are rich people evil just because they're rich?

[DesignFox]

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There could be many good reasons that your friends didn't give you anything, and not all of them make them selfish.

A more likely possibility, in my opinion: Despite appearances, your wealthy friends are in hawk up to their eyebrows and don't have a penny to their name. Everything they have they bought on credit, and the bills are coming due. Your friend with the old beater car could be the wealthiest friend you have.

I'm sure they had their reasons. I didn't give them a hard time over it. But trust me when I say they weren't in any sort of debt. I don't know HOW much this guy brought home at the end of the year, but I know from one of the few people he told that it was more than I could possibly imagine. I mean, really, I wasn't asking for any specific amount of money. He could have given up just one of the three Starbucks frapuccinos he drank during the course of a day if he didn't want to be using anything extra out of his finances.

*shrug* I could see if everyone and their brother was asking for money here and there that the "no" would be inevitable. Can't give money to everyone all the time- I know for sure that I can't no matter how much or how little I've got floating around.

Anyhow, my other friend is by no means the wealthiest person I know. He was still working his way through college at the time. I didn't actually ask him for money, he volunteered it. The reason he knew of the charity walk was that most of us in the office were walking in it. He was working the weekend for us so we could go.

[Teysa]

My grandfather was fairly well off. Not super rich, but rich enough. He didn't, however, flaunt it. I think his one big toy was his RV. Growing up, he would take all us grandkids to places like Branson and Eureka Springs. If we stayed at a hotel, it was usually the Holiday Inn. Decent, clean, and no frills. Then again, as kids, we were happy with a swimming pool.
To be honest, I didn't even realize he had money until long after I had grown up. My mom had let slip that he was worth at least a million. And no, I'm not going to suddenly become one of the 'evil' rich people. A couple of the other relatives finagled it so they'd get all of his money. Really, though, I'd rather have my grandpa around than the money.

[ArenaBoy]

To answer the question: No. You are who you are regardless of what your finances are. Working at Whiskeyclone for two years I met rich guys who were down to Earth and the coolest people imaginable and some who are complete assholes. The same goes to the poor.

[Cat]

There is nothing wrong with having money, nor spending it how you see it. If I have $$$, yet still won't donate to your charity....suck it. Maybe I donate to causes I believe in. (edit: this has to do with a work incident...blah) There is nothing wrong with being poor, and watching every cent.

If you're rich and snotty, I'll dislike you because you are snotty, not because you're rich. Likewise, I won't think you're all that special because you are poor and getting by. If you're cool, I'll be cool to you.

You are a carbon based life form descended from a primate. That is all.

[crashhelmet]

When you get into psychological or sociological stereotypes, it often comes down to "old money" vs. "new money."

"Old Money" is a family that has been rich for generations. Think the Kennedy's, Rockefeller's, Hilton's, etc. "New Money" is a family that got rich in their specific generation (Stock market, business deal, hard work, etc).

In the stereotypes, it's the "Old Money" families that are usually more cruel, corrupt, or "evil" as the OP asked about. The "New Money" families are usually more down to earth and understanding about where they came from and so forth. However, all it usually takes is a second generation to go from the "New Money" to "Old Money" mentality.

The "Old Money" mentality usually stems from the elitism that the money provides, and like a cancer, it grows bigger and bigger with each generation.

Blame it on the materialistic "he who dies with the most toys, wins" mentality ingrained within our societies. You can also blame they way people are brought up to be better than everyone else (which is the biggest cause of discrimination in any form) as being the fuel of that fire.

Are all rich people evil? No. But that one person that isn't evil, may spawn generation after generation of evil heirs.

The exception to this would be the criminals that lie, cheat, steal, murder their way into "New Money"

CH