Kick them to the curb.
If a person is so shallow as to put physical objects before the things that really count -- friendship, love, respect, humility -- give them the boot.
No one is above anyone else.
A janitor is just as deserving of others' respect and kindness as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
One's possessions say nothing of their character.
While I'm not trying to begrudge them their success -- especially if they worked their butts off to get what they have -- it should never make people feel entitled.
Who's to say that the garbage man or waitress hasn't gone through tremendous hardship in life preventing him or her from going to school and rising above their station?
And who's to say they can't eventually reach that point if they truly commit themselves?
Yet, not everyone yearns to be rich. They may reason that being able to have food on the table, a roof over their heads, and a car to drive them from A to B is sufficient.
They may find fulfillment in simple things and moments that may require little if any monetary investment, like spending an afternoon at the park with their spouse or reading a book at night at the beach.
No one should make the assumption that all people strive for and value the same things.
And if someone looks down on you because of the brand of shoes you wear, is it really someone you want to have in your life?
Money may make someone look nicer on the outside, but it may make the person terrible on the inside.
It's inevitable that in some contexts (e.g., at work) we are bound to be judged by what we wear and what car we drive.
But if the same dynamic plays out in a relationship with someone you've always respected and cared about, you probably don't know the person who's thumbing their nose at you as well as you thought.
Many people give so much weight to their material stuff, not realizing that they can't those things with them when they die.
A much better approach: Soaking up wonderful experiences with friends and loved ones that will live in your mind and heart until that fateful day.
What truly defines a person isn't how much money they have or what car they drive. It's how they treat themselves and others. It's the degree to which they do the things that truly maximize their happiness.
Indeed, one can be rich in health, love, and knowledge without necessarily having tons of money.
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