you are not a billioniare. You are a reasonably successsful person with less fortunate family members. Your situation does not really apply to the LW's dilemma. He doesn't really want to sponge off his cousin, he wants advice on how to manage his feelings about having a close relative that wealthy. His feelings are quite natural, BTW.

But look at you, yellow cat, inflating your scrawny chest and all stuck up about the value of your "advice". This is what I mean about people feeling that money gives them some kind of self importance. Well, I'll tell you something--ever hear that "words are cheap"? I'm pretty sure there's not much you can tell your family that they don't already know. People KNOW that to be solvent they must get a decent job and keep it, save instead of spend, etc. etc.--what pearls of wisdom beyond that do you think you have to offer? People choose not to make those financially wise decisions for all kinds of complex reasons, including low intensity mental illness (something that I really see a lot).

On the other hand, if your family were to write in about you, we might see another side of the coin.

And yeah, on my mother's side of the family we have a number of alcoholic spongers who can't keep a job, etc. Saying no to them is a necessary life skill in setting boundaries. I'm not saying you are wrong to refuse your sister money. But your saying you'd be all over her to help her if she would only suck up to you more is very creepy.

But Cary's right: the rich do like that. Very much.

So sure, LW, suck up to your billionaire cousin and see how far it gets you. Think that cousin billy hasn't had that pulled on him already? But maybe if he thinks it funny or you give him some kind of gratification, he'll let you in through the servant's entrance once a month or something. Just don't expect too much.

Yeah, Paris Hilton earned her money...yeah, right!

To all you jokers who think filthy, filthy rich people have earned their money--WHO are you kidding? The rich people I know all work less than anybody else I've ever encountered, and they are arrogant and insufferable as a class. They have been either lucky/fortunate/well placed or born with it. A few are clever in a shifty sort of way. Nobody can EARN billions of dollars--nobody's labor is worth that much. Yes, the rich think they deserve it--but they are really not any better than anyone else.

None of them are the kind of people who will give anyone anything. As they say, "I didn't get rich by giving it all away". Money defines their existence and self worth and they are protective of it.

So forget the route of asking from the rich. The only way to get a share is the honest way--vote for politicians who will tax the fat cats very, very heavily in order to pay for a generous social net. Elect legislators who will create business laws and strong unions that make it harder for billioniares to come into being in the first place--since the only way you get to be a billioniare is if you undercut and underpay and outsource your work force. We can make it more difficult for them to do that. So there won't be billionaires any more. Boo hoo. Who cares?

Also, the whole society needs to stop worshipping money, since the status of money is what gives insecure, narcissistic people the drive to get rich in the first place. One man here told the story of his uncle, who was obviously an amoral sociopath. That's typical. A French novelist wrote, "Behind every fortune is a crime, and behind every great fortune is a great crime". That's usually true.

So instead of putting them up on a pedestal, let's forget the meme that says "they earned and deserve it"--no, they didn't, nobody can. Let's use these people for what they're good for--their money. High taxes, Scandinavian economics. It works, and there are still plenty of rich Nordic Europeans flying here to where I live to trawl for sex with little Asian girls. They fly first class, stay in good hotels, drink great whiskey, tip their little "Pink Orchid" slave-for-hire well. They've still got all the money anyone can use. So don't fear. We can tax your uncle and he'll still have enough dough to feed his ego with other people's slavishness and jealousy.

Oh, and don't ask him for money tips. It's quite possible he hasn't got any of value (you might be better off asking some of his phalanx of lawyers, portfolio managers, and investment employees. You don't think he knows himself what goes on, do you?). Also this would feed his sense of self-importance, which he's surely got plenty of already. And he still won't give you any money.

over a long period of time on this issue. She then took a simple mistake to heart as some kind of personal affront (being given a picture of Wooten to sign). She was told repeatedly that the case was closed against Wooten, and she kept after it and kept after it.

That's not even vindictive behavior. That's deranged.

Everything that we learn about this family seems to indicate they are sociopathic. Let's not put them into the white house, pretty please?