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In a world where the wealth gap is widening in the global population, people are becoming increasingly divided by income. According to Statista, in the third quarter of 2023, 66.6% of the total wealth in the United States was owned by the top 10% of earners. The lowest 50% of earners only held 2.6% of the total wealth.
And it all comes down to little things. What if refusing to clean your own house speaks volumes, but very differently depending on the dime you make? People on r/AskReddit taught us a valuable lesson on income inequality. When someone asked, “What’s classy if you’re rich but trashy if you’re poor?” it was destined to resonate with many people out there.
The lifestyle of the rich and famous seems to be so easygoing. Many people think that when you are rich like this, you can have an old car and be cool—humble but rich. Controversially, being poor with an old car won't make you look fancy.
So, the answers started flooding in, like “an old car being the most expensive thing you own” and “having a lawyer’s business card in your pocket.” We picked some of the most illuminating ones to reflect on down below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Old Car
The most expensive thing you own is a really old car.
RELATED:
#2
Asking For Money
When you're poor it's begging, when you're rich, it's a fundraiser.
WilvanderHeijden 5 years ago
Fundraisers always have at least 70% on organisation costs that flow back to rich people.
#3
Being Weird
If you are weird and rich people just call you eccentric, but if you are weird and poor people call you crazy.
#4
Having Other People Raise Your Kids
xErth_x replied:
"Sad but true."
#5
Police Escorts
ntgoten replied:
"or just escorts."
#6
Having Fake Teeth
I see so many celebrities with those fake ass implants that are going to destroy their jaw bones in a decade, but have a legitimate dental problem that results in missing teeth and you can't even get a job anymore, oh and dental insurance doesn't usually cover it either because it's considered cosmetic. Like getting to chew your food is somehow a style choice.
#7
Getting Money From The Government
Mmarnik16 replied:
"This needs gilded, but I'm poor."
#8
Eating Fast Food
Rich guy buys fast food: "He's just like us!"
Poor guy buys fast food: "He should really make better choices."
#9
Dressing Provocatively
When you're rich it's a fashion statement, when you're poor you're a working girl.
#10
Being On A First Name Basis With A Judge
Deleted user replied:
"Hey Judith, how's it going?"
"You're an idiot."
WilvanderHeijden 5 years ago
"Hi Roger, sorry dude, I have to convict you, but don't worry; Donnie is already in the backroom signing your pardon. You'll be out and about before noon. See you tomorrow at Mar a Lago. "
Classy Or Trashy? The Question That Sparked A Social Media Debate
Chances are, you have seen this “Classy If You’re Rich, Trashy If You’re Poor” question surfing around the internet before. It turns out that the question, which basically points out the troubling reality of income inequality, has been going viral on and off for the past five years, giving us a lot to think about.
On September 25, 2015, “What’s considered trashy if you’re poor, but classy if you’re rich?” was first posted to r/AskReddit by user u/GreenAndPride. Know Your Meme reports that the post gained over 13K points before it was archived.
2016, on June 5, the same question was posted to Reddit and Twitter again. It gained 10K points, 24K retweets, and 14K likes on both platforms.
According to Know Your Meme, some top answers included “having someone else raise your kids,” “day drinking,” “moving to a foreign country,” and “multiple cars in front of your house.”
In July 2020, the question went viral again after Twitter user Ana Samways posted it on the platform. The top replies included “speaking two languages” and “marrying a second cousin.” The topic is still being discussed on Yahoo! News in 2023.
#11
Having A Wedding In Your Yard
A911owner replied:
"I used to drive charter buses and one time I had to provide transportation for the wedding of the daughter of a billionaire. When we arrived at the wedding venue, I thought we were at a country club. It was their house..."
Be Potato 5 years ago
My country is like this too. If you don't rent an expensive hall to hold your wedding and invite a thousand guest, people will talk about how poor you are and stuff. It's a very toxic thing because everyone is fighting to be the best and sounding rich and stuff even though they're not!
#12
Leisure Spending
Biggest thing is leisure spending, imo. Somehow a billionaire wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars on shit she doesn’t need and will use once is considered cool, but a poor person saving up and buying a nice purse or bottle of booze is seen as wasteful.
ebony1k124 touch 5 years ago
A poor person deserves a treat. Chances are the rich person may find a way to write it of whereas the poor person worked hard for it.
#13
Substance Abuse
Rich people are ‘troubled’ whereas poor people are just junkies.
#15
Having A Barren House
If you're rich, it's called minimalism. If you're poor, it's not being able to afford furniture.
ebony1k124 touch 5 years ago
Some people.who aren't wealthy are just very frugal and don't feel the need for more than the basic necessities.
#16
Being Really Into Wine
melodyze replied:
"Are you telling me I can't pull off calling myself a sommelier when I'm downing my franzia in a solo cup?"
Phoebe Bean 5 years ago
And the rich never get drunk.... they simply enjoy too much their drinks....
#18
Living At A Hotel
jackneefus replied:
"Now that is a good one. I have known people in both categories."
#19
Walking Around In A Bathrobe
ScruffleMcDufflebag replied:
"The Dude is pretty fancy though.
Edit: I spent my evening watching The Big Lebowski because of the popularity of my reply. It was a good night."
ebony1k124 touch 5 years ago
It is called comfortable and in today's economy, working from home
#20
Having A Lawyer's Business Card
Deleted user replied:
"God this is so accurate. When someone I know to be poor mentions having a lawyer, I immediately wonder just how deep of shit they're in."
What Is Considered Rich Today?
Being “rich” today often relates to having significantly more wealth or financial resources than the average person, but the specific threshold varies based on location, lifestyle, and personal perspectives. Hence, there is no definitive answer to what is considered a rich life, as different people may perceive the definition of “rich” and perspectives of wealth differently.
However, according to statistics from 2019, rich people are those who earn an annual income of $500,000 or more. For 2021, you’re in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.
#22
Wearing Sportswear At Work
Wearing hoodies/sweats/gym wear to work.. Especially in Tech.
#23
Avoiding Taxes
jesuschin said:
"Trying to avoid paying taxes."
luckyhunterdude replied:
"Knowing how to use the tax breaks is always classy."
#24
Having Many Pets
BourbonFiber replied:
"The only difference between 'cat hoarder' and 'animal rescuer' is budget."
#25
Having A Big-Screen TV
I’ve had to do home visits with people often and they ALWAYS get so mad that these poor families would have one.
#26
Cheese As A Meal
ImAchickenHawk replied:
"A handful of shredded bright orange cheddar at 2 AM isnt classy?"
#27
Making Your Own Booze
Drunkpennywise replied:
"If there is an apocalypse, the person who can make liquor will be kept alive."
#28
Having Multiple Kids With Multiple Partners
Suesuzysue replied:
"Came here to say this one."
#29
Not Cleaning Your Own House
adudeguyman replied:
"I can afford to have someone clean my house but I can't have anyone do it because of my clutter."
Phoebe Bean 5 years ago
They have someone else to do that, I think. I mean, they are rich after all.
#30
Going To The Horse Races
If you’ve ever been to the track on a Tuesday afternoon you know it ain’t a pretty sight. But that’s not the picture NBC paints at the Kentucky Derby.
When You Are Rich Like This, Do You Feel Great?
The answer may vary based on one’s definition of wealth and well-being. While some associate richness with financial independence, others may enjoy an irresponsible, rich gang lifestyle. What do rich people do when they become wealthy? They ought to feel happy, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Millions don’t necessarily guarantee feeling great.
When you are rich like this, side effects such as stress, loneliness, or a sense of purposelessness may affect your well-being. Though, your rich life can be built on strong relationships, good health, or overall happiness. Similarly, some people may find fulfillment through achievements, goals, or passions.
Most of you have probably heard famous Rich Dad Poor Dad quotes at least once. As Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, writes: “Most people fail to realize that in life, it’s not how much money you make. It’s how much money you keep.”
To summarize, one of the ways to feel rich is to appreciate what you already have rather than compare yourself to others or chase after more.
#31
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Having a bunch of kids
#32
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Clothes with holes in them, apparently.
Katie Lutesinger 5 years ago
I met a rich actor at a convention once (I was also a guest) and he was wearing a pair of jeans full of big frayed holes. I told him "hey, you should get some new jeans; those are falling apart". He said "actually they cost me $10,000 from a shop in New York". I tutted and said "dude, you got ripped off!". (We were getting along well so he got a chuckle out of me teasing him, but even so).
#33
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Eating snails
#34
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Off-the-planet craziness. Think Kanye vs some poor regular guy who makes zero sense.
#35
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Showing up to a formal occasion in t-shirt and jeans.
#36
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Filing for bankruptcy
K.Kobayashi 5 years ago
Rich people don't file for personal bankruptcy, they siphon money from businesses they own and then the business files for bankruptcy.
#37
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Keeping a bottle of liquor in your office
#38
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Not working a real job.
#39
Classy-If-Rich-Trashy-If-Poor-Answers
Cocaine
What do you think ?
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 5 years ago
Healthcare, basic human rights, earning a living wage with reasonable working hours... all things that rich people think only rich people need, and have convinced poor people that they're just not working hard enough for.
Martha Meyer 5 years ago
But mist rich people don't earn a living wage with reasonable hours. They inherited and never did any actual work in their life.
Load More Replies...
Carrie Roettger 5 years ago
Yup if you're a billionaire its sexy, if you're poor it's an episode of criminal minds.
Load More Replies...
a dose of reality 5 years ago
Being classy or trashy is not linked to the amount of money somebody has. Just look at all those second-class "celebrities" and the way they behave.
Nevits Yibble 5 years ago
"Rich people", "poor people" - both are ludicrously stereotyped. Both sides contain what we call "humans" - with good behavior and bad. Neither side has a monopoly on good/bad morals or ethics
Load More Replies...
Daniel (ShadowDrakken) 5 years ago
Healthcare, basic human rights, earning a living wage with reasonable working hours... all things that rich people think only rich people need, and have convinced poor people that they're just not working hard enough for.
Martha Meyer 5 years ago
But mist rich people don't earn a living wage with reasonable hours. They inherited and never did any actual work in their life.
Load More Replies... Carrie Roettger 5 years ago
Yup if you're a billionaire its sexy, if you're poor it's an episode of criminal minds.
Load More Replies... a dose of reality 5 years ago
Being classy or trashy is not linked to the amount of money somebody has. Just look at all those second-class "celebrities" and the way they behave.
Nevits Yibble 5 years ago
"Rich people", "poor people" - both are ludicrously stereotyped. Both sides contain what we call "humans" - with good behavior and bad. Neither side has a monopoly on good/bad morals or ethics
Load More Replies...
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