How having money changes your attitude

Does having lots of money change your personality into being a jerk? The University of California, Berkeley study below confirms what I've always suspected:

The second is subtler and it has to do with the psychology of fear and greed. Research done in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley found that increased wealth actually creates reduced empathy and compassion towards others, along with elevating one's sense of entitlement. In short, increased wealth tends to make one “mean” and there is no shortage of corroborating studies that have confirmed this very propensity. A study done by the University of Michigan titled “Higher social class predicts increased unethical behavior” states: “Seven studies using experimental and naturalistic methods reveal that upper-class individuals behave more unethically than lower-class individuals. In studies 1 and 2, upper-class individuals were more likely to break the law while driving, relative to lower-class individuals. In follow-up laboratory studies, upper-class individuals were more likely to exhibit unethical decision-making tendencies (study 3), take valued goods from others (study 4), lie in a negotiation (study 5), cheat to increase their chances of winning a prize (study 6), and endorse unethical behavior at work (study 7) than were lower class individuals. Mediator and moderator data demonstrated that upper-class individuals’ unethical tendencies are accounted for, in part, by their more favorable attitudes toward greed.”

Class and compassion: socioeconomic factors predict responses to suffering.

Abstract
Previous research indicates that lower-class individuals experience elevated negative emotions as compared with their upper-class counterparts. We examine how the environments of lower-class individuals can also promote greater compassionate responding-that is, concern for the suffering or well-being of others. In the present research, we investigate class-based differences in dispositional compassion and its activation in situations wherein others are suffering. Across studies, relative to their upper-class counterparts, lower-class individuals reported elevated dispositional compassion (Study 1), as well as greater self-reported compassion during a compassion-inducing video (Study 2) and for another person during a social interaction (Study 3). Lower-class individuals also exhibited heart rate deceleration-a physiological response associated with orienting to the social environment and engaging with others-during the compassion-inducing video (Study 2). We discuss a potential mechanism of class-based influences on compassion, whereby lower-class individuals' are more attuned to others' distress, relative to their upper-class counterparts.

I have no desire to be rich. Never did, never will. I had a construction business and was usually cheaper than most other contractors and tried to do a very good job, one where I would not be ashamed to say I did it in twenty years. Most of my customers were not rich, common working people. I did do some work for a few people who were rich around here, retired business owners. But they were the same way I was, they took a lot of time to build up their wealth, they tried to give people affordable services and products. That is not how it is today anymore, the business owners prided themselves on providing jobs in the community and a decent service. I guess I am old school because I think that is important.

Money does not have to make you entitled or spoil a person. I know some people who have gained wealth and they are not that way. People who work hard for their money are often less apt to get entitled than those who make money doing easy work.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Does having lots of money change your personality into being a jerk?Text

It depends on who you are, but seeing how sheep follow the leader so prevalently, i would say yes. Keeping up with the Jones' never sucked as badly as it does now. People enjoy following rather than leading. It's their weakness.

a reply to: dfnj2015

You really hate money and people that have it. Your recent OPs all seem to show a sad attitude where you focus on what others have instead of what YOU have. Maybe work on yourself and stop worrying about what others do. You seem to be preoccupied with this topic lately.

I realize you might be a Communist and maybe just have a different attitude towards wealth and freedom than I do, but I do think you are showing a preoccupation with other people's money.

one thing i notice, hot chicks are WAY more inclined to speed, break traffic laws, drive crazy, etc. i assume because they are used to getting out of tickets.

a reply to: Metallicus

No, I have no problem leveraging the "poor" people to death. Money is good by any means necessary. Skull and crossbones stuff. Most poor people probably have enough bad karma they deserve their lot in life.

The communist do make a good point. They do not consider "other people's money" to be fairly taken. They claim the laissez faire capitalists do not deserve the money because they stole it from the workers immorally. Why is your point of view better or more right than theirs.

I'm not sure I'm in complete agreement with the communists but here's a really good video arguing the CEOs are criminals:



If communism is the thesis and laissez faire capitalism is the antithesis then probably a more equality and more fairer system would be the synthesis of the two. Greed is good. Sharing the commonwealth is good.

a reply to: Metallicus

Maybe you cannot see it, but there is a really big #fight coming, if we continue to let people fall through the cracks they are going to fight back and when they do every single one of us loses.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: Metallicus

Maybe you cannot see it, but there is a really big #fight coming, if we continue to let people fall through the cracks they are going to fight back and when they do every single one of us loses.

That is my point.

People are too focused on other people and not bettering themselves. I started my professional career with student loan debt and $50 in the bank. Everything else was up to me.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Marx was an asshole.

Look, if you just don't know how to better yourself send me some U2U and I can give you some advice. It really seems like you are asking for help with all your OPs about hating money when the real problem is you don't know how to be successful and need a mentor.

a reply to: Metallicus

Reality is not everyone is capable of doing what you did, we are all wired differently. Not everyone can better themselves.

Im worried that the wealth gap is growing too much and when the numbers of dirt poor hit critical mass, they are going to crack it, with sufficient numbers they can force a reset, personally I think it's time to make changes that will avoid the impending mess.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

The problem is people like Marx essentially want everyone to suffer because some people can't compete. When we remove incentive to succeed then we crush the human spirit. I don't want my spirit crushed and I don't imagine you do either.

a reply to: Metallicus

Hard to argue your point there because you are right.

I guess it's the system that needs to evolve, somehow.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: Metallicus

Maybe you cannot see it, but there is a really big #fight coming, if we continue to let people fall through the cracks they are going to fight back and when they do every single one of us loses.

My wonderful husband was just saying the same thing today. Capitalism only works if everyone has some access to capital- otherwise it turns into aristocracy or feudalism. The French and Bolshevik Revolutions shows us how that works out.

To the those who think people who make the Federal minimum wage (hell, if they make less than $20/hr) have access to capital, I'd argue they're serfs, and any paycheck is spent on food, rent, gas, and health insurance soon as it's earned. Back into the pockets of the Lords of the Manor.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: Metallicus

Hard to argue your point there because you are right.

I guess it's the system that needs to evolve, somehow.

I think people like the OP would get a lot of fullfillment from learning to make money and then giving it to people in need. He could make a positive future for himself and others just by changing his attitude to one of abundance instead of one with limits.

You can’t be successful if you don’t respect and admire successful people. When I see someone who I am impressed with I don’t try and tear them down...I emulate their success.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

Are those people spending money on cable tv, internet, car payment, living alone? They need to examine their income and expenses and make some tough cuts until they have the capital they need.

I didn’t have anything, but a bedroom when I started working. No TV, no video games, no car, and my entertainment was playing RP games with friends where the only cost was a bag of chips and some pencils.

People have forgotten very basic life management skills. If starting out didn’t suck I never would have been motivated to the success I achieved later in life.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

Are those people spending money on cable tv, internet, car payment, living alone? They need to examine their income and expenses and make some tough cuts until they have the capital they need.

...

People have forgotten very basic life management skills. If starting out didn’t suck I never would have been motivated to the success I achieved later in life.

I certainly hope so. We do have the stereotypical millennial basement dweller phenomenon, so it appears many are cutting costs like that. I do not pity fools who blow cash on cable and dinners out and mall trips. I am more worried for the legitimate wage slaves that don't have cash to be foolish with, let alone start a Roth IRA.

Good for you for making it work without a silver spoon. And high five for your recommendation above to hope not fear about helping the poor. I still think, though, that greed at the top is stifling wages at the bottom. Not at small businesses so much. Mostly at the aristo-corporate level.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

Absolutely, not enough people have access to capitol to get ahead, the current system is falling apart.

If it wasn't for the cash injection by way of welfare that is pumped into the economy it would have crashed by now.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: dfnj2015

Marx was an asshole.

Look, if you just don't know how to better yourself send me some U2U and I can give you some advice. It really seems like you are asking for help with all your OPs about hating money when the real problem is you don't know how to be successful and need a mentor.

The ad hominem attacks on people, people you don't know are the last (or only) resort of those that can't to talk about ideas.

Great minds discuss ideas;

average minds discuss events;

small minds discuss people.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

If you put a wealthy person and a poor person at a starting gate with zero assets and then came back in 20 years the wealthy person would be wealthy again and the broke guy would still be broke.

There are certain attitudes that can be adopted and certain skills that can be learned that will always end up with successful people being successful and unsuccessful people posting on the internet about how unfair life is...just saying.

a reply to: FyreByrd

And losers complain on the internet...yawn.

Seriously, I have put some excellent advice in this thread and so far the OP has ignored my offer to help. If he really wanted to get to work on his own life and make it better why wouldn’t he instead of starting thread after thread abou how unfair life is and how money is bad.