The Importance of Keeping a Secret

Picture: The Class Journal

A second beneficial way in which we keep secrets is to reserve information that might influence others. The Ultimate Hard and Fast Rule of Old Money is that you don’t talk about your own money and you damn sure don’t talk about the money other people have, especially if they’re your friends. This is not only gauche in polite society, but it can influence the way you or other people might be treated.

That is to say, unfairly almost all the time. Many affluent people have been diligent in protecting their privacy and being discreet. A negligent or malicious slip of the tongue can bring the whole well-constructed wall crashing down. A young man is no longer seen for the interesting, well-read person he actually is, but rather, as the ‘trust fund baby’ who will someday inherit his family’s millions. The hardworking young lady learning the business from the ground up can be ‘outed’ as a ‘spoiled little rich girl’ and have her career plans dinted or derailed by petty office politics.

So who can blame Old Money Guys and Gals for being reserved in groups and slow to make friends? Unlike so many of today’s behaviors that can be rationalized, marginalized, or excused by saying that someone ‘misspoke’ or that their comment was ‘taken out of context’, keeping a secret is a black and white issue. There is no grey. Do or do not, said Confucius, there is no try.

Keeping a secret is a mark of character, the offspring of honesty, a reflection of honor.

So let’s hold up our end of the bargain when someone asks us to maintain a confidence. Let’s keep it, and our integrity, to ourselves and in tact.

About Byron Tully (right)

Grandson of a newspaper publisher and son of an oil industry executive, Byron Tully is an author who also writes for the entertainment industry. His nonfiction debut, "The Old Money Book," was published in April of 2013 to excellent reviews and enjoys consistently strong sales worldwide. His other works include "The Old Money Guide To Marriage", "Old Money, New Woman: How To Manage Your Money and Your Life", and "Old Money Style - The Gentleman's Edition".

Byron regularly contributes to its blog, www.theoldmoneybook.com, which has been visited by over 1 million readers since 2014.

In February of 2020, "Old Money Style - The Gentleman's Edition" was published by Acorn Street Press. This fourth book in the Old Money series reveals the fundamentals of dressing well in a classic and timeless style. In November of 2020, Byron published a 2nd Edition of "The Old Money Book", which expands on his original classic. This 2nd Edition includes vital information and insights for readers as they navigate a very different, post-pandemic world.

Byron speaks frequently about the culture and values of Old Money. He has been interviewed by KABC New York's Financial Quarterback Show, The Huffington Post, and The Simple Dollar, among others.

He lives in Paris and is happily married to an Old Money Gal from Boston.