According to massive property owner Graeme Fowler, the world view about money New Zealanders have governs our place in society.
Often, the difference between poor people, rich people and middle-class people isn’t how much money they have, or even how much they make. The difference between these people is what they believe is actually the purpose of money.
One of the most significant distinctions between the poor, middle class, and wealthy is their respective mindsets. The way in which each group views the world, their goals and their aspirations can vary greatly, and these differences can have a significant impact on their overall well-being and success.
The poor also often have a scarcity mindset, where they see the world as a place of limited resources and opportunities. This can lead them to believe that their chances of success are slim, and they may feel that they have little control over their lives.
This can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair, which can prevent them from taking positive steps to improve their situation”.
But then there’s the middle class, apparently.
They see the world as a place of opportunities, but also recognise that there are limits and obstacles that must be overcome. They are more likely to believe that they have some control over their lives and can take steps to improve their situation,” he said.
“However, they may also feel a sense of stagnation, where they may see they are unable to progress or reach their goals.
“The wealthy, on the other hand, tend to have a growth mindset, where they see the world as a place of endless opportunities and resources. They believe that they have the power to shape their own lives and that their success is not limited by external factors. This mindset can lead them to take risks and pursue their goals with confidence. This can contribute to their overall success and prosperity.”
There are so many ways to mock this kind of nonsense, but let’s just start with Maori and go from there.
It is really clear that European ethnicity people in New Zealand own most of the wealth and Maori and Pasifika own the least, by a very, very long distance.
So do Maori have a bad attitude to money? If they just changed their minds about money could Maori just become more wealthy?
It has long been clear that Maori are on the whole one of the most entrepreneurial people not only in New Zealand but also in the world.
It has also long been clear that New Zealand is one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world, and has been measured as the easiest to do business in the world.
Our collective mindset about making wealth are on those very concrete measures just fine.
The reality is that in New Zealand you are in the top 10% of wealth if you own a couple of houses, or a whole bunch if you are Mr Fowler.
The top 20% of New Zealand households hold about 69% of New Zealand’s net worth. Europeans as of the last Stats NZ release last year had an individual median net worth at $151,000 and Maori on the same measure $42,000.
That’s why the primary commentary in the Stuff article came from a European guy who owned lots of houses.
Can this degree of inequality be overcome by changing one’s attitude to money?
Perhaps changing one’s attitude to money could also increase one’s chances of making better choices putting items into your charity food parcel.
Or maybe by changing your “money personality” you can make a cornucopia of cash flow into the hands of those lying on our city streets begging.
Which “money personality” demands that over 7% of New Zealander works more than one job?
Liz Koh the money coach believes there is a money personality just for you:
The two key determinants of your money personality are your willingness to take risk and your desire to create wealth. Those who are highly successful at wealth creation are not afraid of risk and have a strong desire to create wealth.”
That’s from the same Stuff article where she agrees with Graeme Fowler the property magnate.
So to summarise, New Zealanders are globally exceptionally entrepreneurial and hard working as a people, are the easiest country in the world to do business, and yet for Mr Fowler the property magnate apparently our “attitude to wealth” and our “money personality” is keeping New Zealand’s poor very poor and the rich very very rich.
New Zealand’s reality, as small state specialist Dr David Skilling reminds us, is one of the smallest, weakest, most distant and least important countries in the world.
Our inventions are agricultural, our thinkers have few followers, our political order and influence miniscule, our corporations don’t grow and conquer. That’s the true “mindset” to address for those property owners who hoard and then preach facile morality.
New Zealand has one of the most unequal economies in the world, its economy reliant on low-value agriculture and real estate and low value tourism. New Zealand’s industries are controlled by a very small set of oligopolies in milk, horticulture, building products, fuel, seafood, ports and airports, shipping, supermarkets, and so much more. The concentration of wealth in New Zealand now is about the same as that of Regency England of the time of Jane Austen. There are pretty sound “money languages” for all of that, none of which are described by Mr Fowler.
The total number of people who control our wealth could fit into the Paeroa Horse Racing stands with several rows left over.
Actual class and economic mobility is decreasing in New Zealand, and it’s under study.
Inequality in wealth in New Zealand is not caused by a ‘mindset’.
They are not going to be cured by changing one’s ‘money personality’.
Though it is quite likely if you are rich enough and stupid enough your mindset and your personality will tell you how much you deserved it no matter what you did.
The people like Graeme Fowler claiming that they are, are simply cynical entitled assholes.
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