A note and a query by Maynard
Last month I pointed out an extremely expensive watch listed on Amazon.com. I figured it must be the epitome of decadence.
Silly me. Here’s a million-dollar watch, generously marked down to a mere $499,000. And that price includes FREE Super Saver Shipping!
I have mixed feelings about this stuff. On one hand, it seems to me that there is something deeply deranged about any person, even a billionaire, who would sink so much wealth into a silly bauble. But I respect private property, so my comment is purely personal. I’m in no way suggesting that people should be forcibly prevented from spending their money on nonsense. And perhaps the world is a little richer because of the creation of a few superlative knickknacks here and there. Maybe the urge to acquire this sort of junk is inextricably conjoined with whatever drives us to build the Sistine Chapel, and you can’t rein in the former without neutralizing the latter.
I dunno. Do you?
An interesting question, but I’m still not sure I’d grant that connection between (drumroll please) High Art and these trifle trillionaire trinkets like the Mother Of All Watches on Amazon. After all, Michelangelo didn’t paint pictures of the Timexes and (God forbid) color-coded Swatches on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, did he? Thank goodness for that, it would led to all sorts of theological and philosophical complications that I frankly don’t have time for. Pun intended.
“Maybe the urge to acquire this sort of junk is inextricably conjoined with whatever drives us to build the Sistine Chapel, and you can’t rein in the former without neutralizing the latter.”
I agree with you, Maynard, and not because I’m under the mistaked impression that you are talking about watches here. It is the freedom of expression, made possible by the freedom of our economic system, that makes this watch possible, along with better and cheaper computers and other electronic goodies every few months. They are, as you say, inextricable from the human spirit.
Excuse me. That should be “…mistaken impression…”
It used to be said that cocaine was nature’s way of telling you that you made too much money. Now, since cocaine is illegal, we have watches. B-)
Did you guys read the reviews for this item? Some of them are hilarious! :o)
And inside, a $75 quartz movement. LAME! If you’re going spend that much on a watch, spend it on the WATCH, not the jewelry on it.
Almost a year away from retail and I definitely still Audemars Piguet.
The funniest part Maynard is what’s below this listing:
What do customers ultimately buy after viewing *this* item?
66% buy
Swiss Army Ranger Pocket Knife (Red)
$29.99
12% buy
Wenger Lugano 16- by 10-Foot Two-Room Eight-Person Family Tent with Canopy
$149.99
9% buy
Kensington 33169 Digital FM Radio and Transmitter for iPods
$39.99
6% buy
WowWee Roboreptile Robotic Reptile
$35.99
Bawahahahahah—66%, after spending a half million dollars buy a Swiss Army Ranger Pocket Knife $29.95 cause that’s all they got left and now they want to kill themselves!!! The other items are as funny. Sound like street people now.