiness is.

You'll find that the man who is well off economically is more often than not worse off personally.

Needing nothing is true freedom anyways.

onequestion
I have recently noticed that I have a "natural" affinity towards feelings of anger towards the wealthier class without real justification. I find myself hating or disliking or being jealous of wealthy people and trendy people inadvertently. The thing is its my fault where i'm at. I have had multiple chances to create a lot of wealthy but in my younger 20's i was VERY angry at the world. Now i am in recovery mode. So i catch myself looking at people with wealth with disdain and looking at them with hate. A lot of it has to do with my political views so i am going to rehash a lot of my views to make sure this pattern doesnt form deeper into my psyche and ideologies that i choose.

Anyone else have this experience?

I think this is quite normal for the society we live in. if you have money,u dont have to work> free time to do stuff you really want to do.
Please consider this point of view "you get what you give". If you have these feelings towards other people, these feelings will poison your own being. Don't dismiss this as a lecture, and please don't punish yourself about what could have been when you were younger, but instead try to see it as a test from life/god/destiny/aliens (whatever you believe in) so that you can learn that money is not going to make you happy in the end, only the way you feel, see, experience life, and whatever you can learn from it.

In today's day and age... the age of perpetual acceptance and political correctness, could this not be construed as a form of racism? Wealthism? It has already been established by the courts of this country that the wealthy are a "separate race" with their own race related malady known as "affluenza"! Look it up!! The government can now paint you as a racist, as can society, the media, public opinion and Facebook related likes...

My point? Don't hate the people because of the "system". I have a friend that is nearly Forrest Gump rich, and he is one of the nicest people I have ever met... I know I can show up at his place tomorrow, and I'd have the run of the place (a $30 million estate in Malibu... I nearly rear-ended Britney Spears on his street (with my car, pervs...) ask me 'bout that sometime ) for as long as I like... I'm just not like that. That's why we are actually friends... there are no preconceptions of who he is based on what I see in the news when I see the "rich" and "wealthy" behaving badly; nor does he have any preconception of me being some "Kato Kalin" like, hanger-on that only sees dollar signs and 15 minutes of fame.

An a-hole is an a-hole, no matter the size of the bank account...

And vice versa...

stirling
Sure do....it is hard not to hate the over opulent who squander the worlds resources so easily.
Its hard to understand why there is no mercy or compassion in them......their acting as if they have ultimate entitlement as if they deserve it and ordinary persons have no worth beyond slave status......
They have some pretty sickening ways......interfering with others lives just because they feel inconvenienced or whatever.....
I have no pity for them.Even wish them gone from the earth at times.....

It's easy to be bitter. I wish it were otherwise for you, and it is a hard road to follow. I know that for a fact.

But if you can afford the internet, then you can afford to be a bit more, hell the word escapes me right now.

But I know plenty of wealthy people and when I talk to them, I weave my favorite charities into the conversation and plenty of times it takes effect. They all donate.

I know for a fact that the Wounded Warrior Foundation, Puppies behind Bars and the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind have benefited from my actions. I don't say that to wave my arms saying "Look at me!" But because I believe that they can all use the help.

I never had that problem. I have known some pretty good people that had lots of wealth...well, millionaires back in the seventies, that was a lot of money back then. I have also known some pretty poor people that I am proud to say are friends. It is not the money or lack of money that makes a person a good person, it is their attitude.

When people use wealth to judge a person, they got it all wrong. Some people are jerks no matter how much money they have. Some people boast too much whether they are rich or poor. People who deceive others or desire to con others will do it no matter what their wealth status is, they like the game more than the money. It reinforces their confidence when they screw someone over.

rickymouse
It reinforces their confidence when they screw someone over.

Very few words were ever spoken truly.

I have a Brother-in-Law who is milking the system and brags about it. He even tried to accuse me to the Gov't of milking the system (I'm retired military...he's been on welfare since I've known him). Just over jealousy...and he makes more than I do a month! This is one of those issues that is very touchy to me.

I think of them as being placed here to test your mettle while on earth

I work for some seriously judgmental rich folks.....not always easy,

but most times i practice compassion in all my conversations with them, and avoid the arguments and negative energy when it's readily available (basically let them have their word, letting it go in one ear, out the other,...even though they're being completely ridiculous)

I don't let their negative energy and naysaying effect my mood.....all the while, try and instill some of my own positivity into their day (seldom accepted/received)....

Can't let them get to ya, after all, the meek shall inherit the earth, right?

reply to post by onequestion


Hmm, tricky question. I think that it is natural to be envious of those who appear to have access to resources which we consider to be denied to ourselves. The rich kid, popular kid, smart kid, etc... It is not just limited to monetary wealth. It is really no different than romantic jealousy, a terrible affliction which we must all overcome if we wish to be happy.

The distinguishing factor being how we deal with that unconstructive attribute of the human condition. Do we push to improve our lot in life, become content with our limited resources or pursue any of a wide variety of negative actions such as steal their wealth, disfigure their beauty or smash their brains. The most base aspects of popular politics appeal to the latter of these possible solutions.

I have had some very wealthy friends and I must say that most had undesirable lives. The most pitiable being those who inherited their fortune. These were friends so, no, they weren't miserable materialists. However, the impulse to pay forward seemed to completely take over their lives. In some cases, they weren't 'happy' until they completely expended their fortune. Mind you, this was not simply a matter of repenting out of guilt for being wealthy but rather what I would call an uncontrolled philanthropic compulsion.

We all need adversity of some sort to overcome. At the very least, I know that worrying about money to stay alive has insulated me from being forced to invent problems of the psychological and/or psychosomatic ilk which seems ubiquitous among the monetarily well-endowed.

I think we all instinctively know what level of wealth and power we can handle, perhaps we somehow subconsciously restrict our success and maybe that is a feature and not a bug.

reply to post by onequestion


I applaud you, whatever your belief, for questioning yourself and having the integrity to look deeper at what you perceive may be inappropriate prejudices. It says a lot about you as a person. Bravo.

I have had every opportunity in life although I grew up very poor---good grades, scholarship, got into West Point, didn't go, had my school paid for, got into medical school, dropped out and never went back along with other advantages. I'm fairly healthy despite 21 years in the military, and have all my hair in my 40s.

I recently was told by a relative, "you had the world at your fingertips, what happened?" I am currently living in my boyhood home helping take care of my elderly parents with a loving dog and two cats. Real sexy

However, I've come to realize all those "opportunities and dreams" I had were not mine. They fit me about as well as a sofa cover would have. I look at my friends on facebook that post every little thing about their lives "heading to little Johnny's karate tournament after a long day of shopping, my feet hurt, and I'm grumpy lol! " and I call them "formula People". Kind of shoved in the tube of a surface life that is about how you look, and what you own. Is that a tad judgemental? A bit, I suppose. But I sometimes feel sorry for some of them that they haven't experienced some of the tragedies that make me very cognizant of the small and big things that matter, at least in my view.

My ex owns a real estate office, and although she was a good egg, it was all about the car you drove, and what social engagement you were seen at. Again, that was not my dream.

I don't own a whole lot, (well, lots of nice shoes) but I have a lifetime of people that love me, consider me a loyal friend, and have my back. My dog bays when he sees me, and I make people laugh as much as possible. By a lot of measures that's not a lot, but I thank my God everyday I'm not a slave to the things that I "own" or my 401K. I don't worry much about the future, rather at middle age I'm excited I'm finally finding my own way, and not the way I was told to go by rules I didn't make up or vote on.

Just my 2 cents. Keep on keeping on. I appreciate your introspection.

I see it a bit more pragmatically... let me explain.

I have three friends in three different cities, each of different "status"... in terms of what society calls "status"...

Each one I trust implicitly.

One (previously discussed) lives on a $30 million estate...

One lives in a quiet cul-de-sac home in a middle class working neighborhood...

One lives in a water damaged tenement with no heat and barely usable utilities...

2 of them are NASCAR fans... and NOT the one you would expect to be...
2 of them are addicted to the same TV series, yet live in completely separate worlds...

I have equally fond memories of time spent in each of their homes. Each one opened their homes to me, as friends; I have equally opened my home to them. We all come from similar/dis-similar backgrounds... ie. regardless of balance statement we all have common ground.

I do the exact same thing with all three when I visit... I hang out, drink beer, and laugh my ass off! (IS there anything more to life that that?) and I have fun.... We talk. We poke fun at things. We laugh. We engage. We are all the same...

Division is perception as seen on TV!

onequestion
I have recently noticed that I have a "natural" affinity towards feelings of anger towards the wealthier class without real justification. I find myself hating or disliking or being jealous of wealthy people and trendy people inadvertently. The thing is its my fault where i'm at. I have had multiple chances to create a lot of wealthy but in my younger 20's i was VERY angry at the world. Now i am in recovery mode. So i catch myself looking at people with wealth with disdain and looking at them with hate. A lot of it has to do with my political views so i am going to rehash a lot of my views to make sure this pattern doesnt form deeper into my psyche and ideologies that i choose.

Anyone else have this experience?

From my point of view.

You are in a way seeing them as the ego demonic behavior some of them (the ultra rich) have and the suffering their idea of insane greed and entitlement bring to others. It is an unconscious hate reaction to feeling very separated from them and dualistically wanting them somewhere else where they cannot do any damage to you and those surrounding you. In a way it is the ego demonic in them brings out the ego demonic hatred in you.

I have the same reaction to people who are spiritually one minded about the nature of god and choose a dualistic path where their interpretation is the right from god and want everyone else to choose the same path even if it is spiritually a lesser path that will box your consciousness in and not experience the symbiotic nature of being close to god.

I will ask you a few questions to see what it is that is really bothering you.

1 Do you think this planet in itself is a bad place?
2 Do you think nature/reality on this planet is uncomfortable for you?
3 Do you feel uncomfortable in the body that you are in? (from my point of view a temporary placement)
4 Do you like/hate the notion of humans existing and if they had other way of acting would you feel the same?

Nobody said this place would be easy for you. For some this place is a lesser hell dimension (myself included). It is all about where you feel you fit in or not.

TDawgRex

I went through that phase when I was younger, then went through a meta phase, which questions everything... and now am at the point where I just try to take care of myself and help others where I can. (Without hurting me)

Life isn't fair.

Maybe not but the golden rule is very direct that you will reap what you seed in the end in one way or another. This is a blessing for some a curse for others. I think it will be a blessing to you.

reply to post by onequestion

Anyone else have this experience?

You simply realized what makes you tick, what the triggers are and now can identify.

To put this knowledge to use to get to know yourself and why you do what you do and why you react in ways you do is what one could say is path to enlightenment, a path to fully understanding the self and the causes that may manipulate the self into acting.


You now have more in control over yourself and emotions and that makes it harder for those wanting to manipulate you.

reply to post by QuantumKat

I applaud you, whatever your belief, for questioning yourself and having the integrity to look deeper at what you perceive may be inappropriate prejudices. It says a lot about you as a person. Bravo.

Here here, I agree.

Bravo

onequestion

Anyone else have this experience?

I have felt this way when I was younger but I attributed to general ignorance and attachment to the illusion of social order. Strangely, this anger that your referring to has changed its focal point. Now, my anger is aroused when I encounter individuals who cling to superstition or lack any desire learn or advance. I often get angry when I see fear in people. Perhaps, it is just a reflection of my own vestigial fears and the contempt that I have for it? Or maybe it is the wolf in me which see's weakness?

It's good you can identify and acknowledge this about yourself.

Lots of time irrational anger such as this (resentment toward the better off, more wealthy) is misdirected self loathing. In this case, maybe squandered opportunity or unfulfilled potential?

BUT...not necessarily...

It could be that you have a keen sense of fairness and are overwhelmed by the perceived economic injustices you see in the world.

Or both...your lost opportunity makes you sensitive to others who struggle and question those who seem to flourish without struggle.

Regardless, you are seeing the world through the lens of your own experience of economic scarcity which colors your outlook on these issues.

At least you recognize it, many never do.

reply to post by kosmicjack

Or both...your lost opportunity makes you sensitive to others who struggle and question those who seem to flourish without struggle.

I agree with that statement the most.