Jamie Johnson

There's an unspoken rule in affluent circles that suggests you can always define an individual's status by measuring his or her proximity to the most influential person in the room. And as the maxim goes, closer is always better.

I think that if I were in a satisfying marriage, I would probably choose monogamy, but I wouldn't want that to be a requirement.

The worst thing you can do in a relationship, and what's really unattractive about it, is that people begin to limit each other.

I've always found that I personally love to observe things, and I'm good at observing things.

In affluent communities, where each member is keenly aware of his or her place within the Byzantine order, attracting the right friends is a blood sport. Chumming up to influential figures who are in a position to help can determine the course of an entire life.

Ironically, for the mega-rich, recession brings with it the ability to live well at a lower cost and with less of a hassle.

When vastly wealthy people say, 'I'm not leaving my kids any money,' it's typically not true.

For rich children, it'd be very easy and convenient never to take any steps to build an identity outside of your association with your family's wealth.

Personally, I can't see the appeal in trekking down to D.C. for a networking extravaganza, even if it is built around a special moment in American history. While I find the election of Barack Obama inspirational, I don't have a desire to memorialize it with overly effusive celebration.

I remember I was in grade school, the fourth grade, in a free reading period in the library. Someone in my class found a copy of the Forbes 400, a list of the richest people in America, and my dad's name was on it.

I think people who don't work don't really have interesting and meaningful lives. More than anything, it hurts them. When you're born rich, people just associate you with what you've been given, but the truth is every individual feels better when you create something on your own. Everyone takes pride in the work they do.

Contrary to common assumption, many of the wealthiest Americans aren't worried about the weakening economy at all. They are actually excited about it.