In Defense of… Orange County?

Jun 11th, 2009 by Roz in Politics, Society, Thoughts

I never thought I’d be writing something like this, and from the title already it sounds as if I were contradicting myself: Am I here, really defending the town I so much detested?!

Yes, in a way, I am. This is something that’s been on my mind for quite a while now, and probably an opinion I have that I feel most outspoken about… To get to it, I guess I could generalize it as “the wealthy” of Orange County. Now, it’s not like everyone here are extremely wealthy. Although the costs of living in Orange County are obviously not low, not everyone who live in Orange County are “rich.” This entry, however, is about the so-called “rich” or “wealthy.”

Generally, there seems to be a negative stigma and perception people have of those from Orange County. And while some of those perceptions are ones that I agree with, there are others that I don’t. It’s actually more of a general perception people have of those who are wealthy/rich, that they are selfish, that they step on others to get to the top, etc. etc.

Yes, some of these perceptions are probably true. Let’s face it: who isn’t selfish nowadays, and we all step on someone to “get to the top,” whether or not we like to admit or realize it. But really, to get to the point, my problem is with people who believe that those who have the money can afford to spend it on extra things “because they are rich,” as if their money didn’t really matter to them.

I’d like to take a moment here and state that my own accusations (as some may take it) I’m making may be generalized, and even a bit harsh, but what I’m saying is the sentiment that I feel and get from many people I’ve been around who have made these comments.

What makes me angry about those who assume the above or those who believe that just because someone is rich/wealthy and therefore can spare the extra money is that those who make these assumptions don’t seem to really think about where that money came from. And I think that I have a skewed perspective, because I have seen first-hand people who build, literally, from the bottom up. From nothing to something. (Bear in mind that I’m talking about money-wise.) And, as we all know, that ain’t easy.

It’s so easy to assume for those who are labeled “rich” or “wealthy” that they are snobs, that they are “rich bitches,” and that they spend their money extravagantly etc. etc. And while that is true – and seems to be quite the case – especially for the “rich parents’” children, when we look at their family’s wealth from those who actually make the money, it’s unfair to hold these negative judgments.

It may be true that my family and I happen to live in some “premiere” community in Orange County. And, to be honest, when we first moved into my community and my parents started to be-friend many of the other Chinese/Taiwanese families in this community, I had the same negative judgments about them: that they were these conservative, close-minded Republicans. I, too, regarded them as snobby and wrote them off even before I met them. I made rude comments about how they all have too much money, and they aren’t contributing much to our society, blah blah blah.

However, after my parents got to know them, and after they told me, I found out that all of their new friends’ wealth was self-made. There is a family who came to America with no more than $1,000. There is another family that went from rags to riches, back to rags, and, once again, came to riches.

Our society nowadays reacts so quickly to the label “rich” and “wealthy” that I think sometimes we don’t give enough credit to those self-made men/women out there. For them, their workdays are nonstop. Their stress levels are constantly high, because not only did they have to and continue to have to worry about everyday life and all that comes with it, but they also have to worry about managing their small businesses, which can be anywhere from 5 employees to 50 employees. That’s a hell lot of people and weight on their shoulders.

And perhaps here is where my own personal conflict comes – when it comes to fiscal policy. Personally, I whole-heartedly and firmly support what we could say is “liberal Democratic fiscal policy”: distribution of wealth, increasing taxes for those with higher incomes, better welfare; however, I can’t say I could disagree with “conservative fiscal policy.” In my own opinion, no, I would not support conservative fiscal economic policy. But at the same time, I also see and (try to) understand the other side of the argument: that for those who took the risks and worked 15-hour work days, they should have the right to use their money as they please, because they earned it.

This is when another personal conflict comes in: that I also realize that our society and institutions were and still are “made for the rich,” whether or not people like to admit that. So, at the same time, can we continue to “reward” those who have become “successful” in an environment that was made for them, and can we continue to “punish” those who are disadvantaged to begin with?

But then I think: for those who “made it” in society – and in my point of view, more specifically my parents and their “Asian rich friends” – they, too, may not have been “advantaged” to start out with, either. In fact, most of them faced just as many barriers. Not only did they face financial difficulties, they also faced cultural barriers, language barriers, and social barriers (including the ever-present racism). Can we say that it’s mere luck that they “made it?” Or should I remind myself that these stories I’ve heard are those “cream-of-the-crop” stories? Perhaps they are, but regardless, they still serve as an example that while conditions in our society are “made for the rich,” it’s not impossible for those who are at a disadvantage to make it, too. So when they do, do they deserve the negative comments and the stigma that come along with it?

Quite a majority of the “rich people” in Orange County are small business owners. And okay, maybe the majority of them are “WASPs” and maybe we can label them as those who are “advantaged to begin with.” But still, being small business owners (it’s not like they are CEOs of corporations..) means that they are entrepreneurs. Most of the wealthy in Orange County is considered “new money”, meaning they made the money for themselves, that it’s not from their “rich families.” These small business owners took probably the biggest risks of their lives and started something new. And they made it. Is this something we should characterize negatively? Isn’t the entrepreneurial spirit, the mindset that we should and could set our own destinies, what America is supposedly about?

Sometimes I think that it’s all the TV shows and the media that talk about the kids of those who are rich in Orange County who spend like no there’s no tomorrow, who are snobby, who are “rich bitches” that give Orange County the bad rap. But it’s important to make the distinction between those who are making the money – the small business owners, the entrepreneurs – and those who just spend money they don’t earn on their own.

At the end of the day, yes, I realize that all of these negative perceptions and judgments will still exist. Stigma, prejudice, and preconceived notions will always exist as long as we are human. So, perhaps this was a pointless rant afterall.

Share and Enjoy:

Nathalie

That's a really interesting topic you wrote about, the distinction you made about the spoiled rich kids and poor ones is such a common prejudice that people make everywhere. But I have to disagree with all this.

I don't like the distinction between rich and poor, and then spoiled versus self made, because it actually misses the point. Believe me there are careless, spoiled poor people. The difference is that their latest gadgets and brand (or brand look alike) stuff they have are paid by monthly installments rather than cash.

The idea that someone has to be poor to care about social justice and the community has been well exploited by christianity (you will attain salvation when giving up all material goods). But this perception is not true, some people create a self sense of superiority from giving up all material goods or being poor, which is to me similar to rich kids feeling superior because they have money. It doesn't really matter whether you are rich or not, it all about personality and education. If you are raised, or naturally tend to be a person who work hard to attain it's personal goals and still having a strong sense of community and social justice, it doesn't matter whether your bank account is full or not.

Everyone deserves pursuing abundance and success, it doesn't make a person less entitled to care about social justice etc.

On the idea of wealth redistribution; I am from Belgium, which is a quite liberal country. I think that the right wing politicians in Belgium would probably be labelled socialist in the US. It comes naturally there to have a strong redistribution system and that health care should be provided to all (when I worked there I think I paid around 200$ per year for my health insurance). Sure, I paid a rather important tax to the State (and that kind of pissed me off a little, considering the amount of hours I worked per week for my salary), but I have never heard someone dying from a disease that can be treated because he/she was denied health coverage (although sadly they starts to copy the US system and privatize health care as well).

When you vote for your political representatives, you choice in what kind of society you wish to live in.

There are no perfect system. The issue of system like in Belgium where a lot is provided by the State is that people expect that the State give them everything (health, job, revenues, housing, etc.), this lessens the entrepreneurial spirit. Some people also prey on the system, while other work hard and see lots of his/her money profit more "lazy" people. In Belgium, it also much more difficult and expensive to start a business than in the US.
I guess the best system would be at the crossroad between the US one and one like in Belgium...

The thing I appreciated in your post is that you pointed out how some people started from the bottom overriding many obstacles to reach success. It shows that it doesn't matter where you are from and what are the odds against, you can always achieve success and your goals in life if you believe in you and work to achieve whatever goal you have.

Waouw I didn't expect to write such a long comment! It seems I feel passionate about this issue ;-)

amberm

I think you bring up some good points in this post...and I'd like to comment on just a few of them.

You make the distinction between those that built their wealth and those that were born into wealth. While this distinction is appropriate and completely relevant...it's not the whole story (as I'm sure you're also aware of). You touched on the kids of wealthy parents but it might deserve a little more attention?

I get that each family must be looked at individually but say the parents that made the money from the ground up have kids that don't appreciate the money they are given. Those kids have a much better chance of succeeding in life (money-wise). So, yes...their parents might have gone from rags to riches but that doesn't mean the kids deserve the same title. In some cases, the cycle continues and the rich get rich and poor get poor. I know this is a major generalization and it isn't true for all cases...but you have to admit that the kids of wealthy parents have a slight to major advantage over other kids.

Also, "the rich" get a bad rep not just for their monetary wealth (i.e you mentioned fiscal policy). As we both know, they get a bad rep for their social politics...ESPECIALLY in conservative hotspot of orange county. Because I care more if people are socially or conservatively liberal more than anything....where their money comes from doesn't always matter. Ultimately, it's what you do with that money that really matters, right?

I'm not trying to target you, Roz...I know that what I discuss above is somewhat relevant to you...but it's definitely not meant to be directed at you :)

I'm glad you're still critically engaged in thinking about your beginnings and the place you now call home. It's important...I mean, it's funny how we all think about our own lives... because even though I'm NOT poor, I still think of myself as "poor-er" because of my childhood. It's strange, it really is.

Roz

Thanks for your response Amber ;)

You're right: I didn't really discuss as much on kids of wealthy parents and their behaviors (and, as a result, their 'stereotypes') as I probably should have, but I wasn't defending these kids and their reps as much as I was their parents (or really, those who are MAKING the money). I definitely agree with you that the kids don't deserve the title of "rich" just because their parents are the ones that went from rags to riches, but in our society, while we are growing up, kids' economic statuses are basically a reflection of their parents' (or family's) economic statuses.

The kids that are born into wealth or have wealthy parents absolutely get a major advantage and more privilege than those who are not - I'm definitely not commenting that this is fair, or that they deserve what they get (i.e. kids born into rich families becoming rich, kids born into poor families not on same playing field as 'rich kids') and that's exactly why I stand for opportunity for all, assisting those who are less privileged, and exactly why I will, hands down, support progressive politics and legislation that acknowledge these issues.

Really, I'm just trying to shed light on an established and generally negative reputation that the "moneymakers" (or small business owners) from Orange County (but really from anywhere) that I don't feel they always deserve, but I'm definitely not defending lots of their kids who take what they have for granted and live off their parents' money and expect to.

And in response to your point about the social politics and "the rich"'s standings and viewpoints, I agree: Orange County is definitely way too conservative for my taste, and I don't (as you know ;)) agree at all with their stances on most - if not all - social issues. In Orange County, it is the case that "the rich" are conservative - both socially and fiscally. But, I wouldn't say it's necessarily established that "the rich" are right-wing when it comes to social politics. If anything, it has just as much to do with their culture and upbringing that influences their viewpoints on social issues. To make a (really) big generalization, Asians tend to be conservative socially because they come from a more traditional and conservative culture and upbringing. But Asians aren't necessarily rich; but they'll probably tend to be more socially conservative. So in this sense, economic status and opinions on social issues don't quite coincide with one another.

I guess in Orange County it's more the aspect that the majority of the community are WASPy (as I've stated) and they also happen to be very rich - and thus we have the "rich conservative Republicans" (although I also know there are libertarians here as well but obviously not enough according to the last election!).

I'm definitely always thinking about "my roots" (haha) especially since I have always had such a cynical and negative of "home," but regardless, I'm glad you engage in discussion with me! :)

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In Defense of… Orange County?