Bobby Heenan: Poor Rich Eccentric
on Sunday, November 14, 2021Bobby Heenan Money Quote saying when broke and you do stupid things, you’re considered crazy, but rich loons are just eccentrics. Bobby Heenan said:
“If you’re poor and you do something stupid, you’re nuts. If you’re rich and do something stupid, you’re eccentric” — Bobby Heenan
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In this quote, Bobby Heenan seems to be commenting on a double standard between how foolish behaviors by the poor versus the wealthy are perceived. Specifically:
- He notes that if a poor person acts in a foolish or “stupid” way, they will likely be viewed as “nuts” or crazy due to their lack of means and status.
- However, Heenan suggests that if a wealthy individual engages in the same foolish actions, their behavior will tend to be characterized more indulgently as merely “eccentric” rather than idiotic, thanks to their financial privilege and social standing.
The best interpretation is that Heenan believed societal judgments of irrational conduct are often lenient towards the rich but harsh on the poor, who receive little benefit of the doubt due to their economic circumstances according to his perspective on how perceptions of unwise acts differ based on class and financial position.
Birthday: November 1, 1944 – Death: September 17, 2017