With all the problems facing mortgages today and concerns for repressions and depressions...a  50,900 square foot house is being built..

The Chase Home 

 That's one of the stupidest things I've ever seen. Talk about a self centered, monstrous ego.

Oh yeah. I think ego doesn't begin to cover it.  If I had the money to do something like this I would be so pleased to give it to, say, the food bank.  How much does one family need?

Did you notice that they plan to show movies for admission fees?  What greed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay......... is the homeowner's last name Chase as in "Chase Bank"? If so, I can see HOW they can afford it. As for greed, I would personally help as many people as possible if I were a billionaire, HOWEVER, they are billionaires!!!!!!!! If you have mulit-billions, and you donate even 500 million, you can still feed more people with that 500 million, than a fundraiser with thousands of people who are able to raise 50 million together. My point is, even if they are giving away millions and millions, the interest that they are gaining everyday on their investments could be out pacing their expenditures. So, we don't know how much they are actually giving away. Most of the extremely rich do not disclose their "gifts."

Do I personally see a need for, or even imagine a desire for a home so large?? NO WAY!! But, when I imagine being financially rich, I imagine millions- I can't even begin to imagine BILLIONS. But, I do not like greed on any level- and there are some people who earn very little but still have a greedy intent.

Too bad all we know about this family is that they are building this museum of a house. It does seem like an awful waste of money. But, I wonder how I would feel if I knew that they had just donated 1 billion to the Ronald McDonald House or if they planned to use the home for to house those who participate in the special olympics or to help inner city kids get a head start by hosting youth groups?? Just a thought.

 ""It's the same thing as why people buy a $150,000 car when the same function can be performed by a $25,000 car," Ahluwalia said. "I can afford it. I can have it. I want to have the biggest house in the world. Things like that."

I agree with this statement but I don't fully get why would anyone want something that large. What do you do with all that space? Even if a wealthy person gives generously, I would ask this.

frugalquest:

It does seem like an awful waste of money. But, I wonder how I would feel if I knew that they had just donated 1 billion to the Ronald McDonald House or if they planned to use the home for to house those who participate in the special olympics or to help inner city kids get a head start by hosting youth groups??

I would still say it's egotism to the extreme. A house like that puts the owner on a pedestal in the spotlight - how could it not? I don't care if he gave away all but what it cost to build the house, I would still think that was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen.  (Disclaimer: Just my personal opinion!)

I would still say it's egotism to the extreme. A house like that puts the owner on a pedestal in the spotlight - how could it not? I don't care if he gave away all but what it cost to build the house, I would still think that was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen.  (Disclaimer: Just my personal opinion!)

Understood

But, I thought that I read that the owner refuses to do an interview etc. Perhpas the media is fueling the great "class" divide by even reporting this story. Is it news worthy? Maybe to some. But, as long as I am in the "crowd" of the masses who do not have financial wealth, I'm left alone.

Last night, I saw a show that reported about an exclusive sky club that only multi-millionaires and billionaires can join. The dues are $100,000 per year etc. The billionaire who they spoke to helped to create it. He seemed very unpretentious. Could have been just for the cameras, but it seemed pretty real- he had no reason to fake it. He doesn't have anyone to impress for a job or position etc. Anyway, my understanding is that the club was partially created so that the "mega-wealthy" can go there and enjoy themselves without being hounded by the media etc. Are deals made there, probably, but, they don't have to worry about the media thing. If you have the face of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, or Oprah Winfrey, were can you go and actually take a moment to release yourself and enjoy yourself?

Again, I have never had financial wealth. But, I have seen what I think is just as bad,if not worse ego, in people with nothing. A worker who supervises and earns $9 per hour yelling or mistreating the workers beneath them who only earn $6.50 per hour. 

Does this "excuse" the indulgence of the homeowner, maybe not, but the other situation is more newsworthy IMHO. But, the media are only circling the mega rich. If they would report on the real issues, maybe things could change for the better for the rest of us. The mega- rich are in a world of their own, with no plans to join us. But, as soon as the media turn the spot light on them, we have a common entity to loath.  

 Frugalquest, I have to agree with the majority of what you are saying. At least the majority of us can walk down the street with our families, take our kids to the park, or movies and no one bothers us. Going a bit further in my opinion, the choices of these mega rich people to spend is really no different than the choice of the people in this group not to spend. It is their money. Let them do as they wish. We all do as we wish and spend ( or not ) how we please. We live in the house of our choosing, drive the car of our choice, and  decide what is right for our family. They are doing the same. While we may  feel their choices are off center it is a choice that only they can make. They have to live with it.

Juardo:

 Frugalquest, I have to agree with the majority of what you are saying. At least the majority of us can walk down the street with our families, take our kids to the park, or movies and no one bothers us. Going a bit further in my opinion, the choices of these mega rich people to spend is really no different than the choice of the people in this group not to spend. It is their money. Let them do as they wish. We all do as we wish and spend ( or not ) how we please. We live in the house of our choosing, drive the car of our choice, and  decide what is right for our family. They are doing the same. While we may  feel their choices are off center it is a choice that only they can make. They have to live with it.

 

Exactly. Everyone makes choices. I was once told that Americans are too indulgent because we used too much toilet paper and detergent etc. That was from someone with even less. Where do we draw the line with our opinions? The person who made that comment didn't know how hard we worked to be able to pay for those "indulgences". In his opinion, it didn't matter. We simply used too much. He didn't know about how much we gave or didn't give- The fact that we give to charity more than any other country etc etc. He only saw what looked to be "greed" to him.

Again, where is the indulgence line drawn?