The Cohens lectured out of both sides of their mouths when it came to money and respect.
On the one hand, they self-righteously “taught” us that all human beings were of value, regardless of their household income and relative wealth.
On the other hand, family members who were considered to not have a lot of money were looked down on. I remember making a Christmas list by cost, thinking this was the “right” thing to do for the benefit of aunts and uncles who were supposedly “poor” or “low income”.
What gall, what presumption!
I think that’s why I’m hyper-sensitive about our lifestyle, which is by most standards a good one, but by no means as lavish as most of the extended “family”. We can pay our bills. We don’t get hounded by creditors. We can afford to visit our friends, give birthday and holiday presents to our grands, eat healthily and even enjoy an occasional treat.
It occurred to me this morning that the Cohens’ siblings had retirement plans and/or investments and lived very comfortably, making the formers’ snotty, over-competitive attitude especially astonishing.