Guess What? You’re Rich

By Brad Tuttle | @bradrtuttle | May 3, 2010 | +

If you earn more than $50,000 a year, you’re in the top 1% of the world’s wealthiest people.

Crazy, right? Even you make just $20,000 a year, and you’ll qualify for subsidized health care once reforms are enacted, you’re still in the world’s richest 7% bracket.

For these and other factoids, like that 60% of the world’s population makes under $1,000 annually, check out Budgets Are Sexy, and realize that even if you’re think you’re barely squeaking by, in the grand scheme of things, you’re rich.

Related Topics: income, Careers & Workplace

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bvilleyellowdog

Exactly…and add “spoiled”. All young Americans should be required to spend a year or two in the 3rd world (it might be in the barrios, or reservations, or ghettos of the US) and see how the world actully lives.
bathos101

That’s misguided. If I make a 1000.00 dollars a month in Thailand I’m rich yea sure, but a thousand a month in New York, Im living a 3rd world lifestyle.

It’s relative, and 50,000 US dollars is worth less in Europe now a days. So to say that I am rich because I make more than 20,000 US dollars is crazy.

And wait til you factor in debt…
bathos101

The lifestyle of the world, especially the poor isn’t the fault of the everyday people who live in the US, it’s the fault of the political system and corrupt nature of people, perhaps I’m being too general but making 20,000 a year isnt being spoiled, nor making 100K a year…if one works hard for what one gets that isn’t the fault of the “rich” it’s the fault of those who make excuses and blaming others for what they feel they are entitled to even if they don’t work as hard. And maybe they “the world’s poor” didn’t have the resources or the chance to, but that is another issue.

Besides, poverty isn’t dollars and cents, it’s the loss of hope and the realization that no one wants to help, even when they can…and if one is like that, like apathetic to the less fortunate regardless of how much money they make…spoiled they are…and poor in spirit.
bvilleyellowdog

.and you can add that much of the 3rd world problems are caused by the 1st world.. Just as one example NAFTA caused commodity price declines as put many Southern Hemisphere farmers out of business.
freelance7

And factor in U.S. consumerism. Some debt is legitimate. Then there’s buying much more car than one needs, to keep up with the neighbors. Buying a big screen TV on credit because you refuse to “get by” with your 27-inch until you can afford larger. Buying $100 sneakers that are great for basketball, when all you do is walk. We’d all like six-figure salaries. But if you have typical American credit card debt you could handle your money better, and live within your means.
d1hawk

hmmmm… third world lifestyle? That’s where you have a three sided house with a scrap tin roof, a muddy/dusty yard with a cactus fence to keep in the goat and keep out the poor people who are envious of what you have. Lots of those places even in this hemisphere and believe me $1k a year sounds good to them!