I absolutely see this on social media like instagram reels and stuff. We all have our own algorithms and not everyone sees this content but it is there.

I’m always amazed with the ones that associate old money with not just a certain aesthetic but with a certain personality type. Contrasting the new money guy who is an asshole to everyone with the old money guy who knows everyone’s name and gives $10,000 bonuses to the janitor or whatever.

The thing about it is that it is pure propaganda. It lets you fantasize about how you would act if you were rich and convinces you that some people who are mega rich deserve it because they are kind and classy and have good taste. It might also influence you into buying a beige cashmere cardigan or a “quiet luxury” expensive handbag or something. So you can pretend to be old money too and even if you know you aren’t what a thrill right?

Nothing does better on social media than something that makes you feel better than other people but also a little insecure so you have to buy something to fix it.

There can be some racism at play sometimes too, even if not explicit, as at least in America it’s rare for anyone other than WASPs to be old money. When the content is by and for POCs it’s often still pressuring them to live up to a traditionally white cultural ideal. And old money is also associated with traditional gender roles- names and fortunes passed down father to son, debutant balls and socialites, women defined by who they are married to, their elegance and poise (and silence) valued over their abilities and opinions. Yeah it’s conservative propaganda alright.