Why I'm Obsessed With Rich People Problems
And finally a little news about my next book
If you only clicked for news about Glam Fam book #3, feel free to scroll to the end of this essay, but for the rest of y’all, I hope you’re comfy and ready to strap into my latest rant.
Because I have been stewing on the topic of Rich People Problems™ for a long time, and I’m finally ready to talk about it.
My Watch Party for Rich People Problems
For eight weeks, my friends and I are hosting a watch party every Sunday for season 3 of The White Lotus, an HBO original show that perfectly encapsulates what I call Rich People Problems.
This prestige drama features an ensemble cast at a luxury resort in a major tourist destination. This season takes place in Thailand, filmed at the Four Seasons Koh Samui, which will set you back about $2,000 per night.
The premise of The White Lotus is the same each season. A murder is teased, but you don’t know who was killed or who did the killing. Then, the show plays out the events leading up to the crime, depicting each character’s motivations.
What’s fun is nearly everyone is a rich asshole, and since they’re all corrupt or corruptable in some way, they make great suspects that keep you intrigued.
Season 3 features a financier being investigated for money laundering, older men with sugar-baby girlfriends, and three catty middle-aged frenemies. They’re in Thailand to unplug and destress at this wellness mecca, but their problems have only just begun.
So why am I thoroughly engrossed by the obscenely wealthy in media when I live in a world where billionaires deserve to be taken out by Luigi Mangione?
Let’s break it down into three parts: The Rich, The People, and The Problems.
1. The Rich Are Fascinating
Looking back on my tastes, it seems obvious now, but it took me a while to realize that all my favorite media are about the wealthy:
Books: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, Preferential Treatment by Heather Guerre, It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
TV Shows: Succession, Rivals, Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, Big Little Lies, Bridgerton, My Lady Jane, House of the Dragon
Movies: Crazy Rich Asians, The Great Gatsby, The Social Network, Shakespeare in Love, The Princess Bride, Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, The Wolf of Wall Street, Knives Out
Not to mention, every story about dukes, vampires, or the fae is inherently about wealth too. You can’t talk about bloodlines without talking money along the way.
Fiction is ultimately about wish fulfillment, and the rich are perfect vessels for this: their clothes are prettier, their homes are bigger, their vacations are more lavish. They don’t have to work, do chores, or deal with drudgery of any kind.
When you don’t have to worry about making rent or filling up the gas tank, you are free to live it up however you want. This escapism is addicting because the audience becomes the voyeur, getting a front-row seat to a world they don’t have access to.
That doesn’t mean that media about the working class can’t be entertaining. Sitcoms like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation excel at winning over viewers with relatable, regular people you can root for.
But as romance author Sarah MacLean teaches in her workshop, The Art of Conflict, wealth is power. And the power dynamic between the rich and working class is a surefire way to build tension and conflict in any story.
Why do I like watching the rich? In the words of Tom Wambsgans from Succession, “It’s like being a superhero, only better.”
2. The People Are Miserable
Of course, the best part about watching the rise and fall of rich people is the inevitable fall.
Whether it’s devolving into debauchery, skirting the law, or being crushed under the weight of their own egos, the schadenfreude is so much sweeter when the rich are at risk of losing everything.
Even in the quiet moments when they should be enjoying the fruits of their non-labor, they can’t. If I were staying at The White Lotus, I’d be guzzling cocktails and getting pampered, a perma-smile on my face.
But the show’s cast of characters is too preoccupied with being passive-aggressive and committing white-collar crimes to achieve their moment of zen.
Money can bring financial freedom, but it doesn’t magically make your insecurities and anxieties disappear. And that’s a comforting thought for the rest of us normies.
3. The Problems Are Ridiculous
When I asked my friends and followers why they’re obsessed with Rich People Problems, fellow romance author Kel Bruem put it best:
“Omg I love rich people problems because they feel low stakes compared to real life. Oh no, there’s no cell service at your $1000/night resort? Your wife only kind of likes you? The gays are trying to murder you? Tell me more, babe, let me slip into your non-issues for an hour so I can forget my own tax bracket.”
This is oh-so-true. Wealth makes the stakes of these stories seem higher, but the problems are all of the characters’ own making.
The reason why the concepts of “gilded cages” and “golden handcuffs” exist is because their problems don’t have devastating consequences. Because of their immense privilege, the rich can walk away at any time.
Jordan Belfort can stop taking quaaludes and committing fraud. Carrie Bradshaw can dump Mr. Big and stop treating men like Aidan like garbage. And the Roy siblings can stop working so damn hard to impress a father who doesn’t even like them.
But they’re not serious people. So they won’t. And I eat that shit up every single time.
Everybody Loves a Redemption Arc
It’s popular right now to hate on billionaires (understandably so!). But the reason why I love millionaire and billionaire romance is because the redemption arc is satisfying AF.
Heather Guerre’s Preferential Treatment is one of my favorite books of all time. In it, tech billionaire Mikhail starts off selfish and singularly focused on maintaining his empire. Then he meets Kate, who gets him to submit to her and become a better person, donating mass sums and giving employees ownership of his company.
Similarly, in the show Rivals, Rupert Campbell-Black is a pompous prick who screws every woman in sight—until he falls for Taggie, the 20-year-old daughter of his arch-nemesis. By the end of the season, this playboy is spilling lines like this:
Am I a sucker for the “I can fix him” trope? You betcha. In real life, we must suffer utter losers like Elon and Zuck, but in romance, we get men who are financially secure AND emotionally available. A winning combo, if I’ve ever seen one.
So what say you? Do you go wild for Rich People Problems, or would you rather sentence all these people to the guillotine? I’d love to hear whether you prefer stories about the wealthy or working class, and why, so please leave a comment below!
Speaking of Redemption Arcs…
It makes sense that I love to write about the wealthy as much as I love to read and watch them. My Glam Fam series of romantic comedies stars a billionaire heiress and her entourage of friends.
In Love Apptually, celebrity stylist Casey Holbright gives a tech CEO a makeover whether he likes it or not.
In Love on the Rocks, bougie marketing exec Tania Beecher learns how to appreciate the great outdoors while on sabbatical in Yosemite.
And now, I’m excited to announce Glam Fam #3…drumroll please…
Love and Paklava is an Armenian bakery romance set in my hometown of Fresno that features my most unlikable female character yet: nail artist and jazz musician Tori Townsend.
Tori spent her entire life pulling herself out of poverty and pushing people away before they could disappoint her.
Hunky chef Vahe Derderian is here to tear down her emotional walls through the power of—you guessed it—love and paklava (that’s Armenian baklava for those not in the know).
Here’s what you can expect:
☯️ opposites attract
🏙️ anti-small town romance
💵 let’s make a bet
😤 she’s the grump
🇦🇲 so much Armenian food
😈 “f*ck it”
While I don’t have an exact release date or preorder info available yet, I am aiming to publish Love and Paklava this June. Stay tuned for more details soon, and follow me on Instagram for fun teasers and tidbits.
Your Moment of Sunshine ☀️
Every month, I share the things I loved most to bring a ray of warmth wherever you are.
(Note: All links, where available, lead to Bookshop.org. If you make a purchase, you’ll support local, independent bookstores, and I’ll earn a small commission as an affiliate. It’s a win-win!)
Reading 📖
A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
I’ll always be partial to other Alyssas, and Alyssa Cole has been on my TBR for a while now. I finally cracked open the first installment in her Reluctant Royals series, A Princess in Theory, and fell in love immediately.
As someone who grew up on Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries, I adore a royal romance (not surprisingly, given my obsession with rich people problems, as seen above).
This was a delightful love story between a STEM researcher and a secret African prince. It was witty and fun, while challenging white American notions of what a “developed” nation is supposed to look like. Whether you’re new to the romance genre or a longtime fan, everyone needs to jump on this book’s bandwagon.
Watching 🍿
Severance on Apple TV+
Like most people with taste, I ranked Severance as my number-one watch in 2022 and have been impatiently waiting on pins and needles ever since.
Now that we’re halfway through season 2, I am cautiously optimistic. Each episode is intense, and I’m glad they’re released weekly to space out my anxiety-ridden viewing experience.
But my biggest fear is that it will pull a Lost and refuse to answer any questions until viewers are too frustrated to care. What is Lumon up to, and what the hell is with the goats? I swear if this turns into a polar bear situation, I will riot.
Until then, I will continue to be on the edge of my seat, hoping for a plot twist that rivals season 1’s finale. Fingers crossed!
Listening 🎧
“Hostile Government Takeover (EDM Remix)”
Now that Trump is president again and every news headline dares to send me into cardiac arrest, I find myself doomscrolling, desperate for a dopamine hit.
On a few rare occasions, I feel lucky to be so chronically online, which is what happened when John Oliver featured my latest favorite earworm from TikTok.
The full “Hostile Government Takeover” song is now available on Spotify, and if you haven’t heard it already, you need to. I will be playing it on repeat for the next four years or until our democracy collapses, whichever comes sooner.
What else should I be reading, watching, and listening to? Leave your recommendations in the comments!
Fun read! I love many of the films and shows you mentioned...can't wait for White Lotus S3 (though I am making my husband and myself wait, so we have more than 2 episodes at our disposal). Love that you're doing weekly viewing parties! 🎉
"But the show’s cast of characters is too preoccupied with being passive-aggressive and committing white-collar crimes to achieve their moment of zen." Literally this.
Also: Hostile Government Takeover is the ear worm that will not quit. And I'm not mad at it!
So good, as always, Alyssa!