Haves vs Have-Nots

A poll at Emode recently asked "Do you admire people who own expensive things?"

The results at the time I saw the poll were:

• Very much so: 6.56%
• A little: 29.7%
• Not really: 45.64%
• No, that's superficial: 18.1%

My take on this is that this poll perfectly demonstrates the distinct difference between what people think they believe and what they practice. As you can see by the figures, few admitted that they "very much" admired the "Haves," and almost three times as many said that admiration of those who own a lot of nice things was "superficial." A fair number were honest and admitted they admired them at least "a little," but almost half of the people polled said they didn't really admire "Haves" at all.

What liars! If most people didn't admire them, why is news about rich people so satisfying? Why are even the supposedly "hard news" outlets on TV, like CNN, including so much Hollywood and Royal gossip in their programming if that isn't what people want to see? What makes Prince William any more attractive than the kid who stands by the side of the road in the orange vest directing traffic around the road construction crew? Could it be his attachments to all that Stuff? And maybe his association with other People With Stuff?

Not to knock Prince William -- he seems like he's had his share of heartaches in his short life and seems to be a nice kid. It makes it much easier to tolerate him when CNN shows him on his hands and knees scrubbing a toilet like the rest of us. But what is it about him that makes him called the "World's Most Eligible Bachelor?" Could it be -- gasp -- wealth?

While this poll definitely demonstrates how self-reported data can be biased, it clearly exposes one thing: most people have their values in the right place. They don't admire the people with the Stuff; they just want their Stuff. -- Editor

Emode, the place for polls and tests

Good Help is Hard to Find

A husband and his wife advertised for a live-in maid to cook and do the housework. They hired a lovely girl for the job.

She worked out fine, was a good cook, was polite, and kept the house neat. One day, after about six months, she came in and said she would have to quit.

"But why?" asked the disappointed wife.

She hemmed and hawed and said she didn't want to say, but the wife was persistent, so finally she said, "Well on my day off a couple of months ago I met this good-looking fellow from over in the next county, and well, I'm pregnant."

The wife said, "Look, we don't want to lose you. My husband and I don't have children. If we adopt your baby, will you will stay?"

She talked to her husband; he agreed to the arrangement, and the maid said she would stay. The baby came, the couple adopted it, and all went well.

After several months though, the maid again said that she would have to quit. The wife questioned her, found out that she was pregnant again, talked to her husband, and offered to adopt the baby if she would stay. The maid agreed, had the baby, the couple adopted it, and life went on as usual.

In a few months, however, she again said she would have to leave. Same thing. She was pregnant. They made the same offer, she agreed, and they adopted the third baby.

She had only been back to work for a week or two when the maid said, "I am definitely leaving this time."

"Don't tell me you're pregnant again?" asked the lady of the house.

"No," she said, "there are just too many kids here to pick up after."

(I don't remember who sent this to me -- speak up if you want credit. The funniest thing to me is that my spell-checker suggests I substitute "house cleaner" for the word "maid." -- Editor)