The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com) - View Single Post - Kids, cars, school & money (long)- your opinions!

NinaBoston · 13th May 2002, 00:59

Going to school in the Boston area, which has hundreds of schools, I see kids who are over-moneyed and under-educated all the time. But I also see a few people from families high up on the Forbes billionaire list who are grateful, work super-hard, are truly intelligent, are active and contributing students, and realize that money gives them the freedom and opportunity to do more in the world (beyond the noblesse oblige that comes from going to Harvard, haha). Interestingly, it's these nice kids who actually have 1000 times more money than the partiers, but it's the nice kids who display a relative 1/1000th of their wealth. Hunh.

Anyway, I know that whichever the type of rich kid, they will never have to work as hard as I and other normal kids do for each increment of success, and they will never force themselves to work as hard, simply because they don't have the pressure of "If I don't succeed, I will have to live in a cardboard box." My dad said something during lunch to the effect of "the best boxer is a hungry boxer." I dunno, it's kinda corny, my dad likes boxing, but you get the point.

The "problem" I see with some [note, SOME] trust fund kids is that they don't realize that there is nothing inherent in their character or in their worth as humans that gives them any right to the privileges they enjoy. If anything, they demonstrate a great disparity between class and wealth. They had the luck to be born to their parents, but what beyond that? It's not even as if they simply like being wealthy and showing off their money and that's that. They genuinely act as if they believe that their parents' money makes them better than anyone with (parents who have) less money.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but man... you should see some of these kids in Boston, and oh lordy how many of them there are. They're certainly not getting an education, but it's not like they need one b/c they're heading straight to daddy's company anyway after graduation (or flunking out, whichever). College is just a time to party and show off mommy and daddy's money until it's time for them to go home and "work."

Wow I sound really bitchy. But I think I'm all the more bitchy b/c I do see a lot of trust fund kids who do a lot in this world and are great people, so the contrast between the nice kids and the others make the latter that much more revolting. [ratio between nice kids and brats is, according to my observations, 1:30-50, and even that number is inflated b/c I all the nice kids go to my own school]. The distinguishing element, to me, does seem to be parenting and family closeness.

No, I'm against all rich kids, just the ones who falsely believe that they deserve the riches, and that those riches alone make them better than others. And who knows, maybe their behavior during college is just a phase and they'll turn out to be wonderful people I'd be glad to know. But for someone who enjoys college primarily through the generosity of financial aid, right now it's pretty damn annoying to be near them or even be aware of their existence.

So while I certainly will want my kids to be comfortable, I'm all for withholding my wealth (when I get it) from them until I think they've had a work ethic instilled in them through an understanding of where I started and how hard I had to work. I will spare no expense on education only, but if they complain that I gave them a 10-speed bike instead of a 3-series, they're getting a broad-handed smack in the head. Repeated, if needed. End rant.

13th May 2002, 00:59	#8 (permalink)
NinaBoston Junior Member, warming up (<31 posts) Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Cambridge, MA Age: 28 Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Born on third base but think they've hit a triple -- some Esquire article Going to school in the Boston area, which has hundreds of schools, I see kids who are over-moneyed and under-educated all the time. But I also see a few people from families high up on the Forbes billionaire list who are grateful, work super-hard, are truly intelligent, are active and contributing students, and realize that money gives them the freedom and opportunity to do more in the world (beyond the noblesse oblige that comes from going to Harvard, haha). Interestingly, it's these nice kids who actually have 1000 times more money than the partiers, but it's the nice kids who display a relative 1/1000th of their wealth. Hunh. Anyway, I know that whichever the type of rich kid, they will never have to work as hard as I and other normal kids do for each increment of success, and they will never force themselves to work as hard, simply because they don't have the pressure of "If I don't succeed, I will have to live in a cardboard box." My dad said something during lunch to the effect of "the best boxer is a hungry boxer." I dunno, it's kinda corny, my dad likes boxing, but you get the point. The "problem" I see with some [note, SOME] trust fund kids is that they don't realize that there is nothing inherent in their character or in their worth as humans that gives them any right to the privileges they enjoy. If anything, they demonstrate a great disparity between class and wealth. They had the luck to be born to their parents, but what beyond that? It's not even as if they simply like being wealthy and showing off their money and that's that. They genuinely act as if they believe that their parents' money makes them better than anyone with (parents who have) less money. Sorry if I sound harsh, but man... you should see some of these kids in Boston, and oh lordy how many of them there are. They're certainly not getting an education, but it's not like they need one b/c they're heading straight to daddy's company anyway after graduation (or flunking out, whichever). College is just a time to party and show off mommy and daddy's money until it's time for them to go home and "work." Wow I sound really bitchy. But I think I'm all the more bitchy b/c I do see a lot of trust fund kids who do a lot in this world and are great people, so the contrast between the nice kids and the others make the latter that much more revolting. [ratio between nice kids and brats is, according to my observations, 1:30-50, and even that number is inflated b/c I all the nice kids go to my own school]. The distinguishing element, to me, does seem to be parenting and family closeness. No, I'm against all rich kids, just the ones who falsely believe that they deserve the riches, and that those riches alone make them better than others. And who knows, maybe their behavior during college is just a phase and they'll turn out to be wonderful people I'd be glad to know. But for someone who enjoys college primarily through the generosity of financial aid, right now it's pretty damn annoying to be near them or even be aware of their existence. So while I certainly will want my kids to be comfortable, I'm all for withholding my wealth (when I get it) from them until I think they've had a work ethic instilled in them through an understanding of where I started and how hard I had to work. I will spare no expense on education only, but if they complain that I gave them a 10-speed bike instead of a 3-series, they're getting a broad-handed smack in the head. Repeated, if needed. End rant. Last edited by NinaBoston; 13th May 2002 at 01:02.