Non-scientific societal notes about wealth and power

Ugh I think I'm coming down with something - just started fairly abruptly last night, and of course I can't not go to school and I can't call in sick because I'm on a higher-grade detail. Argh!

I've noticed something in my current position where I review the assets and liabilities of all sorts of high and mid-ranked people - no one has earned their money. This is hardly a scientific sample, but it seems a vast majority of the wealthy folks I am exposed to here have inherited their funds rather than earned them independently. I suppose these are the stealth millionaires we hear so much about, for they work beside you and I.

In my personal experience, which includes the tech sector boom, the only people I know that have become wealthy on their own really had help from their parents, or were able to engage in risky ventures because of their parents. I mean I could ditch my investment program and dabble more in stocks or real estate if I had a couple mil willed to me 30-50 years in the future, making more money if I could engage in higher risk ventures - as things stand, I am 100% dependent on my own funds to retire and die someday so I must have a bulk of my funds in low-risk securities. Hell even a couple hundred thousand years ago or today would make a significant difference in my investment strategies and portfolio. This is on my mind a lot lately for as it is Jan, I have to figure out where to plug my $4k Roth IRA investment for the year. How much can I risk, how much risk to take, and on what timeframe? I'm noting my lack of accumulation of wealth that I am used to because tuition from my cheaper-than-average law school is taking a significant toll.

Ran into the underling of an insecure twit who reminded me of the department I left. I've run into a bunch of high-ranking officials lately who are complete lofty pricks who constantly attack those below them, surrounded themselves with people so dumb they look good by comparison, and are really into the symbols of rank. I hate people who don't respect those below them, and loathe those that have forgotten where they came from. It seems that people from multi-generational wealth are usually quite respectful of those around them, while the new rich tend to flaunt their wealth and treat their former peers like dirt.

Wholly unscientific sample and bias here - it could easily be that I find something in the above that I expect to see, so selective biases cause me to remember the examples that fit my impression of the phenomena, and forget those that do not conform.

(no subject)

Temp = 101 F, throat and muscles sore. OJ, cranberry juice, echinwhatevera taken.