Sunday, November 21, 2004
Conspicuous consumption
In New York City, you can now spend $800 for a haircut. According to Mr. Orlando Pita, the hairdresser who charges this price, it isn't about value:
Apparently Mr. Pita sells his services to the likes of Jennifer Connelly, Naomi Campbell and Kirsten Dunst. Didn't Mr. Pita just call them stupid?
Cheek-by-jowl with people who spend their money so wastefully and, therefore, arrogantly, is it surprising that so many New Yorkers begrudge the Bush Administration's income tax cuts?
The creation and accumulation of wealth is noble, and we should not tax it excessively. The wasting of that wealth or its display in pursuit of one-upmanship is deplorable. Frankly, Mr. Pita's customers should be ashamed of themselves.
"Your hair is one of the first things people notice about you," he said. "You can spend a lot on clothes, but you wear your hair every day. The luxury market is not about needs, or 'Is it worth it?' It's about 'What can I spend?'
Apparently Mr. Pita sells his services to the likes of Jennifer Connelly, Naomi Campbell and Kirsten Dunst. Didn't Mr. Pita just call them stupid?
Cheek-by-jowl with people who spend their money so wastefully and, therefore, arrogantly, is it surprising that so many New Yorkers begrudge the Bush Administration's income tax cuts?
The creation and accumulation of wealth is noble, and we should not tax it excessively. The wasting of that wealth or its display in pursuit of one-upmanship is deplorable. Frankly, Mr. Pita's customers should be ashamed of themselves.
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