They make money easily and their expectations are high.

I have known many Americans who, in my opinion, were wealthy people, but they themselves did not think so; in fact, they said they were poor.
Once I asked a gentleman, who was known to be worth half a million of gold dollars, whether it was not time for him to retire.

He pooh-poohed the idea and said that he could not afford to give up his work.

In reply to my inquiries he informed me that he would not call a man wealthy unless he should be possessed of one or two millions of dollars.

With such extravagant ideas, it is no wonder that Americans work so hard.