VULGARITY OF WEALTH ?

I can see how the question might be a baffling one for an American. Let's just say that what constitutes good taste has not much to do with "reason". Going about in a Ferrari with 14 lbs of gold hanging off your sun-bed-tanned body may seem the heights of sophistication to some people,

it may make other people think you are a dick with a small weinie.

(And no, it's not because of jealousy).

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Interesting question.

Thank u; I try.

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I don't think it's so much the "possession" of wealth
but the "display" of wealth that can become vulgar.

I get that impression,
obliquely, contextually, by way of vague connotation,
never specific, well defined denotation.

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I'm not really sure why/when/how the line is crossed into vulgar;
I'll have to think on that.

I 'll look forward to it.
I am interested in your opinion.

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It could have something to do with the accumulation of things
just as things and not because they serve any specific function or interest in the person's life.

Some years ago,
Donald Trump had a well appointed, lavish new yacht anchored in NY Harbor.

It received much public attention and comment in the media.
A cartoon showed a character saying something like, approximately:
" Its not often that you see vulgarity displayed on such a scale. "
I wondered about the mental processes that generated that utterance.
I still wonder about it,
and I hope that my fellow citizens of this forum will explain it to me.

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I'll be reading along with interest.....

Me too.

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For many people there is an ascetic consideration to the display of wealth.

I see.
U raise a very interesting point, Vik.

Hedonist that I am,
that had not occurred to me.
Some folks believe in self-denial
and seeing the rejection of their ideal,
thay r offended ????

By complaining about said " vulgarity "
do thay imply, or assume, that we all shud, or that we all DO, accept
their ascetic philosophy of self-denial ?

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There is also an element of either pride, humility,
or non-chalance involved in any display of wealth.

Does that mean that thay believe in
a duty to be HUMBLE ?
and that thay r offended by the rejection of that duty
that is demonstrated in openly living in luxury ?

Like I remember one of my tenants
remarking: " Hay, David, u r taking pretty good care of yourself there "
referring to some of my hedonistic vacations.

Once, a complete stranger in midtown Manhattan
said to me: " U look like a million bucks " apparently referring to my attire,
as I passed him in the street.
I wonder whether that was a COMPLAINT.

A few years ago, at a social gathering,
a young lady ( who I 'd met about 3 minutes before ) told me that my financial investment
in my clothing ( a custom tailored vested suit ) cud have been donated to the poor.
I responded with something generally along the lines of:
" screw the poor; what good do thay do ME ? "

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My guess is that expensive items that show poor ascetic taste
combined with pride in said taste can be viewed as vulgar.

Does this tell us that the origin of the objection
( expressed in complaints of " vulgarity " )
is in the clash of 2 incompatible points of vu ?

A clash between hedonism and asceticism ?

David




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Some folks believe in self-denial
and seeing the rejection of their ideal,
thay r offended ????

Does that mean that thay believe in
a duty to be HUMBLE ?

A clash between hedonism and asceticism ?

A gratuitous display of wealth is vulgar in the same way as eating a feast in front of starving people is vulgar.
It points out quite clearly that you have no interest in the needs of others,
that you are not interested in anything but yourself.

That being said,
there is no reason why a wealthy person shouldn't look for high quality,
even luxury, in the things they purchase.
What's vulgar is flaunting wealth, not having it.