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September: Having Less Money Than Your Friends
Maureen says, "Scarlett has less money than her friends. Is this an advantage or disadvantage?" 
11 comments:
This can be so awkward in real life, but Scarlett has such personality (some may say that personality is stronger when money isn't given as freely) that she sails through each potentially weird situation with aplomb!
(Um, can you tell I adore Scarlett? I do! I do!)
It depends on the level of poverty. Scarlett's family struggles, but they're not THAT poor, and her friends aren't THAT rich. I've had some richER friends, and the only thing it really affected was that I liked going over to their house more because they had more cool stuff.
It's always a delicate question to know how much money is enough money. Wants can be so huge. But what are the real needs? I felt for Scarlett when her parents took away most of her wages for a college fund. I wanted her to have those summer lattes with her friends? I think it is hard when you don't have the same money as your friends do, because you feel as though you are limiting what you all can do together.
It is awkward and does limit what you can do together. I find keeping it on the table is helpful. Feeling free to say, sorry that's not in my budget. Can we do such and such instead?
I know that's so hard when you are a teen. I went to a private school on scholarship. They all got Corvettes at 16...
I also love Scarlett, Melissa!
It can go both ways- not having much money definitely limits Scarlett's opportunities, but I think having less money makes you more grateful for what you do have.
I honestly don't care that I have less money, because I'd rather be rich in intelligence, passion, and compassion than in monetary and material things.
Great people come from all walks of life, but I do think having less money teaches you something that is incredibly critical to learn, and is essential for creativity: learn to work with what you have. It's the "George Lucas Principle." When George Lucas had little money, he made the incredibly awesome Star Wars. The more money he got, the more annoying toys he got, the more horrible effects he put in, and we ended up with Jar Jar.
There is a lesson for all of us in this.
I hear you, Maureen.
I don't think it's an advantage or disadvantage. Or maybe it's a bit of both.
Not having oodles of money to throw around affects you, of course, but not necessarily in a bad way. It just gives you different values and having different values than your friends makes it difficult to relate to each other.
So between working harder to understand your friends and growing up as a money conscious person who understands reality, I'd say it has an advantage on people. But it's still a little jarring to have friends with such different situations.
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