Sneaky, sneaky rich people. They’re always trying to pull one over on us, whether it’s by selling us crappy mortgages or being like, “Oh, I forgot my credit card, I’ll get lunch next time.” These tricks are how they stay rich. During the recession, the Rich have been trying extra-hard to con us, most especially into thinking they are the same species as the rest of us, so that we don’t stab them in the eye with our pitchforks. DO NOT BE FOOLED. In its ongoing quest to expose the Rich Among Us, the New York Times today identifies some of the new tricks these slippery swindlers have been using to stay under our radar. Among them: pulling back their spending. Acting worried about the economy as if they give a crap and their life isn’t all wine and roses. And disguising their purchases.
Tom Hauswirth, who runs a Cadillac dealership near Dallas and therefore has close contact with the Rich, shares one of his observations.
Mr. Hauswirth said that those who had recently bought new cars were sometimes fearful of being labeled as conspicuous consumers. A few buyers, he said, insisted on purchasing new cars in the same color as their previous models.
Thanks, Tony, you’re an American hero! And don’t think about trying to Gaslight us on those new shoes, either, Rich People! We will not be played for fools!
The Rich Catch Everyone Else’s Cutback Fever [NYT]
Earlier: The Rich Catch Everyone Else’s Cutback Fever
