rant · moment 11 of 29
How the Old Rich Hid Their Wealth
from Episode 148 - Streak of Evil (with Yannis Pappas) · #148
3 min
Tim describes how old-money families historically concealed rather than flaunted wealth (Fifth Avenue limestone buildings, WASP aesthetics, plain food) to avoid inciting the poor, contrasting it with new decadence.
- Tim argues that wealthy people today behave as if they no longer inhabit the same planet as everyone else.
- Old money used to assimilate to a degree, unlike today's ultra-wealthy.
- The old WASP aesthetic—understated, plain, older cars—kept things deliberately hidden while still owning the world.
- Tim describes WASP food as terrible: butter and mayo-based salads, egg salad sandwiches.
- The Southampton Bathing Corp, the 800 wealthiest families, deliberately maintains an old, non-new appearance out of tradition.
- Old money decadence was intentionally beyond the understanding of common people so they wouldn't even want it.
- The wealthy never flaunted possessions in someone's face—you wouldn't show off a watch to a poor child.
- Succession portrays rich characters doing stupid things like giving watches to immigrant kids, which old money never did.
- Hollywood pretends not to be rich while creating evil-rich villains, except for the wealthy characters they're friends with in Malibu.
- Hollywood actors preach liberal values on Instagram while paying accountants to hide money from the government.
SuccessionFifth Avenuewealth inequalitySouthampton bathing CorpLong Island