8 Reasons Why We’re Not Part of the One-Percent Club

November 15th, 2011 - By LaShaun Williams

"black women and money"

The Occupy Wall Street movement has swept the nation, with new factions popping up in new cities as we speak. Though specific agendas vary, there is one very clear purpose behind this leaderless coalition: spread the wealth. And, while some have found refuge in the movement, others have been inspired by their exclusion from the one-percent club. However, it is not the sort of inspiration that marches through the streets or chants in the cold rain. It is the reality-check that comes with self-made economic success stories, such as GOP presidential nominee Herman Cain, telling them, “If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, it’s your fault;” it is the inspiration that cultivates ideas, creates and innovates.

Rich is a subjective term, but perhaps, there is some truth to the aforementioned. Economic success rarely comes to the faint of heart and those resistant to sacrifice. Although many of us would like to be wealthy, few are willing to do what it takes to get there; and, for reasons such as those listed below, we are not part of the $350,000 (roughly the amount of income it takes to be among the nation’s wealthiest) and up crowd:

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  • Korey

    I don’t care to be in the 1%. 

    Every time I crave to be rich I think about my cousin who is a doctor. He has real estate all over, did very well in his practice and has all the money he needs. Problem? He’s in a wheelchair with a debilitating illness. 

    Money makes life easier, I will make no bones about it, but what value is it when you don’t have the health to back it up?

  • Toya Sharee

    I actually enjoyed this article when read in the right context.  I confess that I am not completely well-versed on the goals of the whole “Occupy” movement, but when it comes to financial success I feel that Ms. Williams hit the nail on the head.  No one ever became wealthy by setting the bar low and being complacent. Many in our country don’t understand the concept of, “It’s not how fast you can get it, but how long you can keep it.”  So we instead settle for short-term wealth and live in the moment from paycheck to paycheck instead of challenging ourselves, pursuing our dreams to the fullest and surrounding ourselves with the resources necessary to be successful.  We don’t take chances and attempt to be innovative, we just try what’s already proven to work (or not work) out of convenience and fear because many of us fear failure or rejection.  We expect the “degree” to do everything.  We feel like once we have a fancy title, our work is done.   We don’t take the time to invest into anything and watch it grow.  From that point of view, I definitely understand where Ms. Williams is coming from.

  • Xyzebra

    The writer of this article suffers from the same laziness as the people she criticizes, but a worse kind: a laziness of journalism and critical thinking. Has the writer even stepped foot onto an Occupy site to ASK anyone why they’re there, and how 1 percent has come to amass so much more wealth and power than 99 percent? This is not about poor budgeting, living off welfare and not going to school. It is about the systematic transfer of power away from the everyday voter/worker/union member/student/teacher/fireman/etc. and into the hands of those who have far more access to institutions of influence than they should. Institutions that everyday people helped BUILD in the first place. Read and learn before you accuse the 99 percent, which you belong to, of being a bunch of lazy welfare cheats.

    • Charlesstewart1964

      I think you are misinterpreting the article, the points the writer has made is something that everyone is capable of doing to help reach that 1% goal.  I don’t see it as everyone being 1%, but as a way to become successful professional as well as financially and not settling for less (which 99% of the people do). 

  • YM

    So Steve Jobs expecting excellence from his employees made him a jerk? Ok…

  • Just Sayin’

    1. You sound like Herman Cain.

    2. If the 99% became the 1% then we’d be the 100% and everyone would be rich and wealthy. And you know what that is?

    Communism.

    And communism is the devil. Just sayin’.

  • Girliusmaximus

    We can’t all be in that 1%. There has to be a division of income groups because not everyone can do the same job or make the same salary. Now the income groups don’t have to be as disproportionate as they are now but how would the world function if everyone could make million dollar salaries?

  • chaka1

    Another great article. *applause*

  • http://www.bednp.com/ D&PCartel http://www.bednp.com

    You will never get your net worth above “0″ if you don’t respect that old word budget. And you definately can’t be comfortable making sure someone else’s company makes their bottom line profit every day. That’s all a 9 to 5 is. You go to school and learn whatever facts and skills you need to pull your weight at your job. Excuse me, us educated like to call it career.

    The reality is while us 99% are content with making a salary that says, “if you do this and that we’ll pay you this amount with a possible $0.50 raise at the end of the year,” the 1% is out hustling trying to figure out how to legally flip a $2,000 investment into $20,000 to $ 200,000 and so on totally unhibited by a salary cap.

    • Girliusmaximus

      Without having to pay any taxes on it…

  • Positivethoughts8

    Very Informative

  • PoeticIntelligence

    Great Article