Why You Should Not Flaunt (Or Flex) Your Wealth On Social Media

Flaunting (otherwise known as flexing) your wealth has become common on social media. It's almost impossible to scroll through feeds without seeing someone waving a fat stack of cash, posing in front of a luxury sports car or holding their gold chains in the air inside a private jet on boasting about how they eat, sleep, and breathe the hustle lifestyle. 

Their fixation on wealth and "the hustle" might influence some impressionable people to believe that if they flaunt their wealth, they'll be more successful and appreciated too.

Some people believe that their bank balance should determine their social status. So, to maintain an illusion of wealth, they spend all their money and display their material possessions. 

These people crave validation from others based off the items they own (regardless of whether these "big-ticket" items are real, fake, borrowed, or photoshopped), and do their best to emphasize the dollar value of their luxury car or their lavish vacation.

Depending on your morals and beliefs, you may not have an issue with flaunting your expensive items; after all, you worked hard for them. However, when you repeatedly post them on social media, you are broadcasting to the world that you own these items. It may be seen by people you don't know, creating unwanted attention.

Here are some of the reasons why you may wish to avoid flaunting or flexing your wealth on social media:

It Can Make You Look Insecure

Showing off your luxury items may signal insecurity. Some people base their self-worth on the number of likes and comments on their social media accounts rather than the emotional connections or skills they have built. One way to do that is to show others that you can afford these expensive items and boast about how great it feels to own them.

People may buy expensive luxury items to try to fit in or to make them feel important. Beyond the cachet associated with the product, they probably don't have a clue what makes it so special. However, if you are purchasing an item because you understand its history, impact, influence, and/or the intricacies involved in creating the item, then you can justify the price.

The Big Think explains that people who are lonely tend to purchase more items as a way to cope with being insecure. After all, an inanimate item can't leave you. The article also explains how a habit of expensive purchases may be a sign of other underlying psychological issues that should be addressed.

People May View You As Materialistic

There's nothing wrong with purchasing expensive things if you worked hard for it, but if you always feel the need to have the latest and greatest devices and video game consoles, and don't hold onto anything for longer than six months, people may wonder about your capacity to form lasting emotional bonds.

In an era of fast technology, new and improved devices are pumped out at an astounding rate. Being one of the first adopters of a new iPhone model means little in the long run. After a few weeks, more people will have it and it won't be as exclusive. Within a few months, that tech company may be preparing to announce another new item. Does anyone remember who got the very first iPhone? Where are they now?

You May Be Judged By Your Peers 

If your friends aren't interested in wearing designer brands or driving luxury cars, they may raise their brows when you roll up in a six-figure Italian sports car wearing clothes worth more than their house. They may wonder where you got the money and if you are involved with a cartel.

Even if they initially give you compliments, they may become envious of your new lifestyle and could begin to avoid spending time with you out of fear of feeling inadequate next to you.

It Can Attract The Wrong People 

If you like to post your expensive items on social media, you may attract people who don't have your best interests in mind. These people may try to extort money from you, catfish you into revealing personal information, impersonate you to scam others, use you for your money or status, or use your image and likeness and try to ruin you.

You may have fake companies asking you to join their clubs for exclusive offers or free product, but once you give them your personal information, they can use it against you in numerous ways.

If you are in the dating scene, you may have people pretending to be interested in you just so they can get free meals and/or make you buy things for them. When in love, it can be difficult to see the signs until it's too late and your wallet is empty. If you want some ideas on what kinds of pictures to put on your online dating profile, our article 14 Tips For Creating The Best Online Dating Profile Pictures has you covered.

Quick Tip For Vacation Photos

Wait until you have returned home before posting any pictures of your vacation. If you post pictures while you are on vacation, you are announcing that no one is currently at your residence, which could lead to break-ins, stolen property, or vandalism. 

Before going on vacation, be sure to:

- Let a trusted family member or friend know where you're going and how long you will be gone. If you trust them enough, request they check on your residence and inform you if anything is awry.

- Invest in a home security system. Or at least a doorbell camera you can access remotely.

- Do not post when you are leaving or how long you will be gone on social media.

It May Attract Negative Attention (Or Trolls) 

Fur coats and wildly overpriced trinkets like diamond-encrusted paper clips may raise a few eyebrows. People may wonder whether you care that animals died to make your outfit, or they may question your sanity for dropping thousands of dollars on an item that has no business being that expensive.

Not only that, but people may also come out of the woodwork and accuse you of purchasing knock-off items or supporting child labour or sweatshops in third-world countries. Even if your item was ethically sourced through companies that pride themselves in being as environmentally friendly as possible, there may be that one person who tries to argue with you and create unnecessary drama.

Social media can be festering with people who get their jollies by causing arguments and razzing complete strangers. If you find yourself in a situation where someone is harassing you online, block them immediately. It can be difficult to control our emotions when someone calls us out or accuses us, which is why sometimes we have to ask ourselves Is A Gentleman Perfect?

Tip: Understanding Quiet Luxury

The term 'quiet luxury' is the opposite of what we explained in this article. Quiet luxury implies humility about your purchases and possessions. You don't need to shove them in people's faces, but if you want to show off something you bought, do it in a respectable manner, and NEVER say how much you paid unless you are asked.

If you post about something, go into detail about what you like about it, what made you interested in it, and if there's a connection like it reminds you of a vacation or person in your life. Having an emotional connection to an item you own or wear implies there's sentimental value, not just dollar value.

People who understand quiet luxury are those who don't flaunt their wealth. They don't wear big designer logos or have to promote themselves. Most times they don't even appear to be wealthy (Steve Jobs is a perfect example). They recognize that their social value is based off their skills and relationships, not the amount of money in their bank account.

Being humble with your wealth doesn't mean you can't purchase nice things, but rather to do it in such a way that it doesn't look like you're trying hard to act like someone who is irresponsible with their money. Those who are of the quiet luxury type understand the value of investing their money and being smart when it comes to spending.

Summary

Flaunting your wealth isn't the best way to show others your value. Instead, focus on your skills, passions, and how you can add value to others' lives by building strong relationships and spending time with the people you love. It's OK to own nice things if you can afford them, but if your entire personality revolves around a dollar figure, it needs some serious rebuilding.

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