5 ms·

I spent 2 years cleaning houses. What I saw makes me never want to be rich

22 points by jkw 11y ago

JSeymourATL 11y ago
I was reminded of the take on the line...‘The very rich are different from you and me.’ And how some one had said to Scott, Yes, they have more money. > http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2009/11/rich-are-different-famous-quote.html http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2009/11/rich-are-different-...
derptron 11y ago
So they're people with issues just like everyone else except with more money to blow on stupid shit. Sounds about right.
7Figures2Commas 11y ago
So there are wealthy people who are not perfect and have "issues." Is that really a surprise? What's most disturbing about this article is not that the author fails to reflect on her own moral shortcoming (she did after all choose to violate the privacy of her clients), but that she comes to poorly justified conclusions. The worst: she makes the implied argument that there was a causal relationship between wealth and her client's issues. Mental illness afflicts both the rich and the poor, and there are plenty of generally unhappy people in all walks of life. That someone would come to shun wealth out of a mistaken belief that it always leads to a sad, empty existence is disappointing, and I can't help but wonder if the author found exactly what she was looking for when she decided to "snoop."
- Polecat 11y ago
  Great point. But I really enjoyed reading the article for some reason, maybe it's just the style.
- flarg 11y ago
  IMHO what's more interesting is how wealth alter the choices one might make. A new 4x4 because it's "safer" vs. taking public transport - when in fact a new 4x4 is costly to the environment and makes one less fit than public transport. Seems to me that wealth brings more choices that are often no better than the poor persons choice. That's a shame.
clavalle 11y ago
Those people seemed to have it pretty together. I could point the author to a few much more interesting houses.
ElComradio 11y ago
File under: "I'm not rich; I'm going to be superior to rich people in other ways."
serve_yay 11y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error
- kjdal2001 11y ago
  Isn't this the opposite of the Fundamental attribution error? She is attributing her clients' issues and unhappiness to the external influence of being rich rather than personality flaws.
HeyLaughingBoy 11y ago
I took exception to the opening line: Your housekeeper spies on you Maybe that one did, but that only reflects on her. My wife had a housecleaning business for a few years. She simply didn't have time to snoop on anyone. She specialized in cleaning houses in upscale neighborhoods (go where the money is!) and they were large and time consuming. She typically had just enough time to finish in the time she estimated, and then it was often a drive across town to the next house. Guess it's different if you're working for someone else.
ursus_bonum 11y ago
This makes me wonder what crazy stories my cleaners have dreamed up about me. I mean, I have allergy meds in the bathroom and sometimes I have a big party before cleaning day, so there are a lot of dirty dishes and food containers. I also have a safe with about $400 in it, but I suppose in someone's imagination it could be anything in there!
Mz 11y ago
I think the real point should be that money isn't everything. Some people have dozens of friends and the fun never ends, as long as they're buying. We all have problems. If you can have a good life AND money, yay! If you can have a good life OR money, take the good life. Money alone won't get you a good life. I wish these types of discussions were more nuanced. They usually aren't though.
davelnewton 11y ago
Completely underwhelmed. Being rich isn't the issue.

22 points by jkw 11y ago

I was reminded of the take on the line...‘The very rich are different from you and me.’ And how some one had said to Scott, Yes, they have more money. > http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2009/11/rich-are-different-famous-quote.html http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2009/11/rich-are-different-...

derptron 11y ago

So they're people with issues just like everyone else except with more money to blow on stupid shit. Sounds about right.

7Figures2Commas 11y ago

So there are wealthy people who are not perfect and have "issues." Is that really a surprise? What's most disturbing about this article is not that the author fails to reflect on her own moral shortcoming (she did after all choose to violate the privacy of her clients), but that she comes to poorly justified conclusions. The worst: she makes the implied argument that there was a causal relationship between wealth and her client's issues. Mental illness afflicts both the rich and the poor, and there are plenty of generally unhappy people in all walks of life. That someone would come to shun wealth out of a mistaken belief that it always leads to a sad, empty existence is disappointing, and I can't help but wonder if the author found exactly what she was looking for when she decided to "snoop."

Polecat 11y ago
Great point. But I really enjoyed reading the article for some reason, maybe it's just the style.
flarg 11y ago
IMHO what's more interesting is how wealth alter the choices one might make. A new 4x4 because it's "safer" vs. taking public transport - when in fact a new 4x4 is costly to the environment and makes one less fit than public transport. Seems to me that wealth brings more choices that are often no better than the poor persons choice. That's a shame.

clavalle 11y ago

Those people seemed to have it pretty together. I could point the author to a few much more interesting houses.

ElComradio 11y ago

File under: "I'm not rich; I'm going to be superior to rich people in other ways."

serve_yay 11y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error

kjdal2001 11y ago
Isn't this the opposite of the Fundamental attribution error? She is attributing her clients' issues and unhappiness to the external influence of being rich rather than personality flaws.

HeyLaughingBoy 11y ago

I took exception to the opening line: Your housekeeper spies on you Maybe that one did, but that only reflects on her. My wife had a housecleaning business for a few years. She simply didn't have time to snoop on anyone. She specialized in cleaning houses in upscale neighborhoods (go where the money is!) and they were large and time consuming. She typically had just enough time to finish in the time she estimated, and then it was often a drive across town to the next house. Guess it's different if you're working for someone else.

ursus_bonum 11y ago

This makes me wonder what crazy stories my cleaners have dreamed up about me. I mean, I have allergy meds in the bathroom and sometimes I have a big party before cleaning day, so there are a lot of dirty dishes and food containers. I also have a safe with about $400 in it, but I suppose in someone's imagination it could be anything in there!

Mz 11y ago

I think the real point should be that money isn't everything. Some people have dozens of friends and the fun never ends, as long as they're buying. We all have problems. If you can have a good life AND money, yay! If you can have a good life OR money, take the good life. Money alone won't get you a good life. I wish these types of discussions were more nuanced. They usually aren't though.

davelnewton 11y ago

Completely underwhelmed. Being rich isn't the issue.