Because god knows the rich folks can't have their delicate psyche disturbed by the intrusion of reality. Yes, I know you have a business to run. I also know that if people are allowed to isolate themselves from uncomfortable realities, those realities are likely to continue.
This is overly condescending of rich folks. The "I wasn't looking for a real, detailed answer to _how are you_" is a common thing in the US. It's a pleasantry, and (for people you aren't close to), most people don't expect a detailed answer. It is in NO way unique to rich, poor, or any other segment of society in the US.
Some people have thin skin and sometimes its tiring to work around it. I wish i could be more open about my "this and that is in shambles but i'll have managed it next week" without people getting uncomfortable.
It's more than that. The reality is what what the rich person is doing is wrong (taking advantage of people's desperation, as an opportunity to underpay for labor), but they can't handle facing it.
I'm currently arranging for a cleaning company to come in and scrub my mothers house down and I'll also be paying them what they ask.
In addition, I've been paying the same husband and wife to clean my house for something like 5 years now. How did I find them? I paid a company for a cleaning then offered the woman who showed up to cut said company out. They make more, I pay less.
5 years later and I've been completely happy with the arrangement, but I recently moved so will have to find someone else.
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I pay what I'm charged. If you want to blame someone for these workers not being paid enough, blame the companies employing them.
