When it comes to the size a person’s ego, there are few places in the world where you can stoke the flames of an ego like Monte Carlo in Monaco.
From their world-famous casino to over-the-top exquisite hotels, restaurants, and the renowned Port Hercules with its proudly pretentious mega yachts, Monte Carlo screams ego with a cacophony of race cars and loud fashion.
It’s all in good fun, and along with its rich (no pun intended) cultural heritage and natural beauty, Monte Carlo is a fantastic travel destination. These finer points often get lost in the grandiosity of high-end sights here. Still, it’s legit a wonderful place to visit even above and beyond the luxurious amenities.
During my visit to Monte Carlo, like any psychologist I was quite content to sit back, relax, and do some people-watching. What I observed and learned led to the following thoughts on the Psychology of Monte Carlo. Well, perhaps more precisely, the psychology of a few wildly rich people in Monte Carlo.
How Expensive is Your Car?
While there, I couldn’t help but notice the intentional efforts towards enhancing the city’s luxury brand through subtle methods. For example, it’s impossible to miss the incredible lineups of parked luxury cars in front of various establishments like the Casino de Monte-Carlo.
What you don’t see in pictures however, is that these cars are shifted around constantly by valet drivers. They are clearly seeking to place the finest cars out front to the delight of insta-worthy snapshots.
By design, this reinforces a “confirmation bias” that literally every car in sight in Monte Carlo is oozing with luxurious opulence. If all we see are exquisite cars, it leads us to believe that every car here is a fabulously elite.
For most of us, owning a car that gets placed in front of these uber-luxurious locales is a far-fetched dream. Let’s take a peek at some of the psychology behind this unique culture that so heavily emphasizes wealth.
For example, how would you feel if you’re incredibly fancy (and expensive!) car, the one that all your friends talk about as outrageously awesome, gets pushed out of sight to the back parking lot when an even more extremely expensive car shows up? Big fish meet small pond.
You can see the ego’s rise like the rpm’s on an F1 supercar and sink like the Titanic with every fancy new car that surpasses the next.
How Big is Your Yacht?
The superyachts in the harbor perform a similar function. In this case, it’s the size of the yacht that inspires the ego. If my yacht is larger and grander than your yacht…I win. I’m “better”.
With the price tag inextricably linked to the size of the yacht, the not-so-subtle implication is that my wealth and power are greater than yours.
Artificial as it may be, this is quite a rush for many yacht owners. In fact, the act of simply obtaining a spot for your boat in this renowned and space-limited harbor is accomplishment enough for some.
Psychologically, these are examples of benchmarks. Comparisons. Value-judgments that tie into self-worth and self-esteem.
Is my extreme wealth as good as your extreme wealth? Does the attention I’m seeking with my wealth, whether consciously or subconsciously, deliver for me in this high-stakes landmark? In a place known for excess, can I measure up or maybe even top them all?
There’s a certain psychological danger involved here as well. When you compare your basketball skills to Michael Jordan in his prime, how likely are you to feel positively about yourself? Even if you are truly excellent at playing basketball, the negative comparison against an all-time great will constantly have you feeling less-than.
Similarly, even multi-millionaires will not compare favorably against the concentration of billionaires in Monte Carlo. Sorry, ego.
Does Money Equal Happiness?
Further, and I’m certainly not the first to have stated this, money doesn’t lead to happiness. So, why does it feel like it does at times?
Interestingly, Monte Carlos was not in the list of Top 10 Happiest Countries (;alksjd). If it is known to be the wealthiest, why not the happiest also?
From a cognitive psychology standpoint, the thing that primarily shapes are emotions is our thoughts. So, it’s our thoughts such as the meaning we make of a situation that actually determines our emotions, not the situation itself. The number of figures in your bank account doesn’t determine your happiness, which is why we don’t see a perfect correlation between wealth and happiness.
So, after basic needs are met (i.e., food, stable housing), a person’s amount of financial resources does not equal psychological wellness. For example, a millionaire can feel like a loser standing next to a billionaire because the “meaning” of that moment is that they have less of something (money) than they desire.
They’re still a millionaire, which for many people prompts the same type of comparison.
Have you ever thought, when I get “x” amount of money, then I’ll be happy? This simply isn’t how it works, and this cognitive psychology explains the “why”.
So if you ever find yourself in Monte Carlo and watch your incredible car get moved to the back parking lot and replaced by someone else’s incredible car, pause and take a breath. Be careful, or else your ego will get sent to the back lot as well.
Feel free to respond below with your thoughts and tips for fellow travelers!
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Happy Travels,
Dr. L
Founder, PsychologyOfTravel.com
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