俗話說,有錢就是爺,但在富豪們看來,似乎是“有錢也得低調”。
“低調的奢華”一詞是當前互聯網最流行的趨勢之一,它彰顯了一種理念:超級富豪會避開花哨的品牌和標簽,并選擇更加低調的優質產品。
之所以這一趨勢能夠重見天日,其中一個原因便源自于美劇《繼承之戰》(Succession)里的一個場景:一群超級富有的角色嘲笑了其中一位約會對象“異常能裝的手提包”。
這段視頻的言下之意是說,有錢人不需要手提包——他們會無縫地從私人飛機轉移至有司機接送的車里,最后,管家會在家門口等待其歸來。
同樣,如果我們看看今年早些時候格溫妮絲·帕特洛滑雪時的衣櫥,或者再次關注一下英國皇室,那么人們會對這一理念有更深刻的印象。
金融專家曾經表示,這并非是什么新理念,例如Meta的創始人馬克·扎克伯格在多年前便稱自己每天都穿著同樣的純色襯衫,但它的確為公眾帶來了新的啟發。
為什么不能炫富?
專家們稱,高凈值個人隱瞞自身財富的原因有很多,有的是為了保護其隱私和安全,有的則十分介意與他人對比其財務狀況。
位于美國洛杉磯的Bel Air Investment Advisors的總裁大衛·薩德金對《財富》雜志表示,很多客戶選擇“低調行事”,原因在于此舉還可以避免來自于朋友和熟人的尷尬期許。
“我認為這一經驗適合所有有錢人。”薩德金說,“西奧多·羅斯福曾經說過:‘說話溫柔,手持大棒。’超高凈值人群的解決之道便是‘不要華而不實,不要讓外人知道你有錢。’”
薩德金的觀點得到了卡麗·加洛韋的支持,后者是摩根大通私人銀行(J.P. Morgan Private Bank)的咨詢實驗室(Advice Lab)的全球負責人,她指出,對很多客戶來說,“謹慎是睿智的表現”。
她解釋道:“考慮到其他人并沒有類似水平的財富自由,他們會避免炫耀自身財富。此外,我們會看到客戶會專注于安保,尤其是在旅行的時候。他們往往不會透露信息,例如地點和日程,以減少成為黑客首要攻擊對象的風險。”
“在旅行時,一些人會徹底遠離社交媒體,因為網絡犯罪分子能夠使用貼文來發現潛在的作案對象是否已經出城,是否對網絡安全的關注度有所下降。”
財富托管人
另一個不花錢購買豪車、衣服和珠寶的原因在于,這些人士并不將其財富視為個人所有,而是將自己看作是財富的托管人。
埃利亞納·塞德斯是位于英國倫敦的投資資產組合網站Y TREE的財務終身策略的負責人。該公司在平臺上擁有價值70億英鎊的資產,而且稱她的眾多客戶將其財富視為其“責任”。
在《財富》雜志的視頻采訪中,她表示自己的客戶對于可以獲得這些財富十分感激。“其職責并非是逢人便告:‘嗨,我比你更加聰明或者更幸運。’而是會說:‘我還扮演著社會角色。我認真思考了自身的作用和存在。’”
加洛韋還向《財富》雜志表示,特別是那些白手起家的人,他們都會通過花錢來反映自身價值,因為人們經常會“擔心財富會帶來負面影響。”
她說,受此影響,“接地氣和謙遜”也會催生一定程度的自豪感,并指出,“這些人也擔心,如果人們知道了自己的身價,那么自己可能就會受到區別對待,或被他人利用。這些人希望成為其孩子和孫子的楷模,并將其價值觀灌輸給子孫后代。比如,重視健康和福祉的家庭可能會把更多的錢用于反映這些價值的經驗和服務,而不會把錢花在那些引人注目的有形物品上,例如高級珠寶或房地產。”
塞德斯還表示,對于所有家庭來說,處理好金錢與價值觀的關系都是一個重要話題,這一點與財富本身價值無關。
她解釋道:“我經常向客戶提起的一件事情就是,要試著圍繞什么是生命中最重要的內容,樹立家庭觀念,而不是等到金錢成為這一內容的主題之后才著手應對。”
“不妨問問孩子們:‘自己在7歲、10歲或15歲時覺得什么最重要?如今作為一個家庭,我們得決定,這些最重要的事情是否應該由大家共同進行投資?’因此,與其花錢購買孩子的個人用品,不如將錢用于對孩子精神和情緒十分重要的事情上。不要給他們購買能夠為其提供金錢愉悅感的東西,而是要給他們購買可以幫助他人的事物。通過這種方式,你將為孩子們樹立有關金錢的社會認知,而不是讓孩子僅看到金錢對自己的價值。”
與下一代對話
專家們稱,巨額財富的托管人通常會發現其目光會自然而然轉向下一代人,因此,有必要盡早開展有關賺錢的坦誠對話。
塞德斯表示,零花錢便是灌輸這一理念的便捷途徑,而一致性是貫徹這一理念的關鍵。
她解釋說:“如果你的理念是,‘只有干家務才能得到零花錢’。那么在孩子沒有干家務的情況下隨意給[孩子]錢,將破壞這一理念。如果你的理念是‘不,我會教育[孩子]不要把錢與行動掛鉤’,然后在某一天轉而對孩子說‘如果你不這么做,你就得不到零花錢’,就會混淆這一理念。”
她還表示,公開地討論財富,不管是百萬美元的財富還是標準的401(K),對每個家庭而言都是必要的。
塞德斯表示:“我們應該在教育孩子的過程中讓其意識到金錢是一個復雜的事物,掙錢養活自己是一件復雜的事情。隨著孩子的成長,有一些事情得由你來向孩子們傳授,因為學校并不教授這些內容。一些人在走出校門后對于活出自我所需付出的代價和金錢一無所知,而且都抱著不切實際的期許。”
“在我看來,如果你沒有讓孩子為真正的成人生活做好準備,這對于家庭來說是一場災難。這件事確實取決于孩子自身,以及你自己對于這類事情的信心,不過,我在孩子們8、9歲的時候便開始和他們談論養老金的事情。”
“如今,在這個年齡討論這類事情似乎為時過早,但如果在特定的環境下,比如圍繞養老金問題出現很多罷工運動時,展開這一討論也就合情合理了。”
專家們還表示,在富有家庭中,通常出現價值問題的并非是第二代,而是第三代。
薩德金警告說:“財富很難創造,但很容易被破壞。盡管我們的客戶及其家人應該享受其財富,但他們還應該通過投資使其增值。”(財富中文網)
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
俗話說,有錢就是爺,但在富豪們看來,似乎是“有錢也得低調”。
“低調的奢華”一詞是當前互聯網最流行的趨勢之一,它彰顯了一種理念:超級富豪會避開花哨的品牌和標簽,并選擇更加低調的優質產品。
之所以這一趨勢能夠重見天日,其中一個原因便源自于美劇《繼承之戰》(Succession)里的一個場景:一群超級富有的角色嘲笑了其中一位約會對象“異常能裝的手提包”。
這段視頻的言下之意是說,有錢人不需要手提包——他們會無縫地從私人飛機轉移至有司機接送的車里,最后,管家會在家門口等待其歸來。
同樣,如果我們看看今年早些時候格溫妮絲·帕特洛滑雪時的衣櫥,或者再次關注一下英國皇室,那么人們會對這一理念有更深刻的印象。
金融專家曾經表示,這并非是什么新理念,例如Meta的創始人馬克·扎克伯格在多年前便稱自己每天都穿著同樣的純色襯衫,但它的確為公眾帶來了新的啟發。
為什么不能炫富?
專家們稱,高凈值個人隱瞞自身財富的原因有很多,有的是為了保護其隱私和安全,有的則十分介意與他人對比其財務狀況。
位于美國洛杉磯的Bel Air Investment Advisors的總裁大衛·薩德金對《財富》雜志表示,很多客戶選擇“低調行事”,原因在于此舉還可以避免來自于朋友和熟人的尷尬期許。
“我認為這一經驗適合所有有錢人。”薩德金說,“西奧多·羅斯福曾經說過:‘說話溫柔,手持大棒。’超高凈值人群的解決之道便是‘不要華而不實,不要讓外人知道你有錢。’”
薩德金的觀點得到了卡麗·加洛韋的支持,后者是摩根大通私人銀行(J.P. Morgan Private Bank)的咨詢實驗室(Advice Lab)的全球負責人,她指出,對很多客戶來說,“謹慎是睿智的表現”。
她解釋道:“考慮到其他人并沒有類似水平的財富自由,他們會避免炫耀自身財富。此外,我們會看到客戶會專注于安保,尤其是在旅行的時候。他們往往不會透露信息,例如地點和日程,以減少成為黑客首要攻擊對象的風險。”
“在旅行時,一些人會徹底遠離社交媒體,因為網絡犯罪分子能夠使用貼文來發現潛在的作案對象是否已經出城,是否對網絡安全的關注度有所下降。”
財富托管人
另一個不花錢購買豪車、衣服和珠寶的原因在于,這些人士并不將其財富視為個人所有,而是將自己看作是財富的托管人。
埃利亞納·塞德斯是位于英國倫敦的投資資產組合網站Y TREE的財務終身策略的負責人。該公司在平臺上擁有價值70億英鎊的資產,而且稱她的眾多客戶將其財富視為其“責任”。
在《財富》雜志的視頻采訪中,她表示自己的客戶對于可以獲得這些財富十分感激。“其職責并非是逢人便告:‘嗨,我比你更加聰明或者更幸運。’而是會說:‘我還扮演著社會角色。我認真思考了自身的作用和存在。’”
加洛韋還向《財富》雜志表示,特別是那些白手起家的人,他們都會通過花錢來反映自身價值,因為人們經常會“擔心財富會帶來負面影響。”
她說,受此影響,“接地氣和謙遜”也會催生一定程度的自豪感,并指出,“這些人也擔心,如果人們知道了自己的身價,那么自己可能就會受到區別對待,或被他人利用。這些人希望成為其孩子和孫子的楷模,并將其價值觀灌輸給子孫后代。比如,重視健康和福祉的家庭可能會把更多的錢用于反映這些價值的經驗和服務,而不會把錢花在那些引人注目的有形物品上,例如高級珠寶或房地產。”
塞德斯還表示,對于所有家庭來說,處理好金錢與價值觀的關系都是一個重要話題,這一點與財富本身價值無關。
她解釋道:“我經常向客戶提起的一件事情就是,要試著圍繞什么是生命中最重要的內容,樹立家庭觀念,而不是等到金錢成為這一內容的主題之后才著手應對。”
“不妨問問孩子們:‘自己在7歲、10歲或15歲時覺得什么最重要?如今作為一個家庭,我們得決定,這些最重要的事情是否應該由大家共同進行投資?’因此,與其花錢購買孩子的個人用品,不如將錢用于對孩子精神和情緒十分重要的事情上。不要給他們購買能夠為其提供金錢愉悅感的東西,而是要給他們購買可以幫助他人的事物。通過這種方式,你將為孩子們樹立有關金錢的社會認知,而不是讓孩子僅看到金錢對自己的價值。”
與下一代對話
專家們稱,巨額財富的托管人通常會發現其目光會自然而然轉向下一代人,因此,有必要盡早開展有關賺錢的坦誠對話。
塞德斯表示,零花錢便是灌輸這一理念的便捷途徑,而一致性是貫徹這一理念的關鍵。
她解釋說:“如果你的理念是,‘只有干家務才能得到零花錢’。那么在孩子沒有干家務的情況下隨意給[孩子]錢,將破壞這一理念。如果你的理念是‘不,我會教育[孩子]不要把錢與行動掛鉤’,然后在某一天轉而對孩子說‘如果你不這么做,你就得不到零花錢’,就會混淆這一理念。”
她還表示,公開地討論財富,不管是百萬美元的財富還是標準的401(K),對每個家庭而言都是必要的。
塞德斯表示:“我們應該在教育孩子的過程中讓其意識到金錢是一個復雜的事物,掙錢養活自己是一件復雜的事情。隨著孩子的成長,有一些事情得由你來向孩子們傳授,因為學校并不教授這些內容。一些人在走出校門后對于活出自我所需付出的代價和金錢一無所知,而且都抱著不切實際的期許。”
“在我看來,如果你沒有讓孩子為真正的成人生活做好準備,這對于家庭來說是一場災難。這件事確實取決于孩子自身,以及你自己對于這類事情的信心,不過,我在孩子們8、9歲的時候便開始和他們談論養老金的事情。”
“如今,在這個年齡討論這類事情似乎為時過早,但如果在特定的環境下,比如圍繞養老金問題出現很多罷工運動時,展開這一討論也就合情合理了。”
專家們還表示,在富有家庭中,通常出現價值問題的并非是第二代,而是第三代。
薩德金警告說:“財富很難創造,但很容易被破壞。盡管我們的客戶及其家人應該享受其財富,但他們還應該通過投資使其增值。”(財富中文網)
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
Money talks—or so the saying goes—but it seems that wealth whispers.
The term “quiet luxury” is one of the loudest trends on the internet at the moment, encapsulating the idea that the ultrawealthy steer clear of flashy brands and logos—instead picking more understated premium products.
Among the reasons for the trend bubbling to the fore is a scene from TV show Succession, in which the über-wealthy characters mocked the “ludicrously capacious handbag” carried by one of their dates.
The clip played on the idea that the very rich have no need for handbags—they simply slip seamlessly from private jets to chauffeured cars, before a housekeeper opens their front door at the end of the day.
Likewise, a focus on Gwyneth Paltrow’s wardrobe during her ski trial earlier this year, and a renewed focus on the British royal family, have ballooned the concept.
The idea is not a new one—Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg revealed years ago he wears the same plain shirt every day—but does offer new lessons for the public, finance experts have said.
Why keep your wealth quiet?
High-net-worth individuals keep their wealth hidden for a range of reasons, the experts revealed, whether protecting their privacy and security or being mindful of their financial position when compared to others’.
David Sadkin, president of Los Angeles–based Bel Air Investment Advisors, told Fortune many clients choose to “fly under the radar” because it also avoids awkward expectations from friends and acquaintances.
“I think this lesson applies for everyone with money,” said Sadkin. “Theodore Roosevelt said: ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick.’ The ultra-high-net-worth corollary to this would be ‘Don’t be flashy, and keep your wealth out of view.’”
Sadkin was echoed by Carrie Galloway, global head of Advice Lab for J.P. Morgan Private Bank, who said “discretion is an expression of tact” for many clients.
“They avoid flaunting their wealth in consideration of others who don’t have a similar level of financial freedom,” she explained. “In addition, we see the focus on security, particularly when clients are traveling. They are inclined to limit information such as location and itinerary to limit the risk of becoming a prime target for a hacker.
“Some avoid social media altogether while traveling since cybercriminals can use posts to discover when potential victims are out of town and less focused on cybersecurity.”
Cash custodians
Another reason for not spending on flashy cars, clothes, and jewelry is because the individuals don’t see their fortune as theirs personally—they see themselves as custodians of it.
Eliana Sydes is the head of financial life strategy at London-based investment portfolio site Y TREE, which has £7 billion worth of assets on the platform, and said many of her clients see their wealth as their “role.”
During a video interview with Fortune, she said her clients are grateful for their fortunes and so “their role is not to run around saying to everybody: ‘Hey, I’m cleverer or luckier than you,’ it is very much: ‘I have a role in society. I think consciously about my role and my presence.'”
Galloway added to Fortune that self-made individuals in particular spend to reflect their values as there is often a “wariness around wealth negatively changing people.”
Accordingly, there is a level of pride that comes with being “grounded and modest,” she said, adding: “There is also suspicion that if their net worth is known, people might treat them differently, or take advantage of them. They want to be role models for their children and grandchildren and impart their values to successive generations. For example, a family that values health and wellness may spend more money on experiences and services that reflect these values and less on conspicuous tangible items such as fine jewelry or real estate.”
Establishing a relationship between money and values is a key conversation for every family—irrespective of worth—Sydes continued.
“Something I talk about a lot with our clients is trying to build a family ethos around what is important in life before dealing with it as money,” she explained.
“Ask children: ‘What’s important to you, as a 7-year-old or 10-year-old or 15-year-old? And now as a family, we’re going to decide, is this something we maybe should fund together?’ So instead of the money just going to personal things, it goes to something that is mentally and emotionally important to the child. Not an item that gives them a momentary pleasure, but something that helps others. So in this way, you’re building this social awareness of money and not just thinking about it in value to them.”
Conversations with the next generation
The custodians of massive fortunes often find their thoughts inevitably turning to the next generation, the experts said, and transparent conversations about earning money need to be had as early as possible.
Pocket money is an easy way to introduce the concept, Sydes said, and consistency is the key to the lesson landing.
“If your view is ‘We’re going to only pay for chores,’ randomly giving [children] money for no chore will undermine that message,” she explained. “If your view is ‘No, I’m not going to teach [children] to always associate money with an action,’ then turning around and saying to them one day, ‘If you don’t do this, I won’t give you your pocket money’ muddies the water again.”
She added that having open conversations about wealth—whether it’s million-dollar fortunes or a standard 401(k)—are imperative for every family.
“We should be bringing up our children to understand money is a complex thing; funding your life is a complex thing,” Sydes said. “And there are a number of areas that you will need to add to their knowledge as they grow older because we don’t teach it in school. You have people coming out of education with very little knowledge of what it costs to actually fund your own lifestyle, and really unrealistic expectations.
“That, from my point of view, is a very disabling thing to do to your family—if you’ve not prepared them for real adult life. It does depend on your child, and how confident you feel yourself about those things, but I was talking about pensions with my children when they were about 8 or 9.
“Now, that might seem quite young, but if I put it in context, there were quite a lot of strikes going on around pensions at the time, so there was a reason to have the conversations at that moment.”
The experts added that often it is not the second generation of wealthy families that struggle with the concept of value, but the one following.
“Wealth is hard to create but easy to destroy,” warned Sadkin. “While our clients and their families should enjoy their wealth, they should also consider building their wealth through investment.”