I grew up in a rich neighborhood and these are the secrets of the wealthy
A woman who shot to online fame when she candidly revealed the secrets of the uber rich has shed yet more light on wealth and status.
Madison Van Doren, originally from Massachusetts, previously delighted TikTok by exposing the 'weird' rules about money and reputation that were ingrained in her from a young age.
She has now spoken to FEMAIL about her upbringing and revealed how 'wealth does strange things to people.'
The social media star, 26, said she now wants to expose the 'flawed culture' of wealth, adding that she 'can't understand people aspiring to be a part of [it].'
Madison Van Doren, originally from Massachusetts, previously delighted TikTok by exposing the 'weird' rules about money and reputation that were ingrained in her from a young age
Her parents divorced before she started elementary school and she then split her time between her mom's house in Colorado and her father's in London
Speaking to FEMAIL, Madison said that her family has been in the United States since the 1600s.
She said: 'I come from a long line of successful people and I'm proud of that. They helped build this incredible country and I'm honored to share their name.'
But, after her parents divorced before she started elementary school, she then split her time between her mom's house in Colorado and her father's in London.
Delving further into her upbringing, she said: 'Growing up, we never talked about money. Everything I know about my family's status I pieced together on my own over the years.
'If we were rich, I didn't know about it. That's the funny thing about "old money," the older the family, the more time you have to lose it. In a culture that deems it rude to discuss finances, it's impossible to know.
'When I was a kid, our friends and neighbors had so much more than us that I honestly thought we were poor... We could have pennies or millions and I would have no idea.'
At age 10, Madison secured an academic scholarship and left home to attend the same English boarding school as her mother.
She said: 'Sure, I flew first class on occasion, but my roommates flew private. I skied in Vail but they skied in Gstaad. It wasn't until college that I realized not everyone can afford to ski.
At age 10, Madison secured an academic scholarship and left home to attend the same English boarding school as her mother
The now 26-year-old (pictured as a child) said: 'That's the funny thing about "old money," the older the family, the more time you have to lose it'
Madison has garnered a loyal legion of fans on Instagram and TikTok by sharing her candid insights - but admits that this is a far cry from what she grew up with
'A common misconception about wealth in this country is that it's black and white. People act like you're either poor or have a trust fund. That's just not the case.
'The difference between a millionaire and a billionaire is far greater than the gap between minimum wage and a six-figure salary. My family fell somewhere in between. We weren't low income and we weren't "never work again" rich.'
Madison has garnered a loyal legion of fans on Instagram and TikTok by sharing her candid insights - but admits that this is a far cry from what she grew up with.
'I was raised in a very private culture. The work I do now is the antithesis of how I was raised. Social media and public engagement of any kind was frowned upon.
'Even within the family, we rarely talk about "unpleasant" things. Manners and decorum were paramount.'
She added: 'I attended cotillion, I learned to waltz, to set a table. In retrospect, I was trained to be a good wife to a powerful man. But I saw firsthand the dangers of depending on men for money.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Madison (pictured as a child) said that her family has been in the United States since the 1600s
She has now spoken further about her upbringing and revealed how 'wealth does strange things to people'
The social media star said she now wants to expose the 'flawed culture' of wealth, adding that she 'can't understand people aspiring to be a part of [it]'
'I swore that would never be me. I've been financially independent since college and fought to build a successful career for myself. I work hard everyday to create a life I can be proud of and hope to someday share that with a family of my own.'
Asked about her motivation for creating the now infamous videos, she told FEMAIL: 'I was inspired to make my videos after seeing the blatantly false information that was trending around "old money" on TikTok.
'I wanted to point out the absurdity of idolizing the wealthy, and unfortunately many of my viewers have misunderstood that. People treated my videos as instructional and aspirational which is the opposite of what I wanted.
'I love my family and where I came from. But I can't understand people aspiring to be a part of my culture any more than it makes sense to dream of being born Chinese. We have no control over the family we're born into.'
Madison concluded: 'Wealth does strange things to people. I've known people in their 20s who can't use a dishwasher. I've met middle-aged adults who threw tantrums worse than most toddlers.
'Too many women allow themselves to be bought by wealthy men who treat them poorly. People excuse bad behavior in exchange for money and financial security.
'It's not aspirational. It's a flawed culture with pros and cons like any other. Seeing it misrepresented online inspired me to share my own experiences.'
Source: Daily Mail
