this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2024
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I know everyone’s general focus is on the cost of the thing and how ridiculous it seems, completely ignoring that it’s a Scotch that was aged longer than the overwhelming majority of us—me included—have been alive, and that there are some people for whom that taste is very much worth it.
Me, I’ve wrangled with exactly how you’re meant to pay for the thing and walk out the door with it. Am I bringing $27K—plus tax—worth of cash—three straps of hundos?—to Costco and having the cashier count it? Do I get pulled into the manager’s office instead? Or, do I put this on my Costco Citi Visa? Will they decline it, even if I have the credit limit? Can I sub in another Visa, since that’s all they take? Do I get walked out the door, or do I get a receipt for the checker to sharpie a line through?
If you have to ask you can’t afford it.
People buying 30k bottles of wine are generally the kinds of people that don’t have a “credit limit” like we’re used to. They probably also have people that go get that wine for them, and likely pay by credit card or check.
They also seem unlikely to shop at Costco
The very wealthy do shop at warehouse clubs, Walmart, etc. You won't see them being walking advertisements for clothing lines, either. They do buy quality clothing, but they aren't overtly branded, unless they're casual, work or sports clothing. They may drive nice cars, many will own a regular 90s model Pontiac or something. They also don't plan their money for years, rather in centuries. There's a difference in behavior and attitude between old money and nuveau riche, as well.
They like to push this narrative but based on the global yacht and luxury real estate I am not buying it.
Sure there are some high netwoth individuals who live like this esp under 100m type. But people over that live lavishly and they don't hide it really.
And they all seem to go to diddy and Epstein parties on top of it ...
I think there are kind of two different groups that get conflated, actually: the wealthy, and the "professionally wealthy." The wealthy are often discrete and not showy, but the "professional wealthy" are those whose wealth or fame itself is central to their empire, even if not as directly as the influencer wealthy. But these are the Kardashians and the socialites and tech bros, all of those who serve as sort of aspirational versions of wealth. There is no shortage of them, no doubt, and I'm sure even the quietly wealthy have a lavish indulgence or two (a yacht being very likely), but based on my experience I really think there are sort two clear and distinct communities of wealth.
Regime whores are deff more flashy but it ain't like "titans of the industry" don't party with them.
I guess there is definitely a differences there tho since celebs went to p diddy's party's while the owner political class went to Epstein parties. So there is clearly two camps.
Yeah to be clear, if it sounded like anything I said was meant as absolution, it was not. Regardless of which camp they fall into or how they display their wealth, it is impossible, to the best of my reasoned understanding, to acquire mass wealth ethically. I assume all of the ultra-wealthy are morally compromised in some capacity or another until proven otherwise.
The very wealthy are also petulant little pigs who clad themselves in designer clothing, diamonds, and gold. Who literally clutch pearls and hiss at minorities. Who support genocides and drive drunk on public roads after their racist little evening gatherings.
Let’s stop pretending these ghouls are valid human beings. Entire Royal families have been terminated for having less relative wealth to the workers than todays ruling class.
They are human beings, these are human behaviors, and it's not "no true human would..." Of course they would, and easily, too. My only point was to highlight differences in our concepts of wealth, and theirs.
Indeed.