The Millionaire Next Door

Countering the “Evil Rich” Myth

There is a growing concern among wealthy people about the press and politicians promoting the position that the rich are evil.  All of my research indicates that, in general, the rich are far from being evil.  No doubt that among a population of 4 million millionaire households in America there are some no-goodnicks among them.  But the vast majority of people who are wealthy did it the old fashioned way, they earned it legitimately.  In spite of all of the research that I and others have published about the traditional values of most wealthy people, that is not what gets the headlines.


Recently I received an e-mail from Mr. DP of Texas who suggests a countermeasure to enlighten our youth about the true ways and means of the rich.


Have you considered creating/marketing a curriculum based on your work with The Millionaire Mind to the public schools? After all in most public schools we currently teach our children to despise and make enemies of the ‘rich;’ maybe if we taught them to emulate them instead we could actually get on top of the situation before they entered the work force, and make more wealth for everyone. I am contemplating a run for school board here in my home town, and would love to see something like this for the children of Texas and the United States. Thank you for your time.


It is indeed flattering to receive letters like this.  Earlier a wealthy man from a “one-high school” town in Oklahoma purchased a copy of The Millionaire Next Door for every graduating senior.  These are just two people who  have given their time and energy in an effort to “teach our children” how to become financially independent and to appreciate such a goal.

6 thoughts on “Countering the “Evil Rich” Myth”

  1. Interestingly, the true “Evil Rich” are the politicians trying to direct anger toward the rich. Perhaps they have honestly fallen into the psychological trap of projecting your own thinking onto others. Nah! They’re just rotten.

  2. Mike @ MikeVeny.com

    I am currently not rich.

    I used to feel this way about the rich.

    I then discovered that the belief that “rich people are evil” was not helping me in my quest to become rich.

    I decided to view rich people as people.

    I discovered that many rich people are some of the nicest, happiest, humble, and giving people in the world.

    I aspire to become like them.

  3. Yeah, it’s just a cryin’ shame the way people come down on these poor goldmansachs parasites for using taxpayer money to give themselves multimillion-dollar bonuses for bringing the world to the brink of financial ruin.

  4. Wherever there is great wealth there is a crime…and of course also criminals.

    Atlas didn’t just shrug, he and she stole trillions of dollars!

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