Upper Class People Say These 11 Phrases Without Realizing How Privileged They Sound To An Average Person
Wealthy people can easily become disconnected from reality.
AlexanderLipko / Shutterstock Those who have a great deal of money can struggle to connect with the average person. In a society where money rules everything, wealthy individuals have the upper hand. It can be difficult for them to understand the things that people who have less money do. They’ll make comments that can rub them the wrong way.
Wealthy people do not have to worry about supporting themselves. They have enough money to ensure that all of their bills will be paid, and they can do whatever they want for fun. These people struggle to understand why the average person can not do the same. To them, they may think it’s easier to acquire wealth than it actually is. They’ll say phrases that come off as rude and also disconnected from reality. Some phrases are best left unspoken.
Upper class people say these 11 phrases without realizing how privileged they sound to an average person
1. ‘It’s just money, what’s the big deal?’
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Someone who has a lot of money doesn’t understand money struggles. To them, it’s confusing why people won’t spend the money they need to improve their lives. Money is endless for them. They can’t grasp that for most people, they are surviving paycheck to paycheck. They may think that everyone has access to unlimited funds.
"It’s just money" is a phrase only a privileged person could say. Money is hard to come by. When the average person hears someone say this, they may be offended. It’s not just money to them. It’s a means of survival. They likely don’t have much of a budget for splurging on things they want. It’s something that confuses a wealthy person because their funds are unlimited.
2. ‘You seriously can’t afford this?’
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Have you ever gone shopping with someone who had significantly more money than you? I know I have. The phrase "You seriously can’t afford this" is a frustrating one. Something with a big price tag takes months of saving for the average person. For us, it’s not as easy as just buying whatever you want.
A wealthy person will use this comment towards housing. They can’t understand why people rent. They assume everyone can afford to buy a house.
“As we see the housing market, renters market, car market, and inflation hit almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives we need to start recognizing that the majority of people work to survive, live paycheck to paycheck or at least relatively close to that, and do not have the same 24 hours in a day as the super-wealthy,” says Amaris E. Rodriguez for The North East Georgian. “The idea that celebrities and other wealthy people have control over the narrative of 'hard work' has to go out the window.”
3. ‘Just hire someone to do that’
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Sometimes we have to handle difficult tasks. Whether it’s a home project or a big day of cleaning, the average person has to devote time from their busy schedule to keep things under control at home. It’s something that will get in the way of their free time. If a wealthy person hears you need to spend the day cleaning your house, they’ll wonder why you don’t just pay someone to come over and take care of it for you.
In a perfect world, the average person would be able to hire someone to help them with certain things. They’d get their free time back while also providing money to someone who likely needs it. However, it’s out of the question for many people. They are living paycheck to paycheck and lack disposable income. Wealthy people can’t understand this. They are privileged enough not to worry about these things.
4. ‘We’re going on a last-minute vacation’
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How nice it is to take a trip that doesn’t require months or maybe even years of saving. Vacations are a luxury to the average person, while they are just another day for the upper class. They can drop everything and travel to a remote island for the week. When they say this phrase to their average friends, it comes off as incredibly privileged.
Buzzfeed did a roundup of the most out-of-touch things the upper class says and does. One person sent in this quote that perfectly describes how privileged they are when it comes to random trips.
"Taking photos of yourself on a new vacation every week when you don’t have a job and your parents are paying for it,” they shared.
5. ‘My parents will take care of that for me’’
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Life is filled with ups and downs. Inconvenient things happen to everyone. Whether it’s a car breaking down or something breaking at home, it seems like we are often repairing things. It’s always expensive to do this. However, for the upper class, it’s nothing. They know that their wealthy parents will take care of it for them.
It can also be for fun stuff. Maybe they want a new car or to go on an exotic vacation. When wealthy people say that their parents will take care of it for them, it comes off as extremely privileged. Things that set the average person back financially are pocket change to an upper-class family. It’s a privileged thing to say.
6. ‘You need to go to college’
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Let’s face it, college is important. Most of us graduate from high school with a dream of attending the university of our dreams. However, it’s expensive. Student loans keep people in debt for most of their lives. Financial aid resources are difficult to obtain. These are reasons why an average person might have to go straight into the workforce instead of studying.
Rich people are confused as to why the average person cannot just send themselves to college. For them, their parents can afford to send them to the best Ivy League school. They are accepted to universities with ease because of their parents' wealth and connections. They think everyone can go to college when in reality, some have to go straight into work to support their families.
7. ‘Can’t you just move somewhere nicer?’
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I’m a renter of an apartment. I can’t afford a home, nor could I live in a fancier apartment or townhouse. As much as I would love to have a bigger space, it’s not obtainable to me. I’m lucky to live in a beautiful neighborhood, but my apartment building certainly needs work. I can’t move somewhere nicer because it’s not in the budget. The upper class has never had to settle. They can afford the best.
Since they have unlimited wealth, they can’t understand why people who live in less-than-perfect homes or neighborhoods. Having trouble in your place? "Why don’t you move somewhere nicer?" they’ll ask, unaware that an average person has a limited budget to spend on housing, not to mention the major expense that comes from moving.
8. ‘Your parents can’t help you?’
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Since they have unlimited wealth, they can’t understand why people who live in less-than-perfect homes or neighborhoods. Having trouble in your place? "Why don’t you move somewhere nicer?" they’ll ask, unaware that an average person has a limited budget to spend on housing, not to mention the major expense that comes from moving.
"Your parents can’t help you?" they ask.
Most of us have experienced periods where we struggled to afford rent or bills. It’s difficult to come to terms with. It can make you feel like a failure. Upper-class people, on the other hand, can rely on their parents' wealth for most things and can't grasp that most of us do not have that luxury.
9. ‘I never think about money’
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Most of us do not have the luxury of not thinking about money. Unfortunately, it rules everything around us. We are constantly thinking about how we are going to buy our groceries or pay our rent next. It’s a cycle of stress and anxiety for the average person. When the upper class boasts about never thinking about money because they have so much of it, it shows their privilege.
“Money is just stored energy,” explained Janet, who built a $7 million net worth, to Nawasiz on Medium. “Every dollar represents future options and opportunities. When you waste it on stuff that doesn’t matter, you’re trading away future freedom.” While this may be true, the average person does not always have the luxury of saving money as it is more scarce in their life.
10. ‘You should invest in more property’
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The upper class is always looking for ways to expand their bank account. One easy way to do it is by investing in real estate. They can buy as many homes as they’d like. However, most average people can’t, or struggle to, afford one home to live in. This phrase is their attempt to help people generate more wealth, but it comes off as privileged.
If investing in property were easy, most of us would do it. The inflated cost of living makes our housing options limited. The upper class likely grew up with vacation or rental homes in their family. They think it’s easy to obtain multiple estates when in reality, it’s far from it.
11. ‘Just work harder’
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How many times have you heard someone in the upper class say this? It’s one of the most privileged things you can tell the average person. They think that anyone can obtain the wealth they have if they just work a little harder. In reality, that’s far from the truth. Some people work two jobs and still struggle to support themselves. For many, it doesn’t matter how hard they work. They didn’t inherit wealth, so they live paycheck to paycheck.
“We’ve all heard the mantra, 'Work hard and success will follow.’ But what if I told you that hard work alone is not the golden ticket to wealth? Look around — the wealthiest people on the planet aren’t necessarily the ones grinding 18-hour days, covered in sweat and exhaustion. Instead, they’ve unlocked a secret that many miss: working smart, leveraging systems, and capitalising on opportunities make the real difference,” says Bella Victor on Medium. “If you’re still hustling like your life depends on it, but your bank account doesn’t show it, it’s time to rethink the path to becoming a billionaire. Here’s the truth no one wants to tell you — hard work alone won’t make you rich.”
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
