Another wrinkle of this consumerism came to me during a conversation with my brother-in-law, who along with his wife garnered a very wealthy lifestyle. They worked very hard to live in a huge and beautiful home. They owned several businesses and struggled against the restrains of business regulations, taxes, and market flux. He loved Corvettes, so spent his life restoring them until he'd collected over two dozen of them all packaged in boxes that stacked up along the hill behind their house. He always won Corvette competitions and finally became a judge. And his kids grew up with this attitude of always striving for more to impress their parents.Every thing and everyone had a dollar value attached.
It was a huge shock to learn from his wife that she always felt like the country bumpkin when visiting her sister, whose wealth was an even more spectacular display. Years before that, she told me she couldn't get out of bed unless she knew she could make a buck that day. It's always mystified me. I asked him why they needed so much. When would they ever have enough? His answer blew me away. For him anyway, it was about the freedom to buy whatever he wanted. He loved those cars and immersed his life into them. I think his wife had the need to be in control. It was all about having control over their lives rather than kwotowing to the restraints placed upon them. Wealth is freedom to them. Fascinating, isn't it?
Hi Sue, the story you tell is really interesting. I have thought about it before. Indeed, wealth implies freedom, the problem I see is that the more time you spend working to accumulate that wealth, the less time you have left to enjoy that wealth. That is why you have to find an appropriate balance between accumulating the capacity to live and enjoying that capacity to live.
In my opinion, the limit is to lead an adequate standard of living and allow yourself some indulgence, beyond that, I think that having more money practically does not influence you to be happier. That is my perception.
Absolutely true. I've often wondered if my SIL truly enjoys her wealth; although she DOES get off on the mental puzzles that come along to accumulate it. Her husband is the one who seems to enjoys it more. His "hobby" has become his joy in life.
This article takes our discussion of social consumerism way off the charts. Peruse at your leisure ... and pleasure. AND be sure to watch the 8:30 minute tour of this place. It will absolutely knock your socks off. (8 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms???, that's just for starters.) I'm trying to think of whoever in Hollyweird has the sustained wealth as well as the 500 close personal friends to populate this house.
If this doesn't move you to maniacal laughter, well, I just don't know what to say.
Another wrinkle of this consumerism came to me during a conversation with my brother-in-law, who along with his wife garnered a very wealthy lifestyle. They worked very hard to live in a huge and beautiful home. They owned several businesses and struggled against the restrains of business regulations, taxes, and market flux. He loved Corvettes, so spent his life restoring them until he'd collected over two dozen of them all packaged in boxes that stacked up along the hill behind their house. He always won Corvette competitions and finally became a judge. And his kids grew up with this attitude of always striving for more to impress their parents.Every thing and everyone had a dollar value attached.
It was a huge shock to learn from his wife that she always felt like the country bumpkin when visiting her sister, whose wealth was an even more spectacular display. Years before that, she told me she couldn't get out of bed unless she knew she could make a buck that day. It's always mystified me. I asked him why they needed so much. When would they ever have enough? His answer blew me away. For him anyway, it was about the freedom to buy whatever he wanted. He loved those cars and immersed his life into them. I think his wife had the need to be in control. It was all about having control over their lives rather than kwotowing to the restraints placed upon them. Wealth is freedom to them. Fascinating, isn't it?
Hi Sue, the story you tell is really interesting. I have thought about it before. Indeed, wealth implies freedom, the problem I see is that the more time you spend working to accumulate that wealth, the less time you have left to enjoy that wealth. That is why you have to find an appropriate balance between accumulating the capacity to live and enjoying that capacity to live.
In my opinion, the limit is to lead an adequate standard of living and allow yourself some indulgence, beyond that, I think that having more money practically does not influence you to be happier. That is my perception.
Absolutely true. I've often wondered if my SIL truly enjoys her wealth; although she DOES get off on the mental puzzles that come along to accumulate it. Her husband is the one who seems to enjoys it more. His "hobby" has become his joy in life.
Oh Alvaro, I just received this post on Zillow Gone Wild, a substack page you'd probably get a kick out of.
https://zillowgonewild.beehiiv.com/p/vila-siena-bel-air?_bhlid=7675f0f68412325ae069927df73355c10e062d56&utm_campaign=177-million-bel-air-mega-mansion-known-as-vila-siena-is-mega-wild&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=zillowgonewild.beehiiv.com
This article takes our discussion of social consumerism way off the charts. Peruse at your leisure ... and pleasure. AND be sure to watch the 8:30 minute tour of this place. It will absolutely knock your socks off. (8 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms???, that's just for starters.) I'm trying to think of whoever in Hollyweird has the sustained wealth as well as the 500 close personal friends to populate this house.
If this doesn't move you to maniacal laughter, well, I just don't know what to say.