Wednesday, February 13, 2008
"Ten Traits That Make You Filthy-Rich"
I'm sort of a sucker for articles like this, even though, as an American capitalist, I deplore the application of "filthy" to modify "rich."
That said, I am pleased to report that I have nine of the ten "traits that make you filthy-rich." I am definitely short trait #3.
3 Comments:
By 
, at
Thu Feb 14, 11:13:00 AM:
I have a different quibble with this whole genre - there is a massive logical fallacy at work. On second thought, quibble probably isn't strong enough...
If I look at a bunch of rich people (filthy or not... though I assume that on average, the wealthy are rather well groomed), I can presumably identify a bunch of traits that many of them share. Ergo, we have this particular list of 10 things. The problem is that I bet I can identify those same common traits in a whole host of non-millionaires. Just because wealthy people have them doesn't mean that if you develop them, you too will become wealthy.
At best, having these traits increases P(filthy rich) but it is entirely unclear by how much. Of course, nobody wants to buy a book that tells them that if they do all the right things, it'll increase their chances of becoming wealthy from some small percentage to a somwhat larger one.
By , at
Thu Feb 14, 12:30:00 PM:
It's the rule that you have to put the word "filthy" in front of "rich". The same way you have to put the word "obscene" in front of the word "profits" if you're talking about a large corporation.
Rules are rules, buddy.
BTW, he forgot one:
11. Be a real cheap asshole
I once managed an apartment complex, and would repaint the places in between tenants if they needed it. The owner bought this really crappy, cheap, thin paint that looked more like skim milk than anything else. Where I could have gotten away with one coat, I had to roll on two.
At one point, I said to him, "George, you're a millionaire! Why are you buying such cheap paint?"
I'll never forget his more-than-reasonable reply:
"Well, that's why I'm a millionaire."
Facing logic like that, I never complained about the cheap paint again.
By , at
Fri Feb 15, 12:13:00 AM:
I once got a funy birthday card which said I INVESTED IN THE STOCK MARKET IN TOILETPAPER AND REVOLVING DOORS BUT GOT WHIPPED OUT BEFORE I COULD TURN AROUND
