
I spent 2 years cleaning houses. What I saw makes me never want to be rich - jkw
http://www.vox.com/2015/7/16/8961799/housekeeper-job-clients
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7Figures2Commas
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."

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flarg
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.

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HeyLaughingBoy
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.

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

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Mz
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.

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JSeymourATL
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-...](http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2009/11/rich-are-different-
famous-quote.html)

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ursus_bonum
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!

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davelnewton
Completely underwhelmed.

Being rich isn't the issue.

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serve_yay
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error)

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kjdal2001
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.

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

