Rich, Poor, Materialism, Ethics, and Ferraris

Hello

My family was celebrating the 4th of July with family friends. They own a vending company. They are multi-millionaires.

My dad is a surgeon. My parents are probably millionaires.

Another doctor was at the party. An anesthesiologist. Probably a millionaire.

He was adorned in Tommy Bahama gear. Head to toe. He just had bought a new BMW 7 Series. He had a Rolex on. His hair is highlighted.

I was sitting next to my my older sister, gossiping. She has more of a negative personality. She is poor and makes about 30k a year. She struggles with making ends meet.

She was gazing at him.

"That is sad," she said.

Days later, we began an online convo about money and status and materialism. She said she "gave up" dreaming because she thinks owning things doesn't buy true happiness. Her dream was to have a large house with a white fence and a horse farm, much like my parents.

I agreed with her, saying that true happiness indeed comes from deeper things, such as having children, etc, but that there is no doubt that my parents get a "high" every time they drive up their long driveway to their beautiful house that they've worked hard for.

I also said that the anesthesiologist (from the party) may be into image. But, really.. who really cares? I mean, he helps people in his job, hes good to his wife, his kids... isn't he living the dream? Maybe he has fun dressing up and looking nice?

...........

I was just talking to a friend who wants to make money. Hes made money. 100+ per year, decent income, for the last few years. He is smart, hard working, and dream of hitting the bigtime. Hes a great salesman. (He once told me he'd love to drive a red Ferrari)

But he grew up with liberal democrat parents (nothing wrong with this). He said his dad wouldn't even TALK to the doctor who was adorned in the Tommy Bahama gear

I find that a shame. He'd not TALK to the guy because he was dressed in fancy clothes?!

Anyway, my friend then went on to say that if I talked to 10 Ferrari owners, most would be pricks who did something unethical to make their money.

I argued against this, as I believe this is a huge fallacy that society makes of these people.

My dad could drive the Ferrari, so could this Doc, so could the other guy who owns the vending company. Do they do unethical things? I don't think so..

I then went onward to think of 10 people i knew who could buy fancy cars. Are they unethical, evil people? No, not at all.

What about the people who I do know that DO dress nice and drive in fancy cars. Are they unethical, evil people? Not that I know of.

Its just interesting to hear people's different views of status and money. I see both sides, but I feel that the whole rich = evil as a really jaded and almost unhealthy perspective.

I also do not know if I like it when people give up dreaming. However, on the flip side, maybe dreaming results in never being fully content in the moment?