Many people have idly dreamt of all their money woes one day being magically solved by an unexpected inheritance.
But, the truth of the matter is that, oftentimes, receiving so much all at once, with no work involved, has not been a good thing for the person receiving it.
Think of the lottery winners who went bankrupt after hitting the jackpot, or even the stereotype of the spoiled offspring of privilege who couldn’t be bothered to do something useful with their lives, yet demand a life of luxury without any work (Hunter Biden, anyone?).
Well, one man seeking to buck that trend is legendary Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum, who, in a recent interview, revealed that he did not plan to financially support his children when they get older.
Speaking on the podcast “Table for Two” with Bruce Bozzi on Tuesday, Goldblum talked about his personal life as well as his acting career.
According to People magazine, Goldblum, 71, has two sons with his wife, Emilie Livingston: 8-year-old Charlie and 6-year-old River.
And, as he told Bozzi, he wanted them to be independent when they get older, saying that, “Hey, you know, you’ve got to row your own boat.”
Goldblum, who’s starred in such hits as “Independence Day,” “The Big Chill,” and “Jurassic Park,” expanded on this sentiment.
“You’ve got to figure out how to find out what’s wanted and needed and where that intersects with your love and passion and what you can do. And even if it doesn’t, you might have to do that anyway.”
Would you make a similar decision?
As of 2022, Goldblum had an estimated net worth of about $40 million, according to the website Celebrities Net Worth, which uses data from public sources, such as real estate records, as well as private tips.
Now, to be clear, Goldblum was clear that he would not throw his kids out on the street when they turned 18 and let them sink or swim.
He said explicitly that he “didn’t want to scare them,” but at the same time, “I’m not going to do it for you, and you’re not going to want me to do it for you.”
But, as the U.K.’s Independent noted, Goldblum was not alone in making this decision with regards to his children.
Among the celebrities who said they would not leave their children money (or at least not a significant amount of it) were celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey, actor Ashton Kutcher, actress Mila Kunis, and actress and singer Marie Osmond.
Osmond herself told the New York Post in January 2023 that, in giving children vasts amounts of money without earning it, they “don’t learn the joy of hard work, of picking themselves up when things don’t work. I believe, in general, that you rob children of the experience of figuring out who they are.”
Like many of his peers, Goldblum’s decision was likely prompted, not just by his own life experience, but from what he saw in his long years working in Hollywood.
Many children of actors and entertainers have crashed and burned simply because they were given vast fortunes they didn’t earn, yet felt entitled to.
People need to work to find purpose in their lives — without that purpose, too many have fallen into hedonism, debauchery, and all manner of debilitating substance addictions. (Again, Hunter Biden, anyone?)
So, while on first blush some might think Goldblum’s decision was cruel, it actually was more an act of tough love.
And if parents truly wants their children to succeed, they have to let them have a go of it on their own once they’re old enough.
Otherwise, they might coast through the rest of their lives instead of finding a purpose, surrounded by wealth but utterly poor in character.
