[salukigirl]

There is a show on the Travel Channel where they take natives from the south pacific and show them New York City, Peoria, IL, Orange County and a couple other places. They go on roller coasters, learn how to play football, see a thanksgiving dinner etc....

The Orange County part absolutely disgusted me. I really try to think to myself when I don't agree with someone else's lifestyle "to each his own" and I remind myself that just because I don't agree doesn't mean that's the only way to think.

Well these people have just thrown me for a loop. It just amazes me that I am living paycheck to paycheck, late on bills sometimes, trying to pay for books etc... and these people have a porsche, a range rover and a golf course in their back yard. Plus they had a BOTOX PARTY! First off....you're injecting botchilism into your face.....you're going to have a party with it? On TV?! Their daughters don't do anything around the house and go out to the spa to get pedicures and facials all day.

I mean seriously....people are dying all over the world...some of them probably just down the street from you from lack of food or shelter....and you're putting a golf course in your back yard?! Sometimes I just want to strip those people of everything and have them live like "normies" for a month. How can people be so excessive? It just makes me sick. I feel bad for having a surround sound system and these people have 50,000 dollar cars for each person in their family.

Their kids are spoilt they are spoilt ......

Can you imagine what its like behind closed doors with all them spoilt people ?

No way would I swap.

[VickiesPath]

Things are not always what they seem. I am at the age where the next generation up in my family are all passing away. We are now learning that the families who appeared to be living the way you described out in LA were mortgaging their homes over and over to stay in business and were living way beyond their means and associating in the strangest social circles in order to meet the correct people to keep in business. Now, the one son who is my age who everyone thought was the shining star and would take over dad's business is too stupid to do so because he never paid attention to how to run the business so dad had to sell it. He is married with FIVE children and recently had to declare bankruptcy because he can't make a living to support his family. They used to belong to Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral but cannot afford the financial committment anymore so will probably end up moving back to Georgia closer to her family to try to figure out how to support five babies.

Surprise! My family, the country bumpkins, are all doing fine.

[perpetuallysad]

salukigirl, excess like that really upsets me too. I have a bad problem of worrying about all of the world's problems and the fact that people use and waste so much is something I have been working in therapy on. I used to get so upset, I would feel guilty for taking a shower. Now, I have worked to the point where (most of the time) I try to worry only about myself and my family; how we treat the planet and our fellow humans; pdoc promises that those are the only people I am personally responsible for right now. I still feel guilty though.

Excess might be bad, but envy is worse. Resenting other people's good fortune, even when justified, is a bad habit in my opinion. My theory is that this is the way people become bitter. The exception, for me, is rich people who got their fortune through stealing; like politicians, scumbags, corporate fat cats and televangelists. Off with their heads!

But if you see legitimately fortunate people, and can be happy for them, then you get to share their good fortune in a way, right? Mike

[MickG]

I do understand your frustration. Excess is rarely pretty. My brother-in-law drives a Hummer. My sister travels to posh spas throughout the world. They own several homes. I on the other hand live a rather simple life and have a bit of trouble covering my medical expenses. The odd bit is my sis and her husband are disturbingly human and have many of the same struggles as the rest of us. Things are sometimes not as they appear.

[lynn P.]

The worst extravagance I've seen is in Abu Dabi where they have built this indoor ski resort. Imagine how much it cost to build this and how much energy is wasted by keeping it running. It's a indoor ski resort in a country where it's a 100 degrees.

Another bad case of waste I saw was a family on Oprah - the topic was families in financial trouble. This couple lived in a 500,000 house, had 3 cars and 2 young children. The only thing they would eat in the house was cereal - everything else was take out and if they ate it at home - they would eat out of paper plates with plastic utensils. She never cooked and didn't own pot and pans or dishes. He had a government job that paid six figures, yet they were in deep debt. The wife would have fresh flowers delivered weekly and she would go for full spa treatments weekly.

There's a difference between living well and living wastefully as Salukigirl is pointing out. I agree it is frustrating when a person appears very wasteful, when there are people who can barely afford to eat.

BTW I do have a Hummer but I hate the gas it guzzles. A few years ago we were doing very well as small business owners and we had 2 rental properties that brought in 6 monthly rent cheques. We live in a 400,000 house, but the economy hit us hard and we lost those rental properties. Now we're barely hanging on to our house and living month to month. I barely have enough money for gas and groceries. I also agree with Vickie regarding, you never know what goes on behind closed doors - I'm a perfect example of that. If someone were to drive by our house, they would think - I bet they're upper class rich, but we're really struggling. I literally have one 15.00 gift for my 8 yr old so far. I have to think of every penny I spend and plan grocery shopping methodically and sometimes I have to say "oh sorry I can't get this"

I think the only ones who aren't suffering are the ultra rich, where even a bad economy doesn't affect them. Even the families who appear upper middle class are working like dogs to maintain their lifestlye. For the last 15 years most people live way beyond their means and rely on credit cards to supply themselves with more than they need. If I were to become a lottery winner I would never live in excess or waste. I would pay for a moderate house and live as simply but comfortably possible. That's all a person needs

[jerrymichele]

Sometimes I think that people live like that to keep up with others. My sister has more things then me, but it really doesn't bother me. She likes the fact of out doing people. She's the type of person who (now, not always) only associates with certain people with a certain lfe style. Someone's pain is her pleasure. When you think about it, it's really her misery. I would rather have a simple life, and not stress over things that I don't have.

[salukigirl]

It doesn't bother me that I don't have it because, personally, I would never want to own a Bentley or a Benz. It bothers me to see people so out of touch with other people. The fact is that that's not how most of the country lives and it just seems like it dissociates you from the rest of the world. I know that I shouldn't hold myself responsible for other people being poor or starving. I don't feel bad for having my car or anything like that but I also make it a point not to be wasteful. It just sickens me to see people wasting everything.

[KathyM]

Originally Posted by salukigirl

Their daughters don't do anything around the house and go out to the spa to get pedicures and facials all day.

It bothers me too salukigirl, but I don't envy them. A beautiful/sterile environment is not real life - you can't eat plastic fruit, and you can't protect your family with a pretty face and fake nails.

Just wait until these daughters have children of their own and realize they don't have what it takes to provide for their children as mom and dad provided for them.

I don't think it's disgusting - it's just sad.

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by salukigirl

It doesn't bother me that I don't have it because, personally, I would never want to own a Bentley or a Benz. It bothers me to see people so out of touch with other people. The fact is that that's not how most of the country lives and it just seems like it dissociates you from the rest of the world. I know that I shouldn't hold myself responsible for other people being poor or starving. I don't feel bad for having my car or anything like that but I also make it a point not to be wasteful. It just sickens me to see people wasting everything.

I completely agree with you Salukigirl. It's truly shameful to waste. To me it's fine to have a nice dependable car - but anything above the reasonable, is a waste and only serves to flaunt their wealth.