“But Look How They Living!” — Money, Status, and the Psychology of Looking Successful

Aug 30, 2026 Features / Columnists, News

(Kaieteur News) – Sometimes the most expensive thing a person owns is not the house, car, phone, jewellery, or outfit. It is the image they are trying to maintain. A person can be struggling to pay bills and still feel pressure to arrive at an event looking prosperous. Someone can borrow money for a celebration, finance things they cannot comfortably afford, or quietly measure their life against a friend who seems to be doing better. We may know almost nothing about another person’s finances, relationships, debt, or private struggles, yet one photograph can make us conclude: “But look how they living!”

Almost immediately, another question follows: “What am I doing wrong?” That reveals something important about human psychology. Success is rarely judged in isolation. We often decide how well we are doing by looking sideways.