Struggling (and whining) on $350,000 a year (program, New York, Jersey, CEO)

[GWhopper]

I am just surprised some would defend these people while at the same time chastising poor people for making poor choices in life and not working hard enough. It seems to me these people choose to live where they live and the way they live. The same standard should apply.Theoretically, at least.

However, the reality is that the people complaining in this article are well-educated, well compensated, and have far more opportunities to improve their situation than the average person.

[tluv00]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

I am just surprised some would defend these people while at the same time chastising poor people for making poor choices in life and not working hard enough. It seems to me these people choose to live where they live and the way they live. The same standard should apply.Theoretically, at least.

However, the reality is that the people complaining in this article are well-educated, well compensated, and have far more opportunities to improve their situation than the average person.

Whoa whoa whoa. Take your rational, reasonable thinking and pound sand. This here thread is for hypocrites only.

[gwynedd1]

My only complaint is how he makes his money. Banking affords lots of opportunity to make money but really produces little value. Banking is in decline because they have reached the limit of how many parasites a host can support.

[no1brownsfan]

Originally Posted by gwynedd1

My only complaint is how he makes his money. Banking affords lots of opportunity to make money but really produces little value. Banking is in decline because they have reached the limit of how many parasites a host can support.

Trust me, I used to work for a bank (which is now defunct). Believe me, I know.

[Eleanora1]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

I am just surprised some would defend these people while at the same time chastising poor people for making poor choices in life and not working hard enough. It seems to me these people choose to live where they live and the way they live. The same standard should apply.Theoretically, at least.

However, the reality is that the people complaining in this article are well-educated, well compensated, and have far more opportunities to improve their situation than the average person.

Yeah.

He could easily move somewhere else in the area. There are plenty of fine public school districts in NYC and NJ and many nice houses available at a price he can afford. I can only imagine the poor writer trying to keep a straight face when listening to these ludicrously overpaid idiots whine. The whole article reads like something you'd expect to find in The Onion.

[Dane_in_LA]

Nobody can feel victimization to the degree that people losing an unfounded privilege do. That screed read like a 19th-century European nobleman unable to comprehend why people no longer showed proper respect due to his lineage. Of course, at least in the US, privilege no longer stems from your family name, right?

marketing director for Euro Pacific Capital, where his brother is CEO

Oh.

Yeah, howsabout getting a job that contributes something, perhaps out in the real world where your brother can't help you along?

[softblueyz]

Originally Posted by Sporin

Do I have genuine sympathy? No, of course not.

But the one place I can relate a little with this guy is that once you have your kid in private school a few years, the thought that you might have to put them in public can be very hard.

You get used to the level of continuity

Things could be alot worse. Worse being: people with children losing their home and ending up living in a shelter or their car. I'm sure that those children were used to the continuity of living in their own home.

[Dane_in_LA]

Originally Posted by mb1547

The part I don't understand is how you can have a comfortable income and no savings or investments to fall back on if you have a bad year or two. There's no excuse for that. Some of these same types of people were ripping apart college students and people who'd completely lost their jobs for being "dead beats" and "lazy," but what do you say about someone who has the resources for financial security, but blows it all due to extravagant choices and then whines about it?

Someone who supposedly makes a living telling people how to manage money, no less.

[mb1547]

Originally Posted by lifelongMOgal

Yeah, it is hilarious taking joy in the misfortunes of others. Real classy.

I think the OP missed the entire point of the article. Failure to plan, failure to save, failure to realistically live within ones means, and declining incomes are a problem of society at large and not just any single class as Obama would like some to believe.

At $350K/yr this guy is part of the upper-middle class and living in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country for his career. He, like every parent, is trying to provide his kids with the best (thus private school).

Where I live $350K would go 3-4 times further than where the article's subject lives.

Do I feel sorry for him, no; nor do I take joy in his misfortunes as some very shallow/jealous posters here seem to be doing. There are hundreds of thousands of similar stories of American's in similar postitions, regardless of income level.

We are a country in economic decline. The uber-rich make million$ annually and have net worths in the billion$. This guy and the others in the article are simply not in that league.

Again, I find comments like these interesting in light of the comments many of you made about the folks who were involved in the early stages of Occupy Wall street (not the homeless and mentally ill people who tagged along for a free meal at the camps, peed on things, committed crimes and acted like idiots--I'm talking about the college students and the unemployed and under employed legitimate protesters instead). You're right--this guy isn't part of the 1%. He isn't uber rich, and able to buy elections. He's facing what just about everyone is looking at in this country--declining income and a new economic reality. The sad part is that this guy is having a hard time adjusting to the realization that he has a whole lot more in common with the college student who can't find a job, even if he wants to think he's aspiring to be one of the uber wealthy, than he does with someone who's actually very rich.

[Eleanora1]

Originally Posted by Dane_in_LA

Someone who supposedly makes a living telling people how to manage money, no less.

Terrfying isn't it? I hope none of my 401k money is in his hands.