Eat the Rich

NEWSLETTER

Family office insights this week:

• Why we love watching the rich get skewered

• Top 50 cities by millionaires

• Most family offices are fairly new

• Books: a hilarious satire of insane wealth, status wars, and family drama

• Podcast: top wealth managers on compensation, hiring, next gen and more

Eat the Rich

Why We Love Watching the Ultra-Wealthy Get Torn Apart

Rich people behaving badly. We can’t get enough.

Succession, The White Lotus, The Perfect Couple, Parasite, Triangle of Sadness, The Menu… the "Eat the Rich" genre is booming. They take us into the world of extreme wealth only to watch it unravel spectacularly.

These shows and movies explore the world of greed, elitism and obsession. They lean into the weirdness that comes with extreme wealth and power. They’re dark, they’re satirical and are loved by critics and viewers alike.

But why are these stories so compelling? Is it just entertainment, or do they shape how we see wealth, success, and power? Do they reinforce unrealistic stereotypes? As satires, do they hit the mark?

What Does “Eat the Rich” Actually Mean?

The phrase "Eat the Rich" dates back to the 18th-century French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, often attributed with the quote:

"When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich."

It was a reflection of growing resentment toward the aristocracy in pre-revolutionary France, where extreme wealth inequality fueled public anger. Over time, the phrase evolved into a broader critique of economic disparity, resurfacing in protests, music, and media.

It’s become both a rallying cry and a pop culture trope—used by anti-capitalist campaigners but also a genre of satirical entertainment that skewer the elites, usually exposing their greed, cluelessness, and dysfunction.

Set in opulent surroundings, their subjects are usually undeserving heirs or corrupt and ruthless players. There’s often disaster, death and almost always comeuppance for the wealthy protagonists.

Schadenfreude for the Masses

Watching the powerful self-destruct has always been entertaining. Shakespeare knew it. So did F. Scott Fitzgerald.

There’s something oddly satisfying about watching the ultra-rich self-destruct. Their lives, on the surface, seem unattainable: vast estates, family empires, and staggering wealth. But add in power struggles, toxic relationships, and stunning acts of self-sabotage, and suddenly, they feel almost… relatable.

These stories work because they expose the dysfunction behind the money. The characters may be wealthy, but they’re also deeply flawed—out of touch, ruthless, or just plain clueless. And in these narratives, wealth almost always comes with a price: disaster, death, or some form of poetic justice.

What do the wealthy think?

Here’s the irony: in my experience the wealthy don’t usually feel attacked by these shows—they love them.

They love the sharp truths (along with the exaggeration and caricatures).

They laugh along, recognizing aspects of themselves or their peers in the characters. They enjoy the spectacle.

They feel intensely relaxed even if the central message is critical.

In a way, these shows validate wealth as much as they criticize it. Yes, the characters are terrible. But their lives? Still thrilling. Even if they’re losing power, they’re doing it in style.

The Dangerous Side of the Narrative

These stories paint a dark picture of the super-wealthy. But does that actually matter? To some degree, yes—portraying all wealth as undeserved or corrupt can be dangerous.

But these shows are also undeniably aspirational. When you watch the unadulterated luxury of the Four Seasons resorts in The White Lotus, you can’t help but want some of that.  

The danger, of course, is when fiction turns into a one-note caricature. Not every billionaire is rigging the system. Not every heir is an out-of-touch nepo baby.

When the only portrayal of wealth coming out of Hollywood is of excess and corruption, it creates a simplistic narrative: that all wealth is bad, that success is inherently undeserved, and that privilege automatically equals villainy.

That’s not the case. Ultra wealthy create wealth, they create goods and services that make the world a better place. They create jobs.

If we feed our kids with a continual message that wealth is bad, who will be the capitalists of the future, who will be the visionaries and the wealth creators?

Do they hit the mark?

Will these movies and shows bring down capitalism?

No.

Many viewers see these shows as aspirational rather than satirical.

The White Lotus is set in luxurious Four Seasons resort locations, in Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand. Despite the shows portraying murder and dysfunctional guests, there has been a significant bump in demand for the Four Seasons hotels. Bookings have soared and room rates have climbed as fans seek to experience the lavish settings firsthand.

It’s worth adding that this anti-capitalist content is produced by, well, arch-capitalists. The studios are cashing in. Creator of The White Lotus Mike White has homes in California and Hawaii and enjoys a reported net worth of more than $12 million. So they probably don’t want the system to collapse just yet.

Why These Stories Won’t Go Away

The “Eat the Rich” genre is thriving because it taps into something universal: the allure of power, and the satisfaction of seeing it crumble.

When we see stories playing out in the media that mirror the shows, the appetite just grows (the Murdoch succession drama makes you wonder if art imitates life or life imitates art).

We love seeing the powerful taken down a notch, but we also can’t look away from the spectacle of their lives.

And as long as the ultra-wealthy remain a fascination—and a source of cultural anxiety—this genre isn’t going anywhere.

𝕏 highlights

Last week’s newsletter looked at the latest Knight Frank Wealth Report. Here’s a summary of some key charts and stats from the report as they relate to real estate.

Top 50 cities by millionaires

Most family offices are fairly new. We’re only at the start!

 💼 where to work

Three notable family office job opportunities currently open…

Family Office HR Assistant - Private Family Office (Plainview, NY / Single Family Office)

Family Office Design & Governance Strategist - UBS (Atlanta / Service Provider)

Family Office Manager - Love’s Family Office (Oklahoma City / Single Family Office)

📚 what to read

Kevin Kwan’s debut novel.. a wildly entertaining satire of insane wealth, status wars, and family drama in Singapore’s elite circles. And there are two sequels.

📻 what to listen to

Barron’s Advisor, The Way Forward podcast interviews top wealth managers on compensation, hiring, next gen and more.

📺 what to watch

In anticipation for this week’s newsletter, I watched the movie Triangle of Sadness. A dark satire where wealth, beauty, and power unravel aboard a doomed luxury cruise. Subtle it is not, but it has its moments.

And finally…

What do you think of the Eat the Rich genre?

Harmless fun? Worrying signs we’re in late stage capitalism?

Let me know on X.

Coming up next week, we have the Wednesday jobs newsletter and Friday it’s a look at family office accounting + all the normal features.

The Buzz is coming up on Monday with the best family office content from around the world. Last Monday’s edition covered the best citizenship for your kids, entrepreneurship in family offices, purposeful wealth transfer and lots more.

Until next week, see you on 𝕏 or LinkedIn.

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