The Moderate Voice - Latest Comments in The World Of The Very Rich

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

AustinRoth — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:20:43 -0000

Another factor is that we do not know how much of his fortune was paper-based, and/or highly leveraged. With the exception of someone like Bill Gates in his prime, where almost all his wealth was based on his ownership of a public stock, really knowing the net worth of the very rich, and how stable the underlying values are, is a matter of guessing based on what little public information can be gathered.

For all we know, he was deeply in the red now, and couldn&#39t face the prospect of having to to both explain the loss of everything, and having to try and rebuild at his age.

But that is all conjecture.

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

archangel — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:19:33 -0000

i dont believe we have the facts about his suicide. Many elderly people commit suicide. The reasons are complex, and most of the time the pathway to suicide is laid down for years before an actual attempt.

Psychologically, there are factors that have likely dogged this man most if not all of his life. Suicide is seldom an impulsive decision, but often an anti-life choice one has been fighting against for a long long time. There is a trigger, it is true, but usually it is not the first trigger in the person&#39s life that urges them to do away with themselves... it is more likely one in a long line of many triggers that they&#39ve managed to evade.

Because of the four suicides over the last couple weeks of men in high finance, I think, frankly, it gives us a horrible glimpse behind the curtain of &#39rich person persona&#39... that demonstrates once again that mental health issues have no respect for class or race or culture.

The MSM has excellent health journos. I hope they will write about what causes a person at a breaking point to choose to end their life rather than muddle through one more time... There is much more to such stories of suicide by a rich man. Much more.

this is just my two cents worth.

dr.e

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

StockBoySF — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:40:12 -0000

Whenever someone&#39s sense of self is lost there is always the chance for depression and suicide.

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

jeff_pickens — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:33:01 -0000

I heard about this last night at a book club.

If you haven&#39t already, consider reading "Richistan" by Robert Frank. It&#39s a peak into the psyche of the wealthy, the rich, the very rich, and the obscenely very rich. Interesting psychology, that Dave Schuler alludes to in his post.

Not too surprising, money transforms into a symbol, a reckoning, and a measure of self-worth rather than as a tool for transacting goods and services.

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

Don Quijote — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:15:52 -0000

Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet Lost His Own Money In Madoff Ponzi Scheme

Cry me a river...

These a**holes would have moved a factory from the US or Western Europe in a heartbeat and without a second though if there was an extra nickel of profit to be earned and they did...

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

Dave_Schuler — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:52:42 -0000

When you&#39re very rich money doesn&#39t mean the same thing as it does to you and me. It&#39s a way of keeping score. H. Merckle lost the game and couldn&#39t deal with it. It&#39s sad.

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

AustinRoth — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:20:43 -0000

For all we know, he was deeply in the red now, and couldn't face the prospect of having to to both explain the loss of everything, and having to try and rebuild at his age.

But that is all conjecture.

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

archangel — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:19:33 -0000

Psychologically, there are factors that have likely dogged this man most if not all of his life. Suicide is seldom an impulsive decision, but often an anti-life choice one has been fighting against for a long long time. There is a trigger, it is true, but usually it is not the first trigger in the person's life that urges them to do away with themselves... it is more likely one in a long line of many triggers that they've managed to evade.

Because of the four suicides over the last couple weeks of men in high finance, I think, frankly, it gives us a horrible glimpse behind the curtain of 'rich person persona'... that demonstrates once again that mental health issues have no respect for class or race or culture.

The MSM has excellent health journos. I hope they will write about what causes a person at a breaking point to choose to end their life rather than muddle through one more time... There is much more to such stories of suicide by a rich man. Much more.

this is just my two cents worth.

thanks Patrick for giving us an oppty to think about this matter

dr.e

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

StockBoySF — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:40:12 -0000

Whenever someone's sense of self is lost there is always the chance for depression and suicide.

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

jeff_pickens — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:33:01 -0000

I heard about this last night at a book club.

If you haven't already, consider reading "Richistan" by Robert Frank. It's a peak into the psyche of the wealthy, the rich, the very rich, and the obscenely very rich. Interesting psychology, that Dave Schuler alludes to in his post.

Not too surprising, money transforms into a symbol, a reckoning, and a measure of self-worth rather than as a tool for transacting goods and services.

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

Don Quijote — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:15:52 -0000

Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet Lost His Own Money In Madoff Ponzi Scheme

Cry me a river...

These a**holes would have moved a factory from the US or Western Europe in a heartbeat and without a second though if there was an extra nickel of profit to be earned and they did...

Re: The World Of The Very Rich

Dave_Schuler — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:52:42 -0000

When you're very rich money doesn't mean the same thing as it does to you and me. It's a way of keeping score. H. Merckle lost the game and couldn't deal with it. It's sad.