PUBLIC OPINION > Rich People Want Money, Lower Incomes Prefer Respect

SodaHead Living 2012/06/25 16:00:00
A series of studies conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, found that respect tends to have a stronger effect on students' "social well-being" than socioeconomic status, and that gaining or losing respect tends to correspond with a student's sense of power. So we asked the public if respect makes them happier than money does.

sodahead money respect

It was interesting to see how split the responses were, but in the end respect won out over money by a narrow margin. It seems to be a somewhat fundamental difference between the way people perceive social status. Both money and respect can "win" people over. The one edge respect seemed to have over money was that money can sometimes attract two-faced friends. But let's take a closer look at the demographic breakdown.

Have Money, Will Smile

The first thing we checked out was the income breakdown, and as you might expect, there was a clear difference. You've probably heard the saying that you can't buy happiness, but according to poll results, you can. The more money respondents made, the more likely they were to say money brings happiness. As Daniel Tosh once said, money does buy a Sea-Doo. And you can't frown on a Sea-Doo.

Progressives Want Respect

Polls dealing with money generally have political implications. Right-leaning respondents believe in the freedom to pursue their fortunes, while left-leaning respondents are more likely to sacrifice some of that opportunity for equality. Not surprisingly, progressives and libertarians voted more strongly than liberals and conservatives.

Men Are More Into Money

The gender breakdown wasn't very big, just 10%, but it's an interesting statistic to put forth. In a recent poll we discovered that most people think men are less moral than women, and a while back we found that the public feels well-off people are more likely to cheat. However, women tend to fall for jerks, so it's not like it matters all that much in the end.

If you'd like to vote on this question, dig deeper into the demographics, or engage in existing discussion about the topic, visit our poll about money and respect. We'd love to hear from you!
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  • Culgan 2012/06/26 01:00:33
    Yeah I'll still take the money.
  • Kyra 2012/06/25 23:32:45
  • Sonny 2012/06/25 23:23:13
    Respect is only shown on the outside of a person, if you could read minds you'd probably throw up hearing the malicious things people say about you in their thoughts. I prefer money instead, at least it can buy respect if you give it to someone they'll think in their thoughts " this guy is nice, I wonder why?"
  • me being me 2012/06/25 23:05:28 (edited)
    me being me
    I've done the money thing. It isn't what it seems. So HELL YES! Respect is better than money;-)
    BTW, money will NEVER buy u TRUE respect, ur just renting it till u run out.
  • DevilDoll82 2012/06/25 22:29:17
    Not true, I have a VERY low income and would prefer money over respect any day! Gimme that money!!!
  • TKramar 2012/06/25 21:08:03
    Not interested in money or materialism. Just respect...even if I have to beat it into you.
  • dv TKramar 2012/06/25 22:25:56
    Lol I like that
  • Rubyking 2012/06/25 20:55:08
    lol, I have about 3 grand to my name yet I would much rather prefer money to respect
  • democoach Rubyking 2012/06/25 22:18:13
    im guessing your a kid with your name being pokemon master, and don't have a real grasp of things yet! id rather have respect then money! money only buys you unhappiness and people abusing and using you for your money!

  • Rubyking democoach 2012/06/26 16:28:12
    my name isn't pokemonmaster, and no grasp is real or fake merely unidentified.
  • Poet003 2012/06/25 20:50:58
    the rich man looked down on the beggar n didnt help him .In heaven the beggar looked down on the rich man whod already enjoyed his pleasures....
  • PoliticallyIncorrect 2012/06/25 20:23:06
    It's been said many times before that money isn't everything, but it beats the snot out of whatever's in second place. All those folks who want respect would get it if they'd get up off their butts and earn some money as well.
  • democoach Politic... 2012/06/25 22:19:46
    there are many peopl ewho work hard who are poor, while their are a lot of rich people who do nothing an dget rich. lik ekissinger, all he did was send other peoples kids to die so that he could make deals with banks and get rich!
  • Politic... democoach 2012/06/26 03:03:26
    Your point being? Of course there are poor people who work hard, just as there are rich people living on family money. As far as I'm concerned I respect people who are working and the amount of money they have isn't the point for me.
  • democoach Politic... 2012/06/27 04:31:23
    good, well thats not how i took your fist comment, you where implying that poor people meant they did not work
  • Politic... democoach 2012/06/27 04:41:52
    Well, some don't. Did you see John Stossel interviewing a bunch of people who were standing in the soup line at a charity soup kitchen. He asked them all the same questions. Did they have a TV, did they have air-conditioning. It was a total eye-opener and I think the poor may need to be defined. These folks had more than I do and I don't consider myself poor. They had the bling, the latest cell phones and electronic equipment, but they were looking for a free meal. That doesn't compute for me. It comes across as a bunch of spoiled folks, but it's shameful no matter how you look at it.
  • democoach Politic... 2012/06/27 18:55:10
    yeah i agree, i too volunteered at a homeless shelter, and saw some homeless people with iphones, like really?

    some peopl edo work hard though, even many homeless people work, in construction! and such
  • Politic... democoach 2012/06/27 19:12:53
  • andrew.pullman1 2012/06/25 19:54:37
    Sorta i mean in some ways today there the same i rather be respected have money and not live in a refegerator box under a highway
  • Space Invader 2012/06/25 19:29:00
    Space Invader
    Nah; give me the $$; I respect myself enough to help others...respect is a buzz word anymore..true meaning lost to the masses
  • Walaa 2012/06/25 18:54:58 (edited)
    Generally with wealth comes respect. Atleast that what people will show, behind your back other feelings will be presented.
  • TasselLady 2012/06/25 18:54:39
    Without respect you have nothing. You can have all the money in the world and have the respect of NOBODY.
  • Lady Whitewolf 2012/06/25 18:47:27
    Lady Whitewolf
    Very true....
  • Arse-Whole 2012/06/25 18:35:06
  • stevegtexas@aol.com 2012/06/25 18:30:25
    ha ha! Poor people want money too honey! (having an income with a job is ALWAYS a treat! its better than just, "roaming around" watching life pass by..........http://www.4smart...
  • Lady Wh... stevegt... 2012/06/25 18:46:16
    Lady Whitewolf
  • Fef 2012/06/25 18:08:38
    Perhaps some of the economic divide stems from the goals and aspirations of rich/poor...
  • Amelia 2012/06/25 17:48:25
  • cynsity 2012/06/25 17:21:56
    The results do not suprise me. Younger people (aka students) tend to hold a high value against the opinion of their peers. Those people who let what others think of them determine their own worth often feel the need to have "socially acceptable" life views.
    People who have money, especially those who have made their own wealth know their own value and have no real need to "impress" others with overt acts.
  • taylorlover1234 2012/06/25 17:13:03
    well you can see that respect has won but remember to get your way threw life you need money most of the time but you also have to have respect to be able them to give you money so you need respect to have money but money is useless if you don't know where it came from
  • L1 2012/06/25 16:58:23
    I think everyone wants respect, and poorer classes do want more money, though not necessarily mega-rich.
  • it'skrissie!d:) 2012/06/25 16:53:03
    I think the poor are more used to not having money and more willing to have respect. While most of the rich are stuck in the never-ending ball of greed and would rather have money, because with money comes power. They don't need respect if they have power, now do they?
  • Daedalus 2012/06/25 16:50:01
  • Jiorgia 2012/06/25 16:46:41 (edited)
    that does not surprise me at all, why do you think the rich are rich and the poor are poor.

    let me tell you, as someone who has money, its not all that.
  • ♥Gabs1697♥ 2012/06/25 16:37:29
    oh, guess this poll says it all....


2013/06/20 11:47:04

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