These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline each week.
First, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question. Each week, you must do the blog entry with enough time left in the week to be able to enter into dialogue online with your classmates. Write, reply, write more, reply more, and then write and reply more.
Second, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
Third, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO OTHER STUDENTS' PART THREE EACH WEEK.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Week Eight Writing About What You Read
Take a position for or against the author's main point or any of the secondary points made in this article.
I would agree with the author's observation of the wealthy. The life of your family is important whether you have money or not. The use of the money and the many options can be overwhelming, I would suspect. The problem for the wealthy is the same for the middle class: how to value money and how to teach your children to have a healthy respect for money. The use of money to educate the youth, the future for our society, can bring great rewards. If we can influence our small community in a positive way we may be the tipping point in the bigger picture.
Tammie, I agree with you. I forgot to mention the value of money in my post, but it is very important to what I said, too. Money is not infinite. Teaching its value and how to spend and use it wisely to our children is so important. Our economy fluctuates and so it is always wise to have a respect for money and its value because it is not always readily available.
I think the whole idea that money causes isolation is not true. These overly wealthy individuals create this isolation themselves by building these huge houses away from everyone else and with layers of security and buying into the lifestyle that comes with money. You can still build meaningful relationships. Head to the homeless shelter and serve food to the needy—without telling everyone you’re a millionaire. The people there serving the food are doing it with a heart of giving, they wouldn’t want to be your friend just because you had money. They’d be glad just to have another helping hand. Money doesn’t cause the isolation. The need to make it apparent that they have money is what causes the isolation. And yes, there is a difference.
I agree that wealthy people have human problems. We are all human and there is no amount of money that can take away human pain. The wealthy still have heartache and they still encounter emotional turmoil. I completely agree that people with money still worry about their children. I think there are many misconceptions about the wealthy not caring about their children the way the average person does, but like the author tells us, the wealthy still worry about the choices their children will make and they worry about how their money will affect their children's future. In some way I can relate to feeling isolated because of the life my parents gave me. I am not rich by any means, but my dad is a doctor and my mom stayed home with me. As a child, I had everything I could ever want, and other kids hated me for that. I still deal with jealousy from others because I have my education paid for and I don't have to work while I focus on my schooling. So, I can see where wealthy parents are concerned about their children being isolated from others. The only thing I don't necessarily agree with from this study is the idea that because these individuals are so wealthy, they don't have anything to do and they have too many choices of how to occupy their time. Most of the wealthy are hard workers and they achieve their wealth by working hard. Take Donald Trump for example. He is unbelievably wealthy, yet he is still involved in business. So, I don't buy that the wealthy are at a loss of things to do. There is always more to accomplish.
I don't agree that wealthy people have their own set of problems per se. I think their problems may be on a larger scale because they have larger financial risks. I am not in the $25 million tax bracket and I have anxiety about my children and I share in their greatest aspiration of life as being a good parent. Their investing is in the millions, mine is so mimimal and done through my weekly 401(k) contribution. They ponder about which vehicle to purchase, I ponder about which brand of bread to buy. It's all in attitudes too and how you look at life. If money is running your life, you are in a very sad state of affairs. If you are running your life and money is just as aspect then you control your own happiness.
Well said! And their problems are on a scale out of this world from us really. Can't imagine, but I know it's a whole set of problems we wouldn't want to face.
I found this article pretty interesting. I know how there is a lot of stereotype of the rich and wealthy. Even, the one's that make 100k a year, get categorized as rich. We tend to forget that these people have problems, and if they have a family, a lot is still focused on the well being of their family. Yes, financial wealth is something most of us strive for, and not many get a chance to achieve. I feel there's a lot of jealousy or hatred towards these people. Maybe a few deserve to be disliked, but it all depends how they act as a human being. It is true that a lot of rich kid gets stereotyped because they come from wealth, and there are a few who don't have to achieve or set goals to appreciate their lives, it is just given without a positive goal in their life, but the families I have met that are wealthy, all wanted the best for their children and to making a life and a living, without having to rely on the family wealth Per-say. Having wealth allows for greater options, but too many options can make the choice difficult. When my wife and I save up, and have enough extra cash to spend on being able to eat anywhere in town, there are way to many options to make a decision and causes tension. It can be over anything. But when we are low on cash, we have limited options, and it much easier to make a satisfying choice. I agree with most of what the survey showed in this article.
John I agree with you about jealousy. I know I often feel jealous about the wealthy and the lifestyle they can afford. Later when I reflect on that jealousy I feel like an idiot because I already have so much. That being said, our world is based on consumption of goods. There is always something new or something better and these things are not always affordable.
This was a very good article/survey on this subject. Wished I would have been a part of doing the interviewing and asking the questions. But, this answers questions that some may not be aware of. The rich do have the same problems us plain folk have, but a different scale and with different answers. They face stress just as we do and have to solve it just as we do.
I agree with a lot of what the author is saying. In a way I believe the rich in certain aspects have it a little harder than those who are not as fortunate. Rich people of course go through the same things we do, like children who get into drugs, loss of a family member, and so on. One thing that differs in my opinion though, is, with more money, I feel it is easier for them to get themselves into trouble because they have the money to do so. Other than allowing for more opportunity, rich people encounter the same thing as an average income person.
After reading this article I see that the concerns of parents in basically the same across the board. Wanting a bright future for your children and for them to have purpose in their lives. While it is true that they do not have the same concerns as someone without money, it seems to me that their concerns are intensified. Their children may never have true friends because the constant worry of having someone as your friend that is only interested in what they can get from you. The pitfalls of partying and using drugs are more accessible because they can afford them. Also, because they don't have to work hard to achieve goals, they may not have goals to make it in this world. These kids have had everything handed to them and yet can be more lonely and miserable than kids that have nothing. As human beings we all need a purpose in life to drive us to be better people and as parents of these kids they need to work harder to teach these children to value and appreciate what they have and learn to give of themselves. Help those that are less fortunate in order for them to have meaningful value in their lives. What I learned from reading this article is that no matter what your financial situation we all just want the same things in life regarding our children. That is for them to be happy, successful, and have true meaning in their lives.
The last part of this article was very interesting to me. I agree that money will not keep you from going down a wrong path in life and especially for kids. The youth do not have the mature mindset that the majority of adults have. For the most part, they just want to have fun and the more money they have the easier it is for them to do just that. Even parents with lots of money are still just parents. They still have to worry about all the little things like teaching their kids right from wrong, school, extracurricular activities and just making sure that their children are making the right decisions in life as they grow up. As children grow up and start deciding for themselves what they want to do, the parents have a harder time instilling in them good values and good choices. Drugs, sex, and violence are not just for a select few; they are everywhere and no one is exempt.
Novotney’s article mentions that there are “challenges of having an oversupply of time and money” and I completely agree. With a surplus of these both, the choices made available to you exponentially increase. Your options grow as your time and money grow. An over-abundance of money bringing along with it an over-abundance of choices is a recipe for disaster. It reminds me of a person that I’ve known that refused to go shopping in a grocery store. He would, instead, have his family go for him and grow most of his own vegetables in his back yard. The over-abundance of choices in the grocery store would absolutely terrify him because he would agonize over whether he was making the right choice of all of the choices or if another one would be better. There was a study conducted by Columbia professor Iyengar (that she published in The Art of Choosing) quite a while ago attempting to analyze the effect of having too many choices. In a nutshell, two jam tables were set up in a grocery store, with one table displaying 24 different jam options and the other table displaying 6 jam options. Her results indicated that while more people stopped to sample jam at the 24-jam table than at the 6-jam table, more people actually ended up purchasing jam from the 6-jam table. A possible reason for this is that too many options overwhelm consumers. Thus, going back to the original argument, if you have a lot of money, you can’t eliminate as many options as can those who are strapped for cash. A lot of options can lead to one wanting to isolate himself from them. Additionally, having the monetary capacity to afford a lot of options does not necessarily mean one will be happy getting everything he wants. He may have so many options that he does not know what he wants anymore.
I would have to agree with this author’s point. While these people have money and they don’t have to worry about car payments, credit card bills, house payments, etc. They do have more harmful things to worry about especially for their kids. Drugs and alcohol are easy to access for kids of wealthy families. They throw money around like it’s nothing but to serve their partying needs. For parents, having money doesn’t save you from any of that. In fact it makes you more prone to it happening because they’ll have easier access, and more money to spend. But at the end of the day, if it happens to you, you’re no different than a parent who works a minimum wage job dealing with the same problem.
The author points out that they have their own problems. I think that objectifies classes because human are one entity. We have more in common than we do apart. We all want the same thing, which is to survive and create a better foundation for our children and the future.
The article mentions parenting and a concern many had was "how their children would be treated by others."
I think when it is something this sensitive, it would be a serious issue in that family is involved. Many things come to mind such as danger or bullying but it just goes back to ethics on everyone's part.
I think rich people are proletariat people are the same because we all want to survive and reproduce, while instilling great direction for their children.
I can see how wealthy people have concerns with their children feeling isolated, but I can’t help but wonder if they are so wealthy wouldn’t they be sending their children to elite schools with other very wealthy children, so how would they be isolated. I do see how these parents have concerns that their children would not be highly motivated to be successful since they already know that they will be set for live regardless of what kind of job they can get, and do not even have to worry about getting a good job. However, I do agree with the author that just because these people have money does not mean that they do not have problems or worries in their life. I don’t think anyone could ever live life and say that they never had any problems or worries, the only place you can live care free is heaven.
I agree with the stance of the article. Everyone worries that what they they do is for their children. Having money brings along a set of their own problems. Their children might have to work harder in order to prove that their parents did not give them an unfair advantage. Money is very use full but it cannot solve all of life's problems. Rich people have problems just like everyone else.
I really enjoyed reading this material because it really showed the insight into how wealthy people really feel. I really like the questions that were being asked and I thought the responses were really interesting. Sometimes I think that wealthy people get treated like a different species when many of them think about real world issues as those that live in the middle class or even below the poverty level. They care and worry just like everyone else. I really liked when the article said, "They were concerned about being good parents, they were concerned about their children and they were concerned about the children of the world in general." I like this because of how real it is. I think that a lot of the time wealthy people are viewed as not having concerns or having it all together and perfectly planned lives. I really liked the results of the research and can really see what it proves. That it "shows the rest of the world, who often think that if they just made one more bonus or sold one more item or got one more promotion, then their world and their family's world would be so much better, that this isn't necessarily true."
I agree with the idea that certain media's portrayal of rich parents is inaccurate; there is a reason that rich adults are portrayed that way in movies, television, and books, and I think it has to do with the idea that the possession of excess wealth causes one to devalue what middle-class people hold close to themselves. However, as cliche as it sounds, if you're a parent that really cares about their children, no amount of wealth one possesses should alter what they feel is the best way to raise their kids. I found it really interesting that the rich parents had such a humble stance on using their wealth to better their children's lives; they understood that excess wealth can make way for the abuse of many privileges, the money potentially clouding one's judgement and morals. I also found it refreshing to know that many people of high-income are aware of the social stigma attached with being rich, as it is a real fear to be isolated from others due to having what everyone else thinks they want.
I agree with the author’s observation of the wealthy. These people who have money don’t have to worry about making car payments, student loans, along with many other bills. They can buy whatever they want whenever they want, not worrying about if it’s expensive or not. I also agree that just because these people have money it doesn’t mean that they never have problems or worries, but they actually do. When it comes to their children I like how they want to make sure their children are not hanging out with the right person and not someone who uses drugs or someone who only wants to be friends just because they have money.
I don't think it was surprising that the rich parents wanted their kids to be good people. I think once parents are in that role, whether there is money or not, the ones that care about their family will do their best to teach them right and wrong. I agreed with their theory that they thought that once people had money they would want to be self sufficient and do whatever they wanted. I was surprised the group did not feel that way and had different concerns altogether. I know if I suddenly had an opportunity to have a huge increase on my income I would be worried about genuine relationships as well.
I believe that Amy Novotney is completely correct, money can help a family have stability but does not necessarily help them. There can be many downfalls to having a large bank account, especially which their children. My friend’s family owns the largest farming company in kern county and many would believe everything is dandy. Well, actually his father passed away and all he wanted was their family to be comfortable, yet my friend gets hassled every time we go out. It is sad because just because someone has money and their parents do what they can to allow them to be stable and live a comfortable life, it is a bad thing. I have seen a different side to what money can bring and I would rather have my family how we are, than all the money in the world. To have a family that is close, happy and health is what really matters, because money cannot buy happiness inside of the household.
I found this article incredibly interesting. One part stuck with me in particular and it probably will not surprise anyone that has read my previous posts. The part I refer to is the bit about wealthy parents prioritizing being a good parent. All the stuff we see on T.V. does tend to paint wealthy people, in general, in a bad light. It is nice to know that for the most part not all wealthy people are philandering, wasteful, and ungrateful. I was thinking about what my main goals are as a mother. I feel like I mention being a mother or something about my daughter all the time, but parenting is all consuming. Wealthy people are often more able to focus on things like being a good parent as opposed to worrying about putting food on the table or trying to figure out where next month's rent is coming from. Due to having enough money for food, shelter, and other mandatory needs in life, these parents are freed up to focus on being good parents and raising good kids because they're secure in the fact that their children are safe and well fed. I can definitely see how being in the lower-middle to lower class would change a parent's priorities. A few of my friends have to work two or more jobs to keep afloat. Obviously their primary concern as parents is to continue to provide for their children. Reading this article definitely made me even more grateful for my parents and my education opportunities. I don't have to worry about feeding my daughter and having a place for us to live because I get help from my family. This frees me up to make my daughter a priority. My every waking thought seems to revolve around her health, well-being, and how she is, and will, function in the world.
Children who grow up in a very wealthy family don’t have a lot of things to worry about. These children don’t have to worry about having a comfortable life. These children don’t have to worry about having lunch at school. They don’t have to worry about having school supplies. These children don’t even have to pass their classes. They don’t need to graduate or go to college. They don’t need a college degree. All the stresses these children have about succeeding in adulthood are no longer there because their parents have already guaranteed that they will never have to worry about money. I believe that parents see cutting off their money from their kids might seem like a good idea but to other parents it doesn’t make sense as a parent, since a parent’s job is make sure their children have everything they need to succeed in life. I agree with what, Novotney states, about parents wanting their children to be people that can change the world for the good. Wealthy parents understand that their children will inherit their wealth but, it is the parents duty to teach their children to understand that they have a responsibility to the world to make it better. The wealthy parents interviewed by Novotney know that their children will be able to afford the best education but they cannot buy a way to teach their children to have the compassion to help the less fortunate.
I do not agree with this because I actually have friends who's parents are well off and the friendship I have with them is not based off of them being a trust fund baby, or classifying them as the "rich kid." I seriously believe this to be a bunch of bullshit. If their parents really believed that they want to be the best parent they could possibly be, then be the parent that you believe to be and exceed. Yes, money may bring luxury and security but if they raised their kids to be respectful and know the value of a dollar then maybe others won't view them to be a spoiled brat. I have friends who work for their parents who make well money from their business and I can honestly say that she is one of the most kind-hearted, respectful, positive girl that I know. She inspires me to become a better person. The whole ordeal with kids being treated differently by others is because they allow it. Trust me, I work hard for my money but I am not letting any fool walk over me. They surely won't have to wool pulled over my eyes. I do agree with believing that everyone wants their children to make a living. Who doesn't want to see their child strive and be successful. Today, I heard my friends father say, "It's hard to sit back and see your child fail." But guess what that is the price of admission of being a parent. What is it with isolation?? Really? Do they truly believe that their child is going to be isolated? Nonsense, I feel their child needs to grow up. All in all, if you surround yourself with positive people who love you, support you then good will come your way. Yes, life is not perfect, but then again everyone has a rainy cloud.
Its hard to imagine that very wealthy individuals have issues with making so much income. I do agree; however, with the author's main point as to possibly interfere with their children's future. Other people may be ill-intentioned and just involve themselves with these children of wealthy parents out of convenience. It's hard to have a limit on how much to provide for provide for your children when money is not an issue. In order for wealthy children to have values, the parents should make their children earn things and not give them everything so they may have an aspiration to be successful.
I would agree with the author's observation of the wealthy. The life of your family is important whether you have money or not. The use of the money and the many options can be overwhelming, I would suspect. The problem for the wealthy is the same for the middle class: how to value money and how to teach your children to have a healthy respect for money. The use of money to educate the youth, the future for our society, can bring great rewards. If we can influence our small community in a positive way we may be the tipping point in the bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteTammie, I agree with you. I forgot to mention the value of money in my post, but it is very important to what I said, too. Money is not infinite. Teaching its value and how to spend and use it wisely to our children is so important. Our economy fluctuates and so it is always wise to have a respect for money and its value because it is not always readily available.
DeleteI think the whole idea that money causes isolation is not true. These overly wealthy individuals create this isolation themselves by building these huge houses away from everyone else and with layers of security and buying into the lifestyle that comes with money. You can still build meaningful relationships. Head to the homeless shelter and serve food to the needy—without telling everyone you’re a millionaire. The people there serving the food are doing it with a heart of giving, they wouldn’t want to be your friend just because you had money. They’d be glad just to have another helping hand. Money doesn’t cause the isolation. The need to make it apparent that they have money is what causes the isolation. And yes, there is a difference.
ReplyDeleteI agree that wealthy people have human problems. We are all human and there is no amount of money that can take away human pain. The wealthy still have heartache and they still encounter emotional turmoil. I completely agree that people with money still worry about their children. I think there are many misconceptions about the wealthy not caring about their children the way the average person does, but like the author tells us, the wealthy still worry about the choices their children will make and they worry about how their money will affect their children's future. In some way I can relate to feeling isolated because of the life my parents gave me. I am not rich by any means, but my dad is a doctor and my mom stayed home with me. As a child, I had everything I could ever want, and other kids hated me for that. I still deal with jealousy from others because I have my education paid for and I don't have to work while I focus on my schooling. So, I can see where wealthy parents are concerned about their children being isolated from others.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I don't necessarily agree with from this study is the idea that because these individuals are so wealthy, they don't have anything to do and they have too many choices of how to occupy their time. Most of the wealthy are hard workers and they achieve their wealth by working hard. Take Donald Trump for example. He is unbelievably wealthy, yet he is still involved in business. So, I don't buy that the wealthy are at a loss of things to do. There is always more to accomplish.
I don't agree that wealthy people have their own set of problems per se. I think their problems may be on a larger scale because they have larger financial risks. I am not in the $25 million tax bracket and I have anxiety about my children and I share in their greatest aspiration of life as being a good parent. Their investing is in the millions, mine is so mimimal and done through my weekly 401(k) contribution. They ponder about which vehicle to purchase, I ponder about which brand of bread to buy. It's all in attitudes too and how you look at life. If money is running your life, you are in a very sad state of affairs. If you are running your life and money is just as aspect then you control your own happiness.
ReplyDeleteWell said! And their problems are on a scale out of this world from us really. Can't imagine, but I know it's a whole set of problems we wouldn't want to face.
DeleteI found this article pretty interesting. I know how there is a lot of stereotype of the rich and wealthy. Even, the one's that make 100k a year, get categorized as rich. We tend to forget that these people have problems, and if they have a family, a lot is still focused on the well being of their family. Yes, financial wealth is something most of us strive for, and not many get a chance to achieve. I feel there's a lot of jealousy or hatred towards these people. Maybe a few deserve to be disliked, but it all depends how they act as a human being. It is true that a lot of rich kid gets stereotyped because they come from wealth, and there are a few who don't have to achieve or set goals to appreciate their lives, it is just given without a positive goal in their life, but the families I have met that are wealthy, all wanted the best for their children and to making a life and a living, without having to rely on the family wealth Per-say. Having wealth allows for greater options, but too many options can make the choice difficult. When my wife and I save up, and have enough extra cash to spend on being able to eat anywhere in town, there are way to many options to make a decision and causes tension. It can be over anything. But when we are low on cash, we have limited options, and it much easier to make a satisfying choice. I agree with most of what the survey showed in this article.
ReplyDeleteJohn I agree with you about jealousy. I know I often feel jealous about the wealthy and the lifestyle they can afford. Later when I reflect on that jealousy I feel like an idiot because I already have so much. That being said, our world is based on consumption of goods. There is always something new or something better and these things are not always affordable.
DeleteThis was a very good article/survey on this subject. Wished I would have been a part of doing the interviewing and asking the questions. But, this answers questions that some may not be aware of. The rich do have the same problems us plain folk have, but a different scale and with different answers. They face stress just as we do and have to solve it just as we do.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of what the author is saying. In a way I believe the rich in certain aspects have it a little harder than those who are not as fortunate. Rich people of course go through the same things we do, like children who get into drugs, loss of a family member, and so on. One thing that differs in my opinion though, is, with more money, I feel it is easier for them to get themselves into trouble because they have the money to do so. Other than allowing for more opportunity, rich people encounter the same thing as an average income person.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article I see that the concerns of parents in basically the same across the board. Wanting a bright future for your children and for them to have purpose in their lives. While it is true that they do not have the same concerns as someone without money, it seems to me that their concerns are intensified. Their children may never have true friends because the constant worry of having someone as your friend that is only interested in what they can get from you. The pitfalls of partying and using drugs are more accessible because they can afford them. Also, because they don't have to work hard to achieve goals, they may not have goals to make it in this world. These kids have had everything handed to them and yet can be more lonely and miserable than kids that have nothing. As human beings we all need a purpose in life to drive us to be better people and as parents of these kids they need to work harder to teach these children to value and appreciate what they have and learn to give of themselves. Help those that are less fortunate in order for them to have meaningful value in their lives. What I learned from reading this article is that no matter what your financial situation we all just want the same things in life regarding our children. That is for them to be happy, successful, and have true meaning in their lives.
ReplyDeleteThe last part of this article was very interesting to me. I agree that money will not keep you from going down a wrong path in life and especially for kids. The youth do not have the mature mindset that the majority of adults have. For the most part, they just want to have fun and the more money they have the easier it is for them to do just that. Even parents with lots of money are still just parents. They still have to worry about all the little things like teaching their kids right from wrong, school, extracurricular activities and just making sure that their children are making the right decisions in life as they grow up. As children grow up and start deciding for themselves what they want to do, the parents have a harder time instilling in them good values and good choices. Drugs, sex, and violence are not just for a select few; they are everywhere and no one is exempt.
ReplyDeleteNovotney’s article mentions that there are “challenges of having an oversupply of time and money” and I completely agree. With a surplus of these both, the choices made available to you exponentially increase. Your options grow as your time and money grow. An over-abundance of money bringing along with it an over-abundance of choices is a recipe for disaster. It reminds me of a person that I’ve known that refused to go shopping in a grocery store. He would, instead, have his family go for him and grow most of his own vegetables in his back yard. The over-abundance of choices in the grocery store would absolutely terrify him because he would agonize over whether he was making the right choice of all of the choices or if another one would be better. There was a study conducted by Columbia professor Iyengar (that she published in The Art of Choosing) quite a while ago attempting to analyze the effect of having too many choices. In a nutshell, two jam tables were set up in a grocery store, with one table displaying 24 different jam options and the other table displaying 6 jam options. Her results indicated that while more people stopped to sample jam at the 24-jam table than at the 6-jam table, more people actually ended up purchasing jam from the 6-jam table. A possible reason for this is that too many options overwhelm consumers. Thus, going back to the original argument, if you have a lot of money, you can’t eliminate as many options as can those who are strapped for cash. A lot of options can lead to one wanting to isolate himself from them. Additionally, having the monetary capacity to afford a lot of options does not necessarily mean one will be happy getting everything he wants. He may have so many options that he does not know what he wants anymore.
ReplyDeleteIyengar’s site: http://www.columbia.edu/~ss957/book.shtml
I would have to agree with this author’s point. While these people have money and they don’t have to worry about car payments, credit card bills, house payments, etc. They do have more harmful things to worry about especially for their kids. Drugs and alcohol are easy to access for kids of wealthy families. They throw money around like it’s nothing but to serve their partying needs. For parents, having money doesn’t save you from any of that. In fact it makes you more prone to it happening because they’ll have easier access, and more money to spend. But at the end of the day, if it happens to you, you’re no different than a parent who works a minimum wage job dealing with the same problem.
ReplyDeleteThe author points out that they have their own problems.
ReplyDeleteI think that objectifies classes because human are one entity. We have more in common than we do apart. We all want the same thing, which is to survive and create a better foundation for our children and the future.
The article mentions parenting and a concern many had was "how their children would be treated by others."
I think when it is something this sensitive, it would be a serious issue in that family is involved. Many things come to mind such as danger or bullying but it just goes back to ethics on everyone's part.
I think rich people are proletariat people are the same because we all want to survive and reproduce, while instilling great direction for their children.
This is man kind.
I can see how wealthy people have concerns with their children feeling isolated, but I can’t help but wonder if they are so wealthy wouldn’t they be sending their children to elite schools with other very wealthy children, so how would they be isolated. I do see how these parents have concerns that their children would not be highly motivated to be successful since they already know that they will be set for live regardless of what kind of job they can get, and do not even have to worry about getting a good job. However, I do agree with the author that just because these people have money does not mean that they do not have problems or worries in their life. I don’t think anyone could ever live life and say that they never had any problems or worries, the only place you can live care free is heaven.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the stance of the article. Everyone worries that what they they do is for their children. Having money brings along a set of their own problems. Their children might have to work harder in order to prove that their parents did not give them an unfair advantage. Money is very use full but it cannot solve all of life's problems. Rich people have problems just like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this material because it really showed the insight into how wealthy people really feel. I really like the questions that were being asked and I thought the responses were really interesting. Sometimes I think that wealthy people get treated like a different species when many of them think about real world issues as those that live in the middle class or even below the poverty level. They care and worry just like everyone else. I really liked when the article said, "They were concerned about being good parents, they were concerned about their children and they were concerned about the children of the world in general." I like this because of how real it is. I think that a lot of the time wealthy people are viewed as not having concerns or having it all together and perfectly planned lives. I really liked the results of the research and can really see what it proves. That it "shows the rest of the world, who often think that if they just made one more bonus or sold one more item or got one more promotion, then their world and their family's world would be so much better, that this isn't necessarily true."
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that certain media's portrayal of rich parents is inaccurate; there is a reason that rich adults are portrayed that way in movies, television, and books, and I think it has to do with the idea that the possession of excess wealth causes one to devalue what middle-class people hold close to themselves. However, as cliche as it sounds, if you're a parent that really cares about their children, no amount of wealth one possesses should alter what they feel is the best way to raise their kids. I found it really interesting that the rich parents had such a humble stance on using their wealth to better their children's lives; they understood that excess wealth can make way for the abuse of many privileges, the money potentially clouding one's judgement and morals. I also found it refreshing to know that many people of high-income are aware of the social stigma attached with being rich, as it is a real fear to be isolated from others due to having what everyone else thinks they want.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the author’s observation of the wealthy. These people who have money don’t have to worry about making car payments, student loans, along with many other bills. They can buy whatever they want whenever they want, not worrying about if it’s expensive or not. I also agree that just because these people have money it doesn’t mean that they never have problems or worries, but they actually do. When it comes to their children I like how they want to make sure their children are not hanging out with the right person and not someone who uses drugs or someone who only wants to be friends just because they have money.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was surprising that the rich parents wanted their kids to be good people. I think once parents are in that role, whether there is money or not, the ones that care about their family will do their best to teach them right and wrong. I agreed with their theory that they thought that once people had money they would want to be self sufficient and do whatever they wanted. I was surprised the group did not feel that way and had different concerns altogether. I know if I suddenly had an opportunity to have a huge increase on my income I would be worried about genuine relationships as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Amy Novotney is completely correct, money can help a family have stability but does not necessarily help them. There can be many downfalls to having a large bank account, especially which their children. My friend’s family owns the largest farming company in kern county and many would believe everything is dandy. Well, actually his father passed away and all he wanted was their family to be comfortable, yet my friend gets hassled every time we go out. It is sad because just because someone has money and their parents do what they can to allow them to be stable and live a comfortable life, it is a bad thing. I have seen a different side to what money can bring and I would rather have my family how we are, than all the money in the world. To have a family that is close, happy and health is what really matters, because money cannot buy happiness inside of the household.
ReplyDeleteI found this article incredibly interesting. One part stuck with me in particular and it probably will not surprise anyone that has read my previous posts. The part I refer to is the bit about wealthy parents prioritizing being a good parent. All the stuff we see on T.V. does tend to paint wealthy people, in general, in a bad light. It is nice to know that for the most part not all wealthy people are philandering, wasteful, and ungrateful. I was thinking about what my main goals are as a mother. I feel like I mention being a mother or something about my daughter all the time, but parenting is all consuming. Wealthy people are often more able to focus on things like being a good parent as opposed to worrying about putting food on the table or trying to figure out where next month's rent is coming from. Due to having enough money for food, shelter, and other mandatory needs in life, these parents are freed up to focus on being good parents and raising good kids because they're secure in the fact that their children are safe and well fed. I can definitely see how being in the lower-middle to lower class would change a parent's priorities. A few of my friends have to work two or more jobs to keep afloat. Obviously their primary concern as parents is to continue to provide for their children. Reading this article definitely made me even more grateful for my parents and my education opportunities. I don't have to worry about feeding my daughter and having a place for us to live because I get help from my family. This frees me up to make my daughter a priority. My every waking thought seems to revolve around her health, well-being, and how she is, and will, function in the world.
ReplyDeleteChildren who grow up in a very wealthy family don’t have a lot of things to worry about. These children don’t have to worry about having a comfortable life. These children don’t have to worry about having lunch at school. They don’t have to worry about having school supplies. These children don’t even have to pass their classes. They don’t need to graduate or go to college. They don’t need a college degree. All the stresses these children have about succeeding in adulthood are no longer there because their parents have already guaranteed that they will never have to worry about money. I believe that parents see cutting off their money from their kids might seem like a good idea but to other parents it doesn’t make sense as a parent, since a parent’s job is make sure their children have everything they need to succeed in life. I agree with what, Novotney states, about parents wanting their children to be people that can change the world for the good. Wealthy parents understand that their children will inherit their wealth but, it is the parents duty to teach their children to understand that they have a responsibility to the world to make it better. The wealthy parents interviewed by Novotney know that their children will be able to afford the best education but they cannot buy a way to teach their children to have the compassion to help the less fortunate.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with this because I actually have friends who's parents are well off and the friendship I have with them is not based off of them being a trust fund baby, or classifying them as the "rich kid." I seriously believe this to be a bunch of bullshit. If their parents really believed that they want to be the best parent they could possibly be, then be the parent that you believe to be and exceed. Yes, money may bring luxury and security but if they raised their kids to be respectful and know the value of a dollar then maybe others won't view them to be a spoiled brat. I have friends who work for their parents who make well money from their business and I can honestly say that she is one of the most kind-hearted, respectful, positive girl that I know. She inspires me to become a better person. The whole ordeal with kids being treated differently by others is because they allow it. Trust me, I work hard for my money but I am not letting any fool walk over me. They surely won't have to wool pulled over my eyes. I do agree with believing that everyone wants their children to make a living. Who doesn't want to see their child strive and be successful. Today, I heard my friends father say, "It's hard to sit back and see your child fail." But guess what that is the price of admission of being a parent. What is it with isolation?? Really? Do they truly believe that their child is going to be isolated? Nonsense, I feel their child needs to grow up. All in all, if you surround yourself with positive people who love you, support you then good will come your way. Yes, life is not perfect, but then again everyone has a rainy cloud.
ReplyDeleteIts hard to imagine that very wealthy individuals have issues with making so much income. I do agree; however, with the author's main point as to possibly interfere with their children's future. Other people may be ill-intentioned and just involve themselves with these children of wealthy parents out of convenience. It's hard to have a limit on how much to provide for provide for your children when money is not an issue. In order for wealthy children to have values, the parents should make their children earn things and not give them everything so they may have an aspiration to be successful.
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