People born into massive family fortunes go down 2 different paths, says a Disney heiress who has donated $70 million over the past 30 years
- People born into wealth can go one of two ways, Disney heiress Abigail Disney told The Cut.
- They either spend money all the time and seek attention - "the Kim Kardashian West route," Disney said.
- Alternatively, they do the opposite and try to hide their wealth, Disney said.
There are two different paths those born into extreme wealth end up taking, Abigail Disney recently told The Cut.
Granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, cofounder of The Walt Disney Company, Abigail is an heiress to the Disney fortune. While she stayed mum on the exact size of her inheritance, she told The Cut that she could be a billionaire if she wanted and that she's donated more than $70 million since turning 21.
"I think that people who grow up in this kind of life go one of two ways," Disney said. "They either go the Kim Kardashian route, which is spending, spending, spending, completely absorbing the idea that, 'Yes, you are that special,' and wanting everyone to look at you."
She continued: "Or, and I know a lot of people who've gone this way - especially my women friends - you do the opposite. I wore shitty clothes around. I didn't want anyone to know what I had. I spent most of my 20s in graduate school, and graduate school is where people shame you for having money. I was embarrassed by it. I didn't want anyone to know."
She went on to say that her kids are somewhat the same way as she was, wanting to support themselves and not let anyone know their background.
It's not hard to find differences in how those who inherited money choose to display their wealth.
Just look at the "Rich Kids of Instagram," now known as "Rich Kids of the Internet," a group of millennial influencers who are known for flaunting their wealthy lifestyles on social media. They've shown off everything from beach vacations in Malaysia to their private jets and yachting trips around Monte Carlo.
It's a stark contrast to Warren Buffett's three kids, to whom Buffett only plans to leave a small fraction of his $84-plus billion fortune. Like their father, they don't flash their riches: They were raised to find their own place in the world, and all three are philanthropists.