I vehemently deny that I was born a cynic and a pessimist.
I was brought up in an era when thrift was still considered a virtue.
Governments, of course, can - and do - soak the rich.
Going to work for a large company is like getting on a train. Are you going sixty miles an hour or is the train going sixty miles an hour and you're just sitting still?
The rich are not born sceptical or cynical. They are made that way by events, circumstances.
If you can actually count your money, then you're not a rich man.