Biggest ever recorded jump in weekly earnings as median NZ wages rise

[SueDonim]

No, they won't share.  The rich think they got where  they are by just shear hard work, and everyone else has the same equal opportunity. Just get off your arse and work for it !  They think reality is their reality.

There was a survey done somewhere - possibly the USA I think, - which showed that those who are wealthy often believe that its due to their own efforts when in reality they've often been helped along the way by their family's money. One thing's for sure; if we don't fairly soon move to narrow that yawning gap between rich & poor, we will have trouble.

I couldn't find the survey but to say that some people have been helped by parents is reasonable. If parents are in a position to help why wouldn't/shouldn't they? Like this guy https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/aucklander...G5ONB24BM/ who has apparently already paid them back and rewarded their input with a great deal of success, which he is clearly also paying forward. Just because some people get help doesn't mean all do, and the tone of comments like "think they got where  they are by just shear hard work" is part of the problem we have. Young people who don't see a need to work to achieve something in life because they see the tall poppies around them getting torn down.

And yes, "everyone else [does have] the same equal opportunity". Plenty of people come from nothing and achieve a lot. Why should they be criticised for that? They should be held up as role models to help push others out of the benefit go-round.

I don't see any definition of "rich" being put forward here, but do see people that seem to think that anyone who has done better than they is somehow greedy and shouldn't have what they have achieved. As with any generalisation there are of course some who deserve criticism, but by far the majority don't.