Does the way some people perceive our wealth influence their judgment? Josh Paler Lin says he’s talked with many homeless people who say they are treated differently than others. To see if this were true, Josh did his own social experiment. Josh dressed himself up as a homeless man and approached a fancy restaurant to see how he might be treated compared to when he was dressed up and appeared to be wealthy. Keep in mind. the time between Josh approaching each restaurant as being “homeless” as opposed to being “rich” was around an hour.
The results were a resounding, YES! At least with this restaurant. As a homeless man, he was spoken to in a different tone, one that clearly implied, “please go away now,” and then being turned away. This was true even when he told them he had money to pay for his meal!
As a “rich-looking” guy, complete with a Ferrari and cool shades, he was given a very different reaction. He asked the people who worked for the business that he had talked to earlier if they recognized him and yes, they did. Solely based on appearance, it appeared as if the restaurant was ready to cater to every wish or need, as long as he looked wealthy. If not, he may just as well have been a contagious disease of some kind.
He told at least one of the staff, “You really shouldn’t judge people by the what they look. The way you treat people makes me sick.” Josh lost his appetite and drove away without eating. We hope he got his appetite back and found a more suitable meal elsewhere.
