Obscene Consumption

[DADoES]

Caught part of a show on HGTV, something about high-priced homes for sale. One of the houses somewhere in CA, owned by an anonymous software mogul, is priced at 75 million. Has a chandelier that itself cost $800,000. Isn't that to be considered obscene? Who could possibly need a light fixture costing $800,000? Think what that money could do for world hunger! I was bordering on embarrassed to pay what I did for my house, and it's nowhere NEAR that much.

 

[gansky1]

I think I saw that...

Was that a Dale Chihuly blown glass chandelier?

He's a famous artist with showings and pieces all over the world, a house here in Omaha has a commissioned chandelier in the entry (not mine) and it was at least that much...

 

[gansky1]

Example of a Chihuly Chandelier - the one I saw on HGTV was all off-white or creamy colored.

http://www.chihuly.com/chihuly.html

 

[DADoES]

Don't know for sure, I didn't see the chandelier, just heard the show's host mention it. When I did start watching, I had to fight an urge to look away. The house is 30,000 sq ft set on three beachfront lots, built around a man-made swimming lagoon, with a hot tub that has a transparent bottom viewable from inside the house (anybody for a skinny-dipping party?). There's a 16-bay underground garage, complete with workshop & mechanic. An indoor, drive-through replica of a street from the owner's hometown somewhere in the mid-west or east, complete with malt shop, movie theater & bowling alley. The kitchen countertops (however many miles there are) are HEATED. Motorized frosted-glass panels rise up from the countertops to hide kitchen activities from view of the dining area during dinner parties. The whole thing is an outrageous homage to conspicuous consumption.

And the show didn't even visit the laundry facilities!

 

[tolivac]

Heated Counters-$800,000 Lamps,Rising glass panels-what next-and 30,000sq Ft?Thats bigger than many commercial buildings-would like to see its HVAC plant.Bet that place is fed with three phase power.The malt shop and theater would interest me-any details on its equipment?My housing needs are more modest-thankfully.I can just afford the place I am in.I'll pass on that one.

 

[tolivac]

If that owner is selling the place for 75mil-whats his "move up" house like?Not big enough for him?

 

[brettsomers]

Obscene Consumption

Oops. I thought someone had caught me at the Chinese Buffet!

 

[frigilux]

I wonder if you can find replacement bulbs for that beast at Ace Hardware?

 

[frontaloadotmy]

At the very least, we should tax this

individual for such glaring excess. The tax? A $4mil factory
that makes all required parts for all vintage household labor
saving devices!!!! For us, FOR FREE!!!!!!

 

[gyrafoam]

Whats wrong with collecting art? Just because I buy my tshatshkes at Tuesday Morning doesn't mean someone with unlimited wealth can't buy his at an auction by Sothebey's.

Personally, when I think of obscene expenditures, our failed invasion of Iraq comes to mind first. Imagine what could have been done for the healthcare system in America with just half of the tax money we have pissed away in Iraq. Not to mention all the starving Americans.

Sorry Glenn------didn't mean any harm by getting on my soapbox-------just never miss a chance to do so.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Gyrafoam...

I couldn't agree more with you. My thoght is "To each their own".

Why does Oprah have seven houses??? Because she can I can't but that's OK. I try not to "look over fences".

Rich

 

[hydralique]

Yeah it's obscene . . .

but Gyrafoam is right, there are many, many more wasteful things happening in this country that are far more deserving of our collective outrage.

I believe in progressive taxation, but as many countries have found out it is unwise to enforce punitive taxation on the super-wealthy as they will just move the money offshore, and very likely follow themselves. This is why years ago Monaco became such a popular place for the European super-wealthy.

At least in this case the homeowner is spending his money on something he enjoys and which employees hundreds of workmen, designers, and craftsmen, instead of letting it sit in the bank and earn interest. And, as noted above, some of those super expensive fittings and fixtures are art objects in their own right.

The real irony of oddball mega-mansions is that they often eventually become huge white elephants because they are extremely expensive to buy and maintain, and most people with the money to do so don't want to live in someone else's very personal vision.

 

[jetcone]

Dolly Levi

"Money is like manure its only good if spread around in little piles making things grow"

 

[customcadillac]

Who could possibly need a light fixture costing $800,000?

The tacky kind of person who desperately needs to impress by casually letting it drop that it cost thast much.

 

[exploder3211]

LoL.. AN $800,000 chandalier?
Nah try the money toliet seat

http://www.bathroomgifts.com/toilet-seats/money-toilet-seat/

 

[Cybrvanr]

The thing about is if someone threw this much money into this house, that means that it was SPENT. When money is spent, be it obscene amounts like this, or a few pennies at a thrift store, the money it thrown back into the economy.

Since that person spent 75 million on that house, that means 75 million dollars was placed back into circulation. Think about everybody that got paid during the construction process of that house. Bankers, architects, carpenters, plumbers, you name it...the wealth WAS spread out in a manner more efficient than any government tax could ever do! I get VERY angry when I hear of people whining and complaining about people spending money on expensive articles. The truth is that when that money is spent, it is placed back in circulation, and eventually makes it's way back to us. Capitalism works far better than any taxes or government program in getting wealth to those who need it.

I say Hurray for this man spending this money to build what he wants, instead of shelling all that dough away where it would never see the light of day, and where it would never benefit anyone.

Let's face it, when rich people spend money, it benefits us all. The money DID go to feed hungry people...YOU AND ME! Without all this crazy spending like this that's going on today, we would be unemployed and starving! If the government got (more) involved and kept people from spending money like this, it would do nothing but make the rich richer, and the poor poorer (which is already happening for this exact reason!!) Don't knock it...it's what's paying your bills!!!

 

[toggleswitch]

Conspicuous Consumption

Once upon a time in far far away mythical utpoian place...

Well actually a decade or so back there was a call-in radio contest in Greece. Aristotle Onassis offered a huge sum of drachmas for anyone who could reasonably accurately guess how much fortune he had.

After a while a little old lady calls in and says. My bleoved Mr. Onassis regarless of how much you have or how much you don't have, in the end, and I can say this with perfect accuracy. All you will have is a samll plot of land two meter deep (six feet under). And even that they wll take from you in three years and your bones will be in a common grave like every one else's. She won.

(NOTE: Due to lack of land therre, abody gets burried for three years and then the body is exhumed, a cleansing ritual takes place and the remains are hoisted in a common grave.

Special?, chosen? different? Above everyone else? NOT
Money makes the world go 'round. But it does not lubricate the soul to learn its spiritual lessons any better or faster.

The wealthy spend big. Sometimes the poor spend on gold and jewelry. Envision this: Soneone with rings on every finger. All an attempt to raise one's s self esteem or image. Me + gold = you.

Things dont bring status or class. Actions do. Let em spend.
It makes the economy expand.

 

[dalangdon]

It's not just rich people....

I was unlucky enough to see an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" last night.

Basicly, it was about a trashy family who had let their solid brick 50's rambler fall into severe disrepair: Not only was it filthy, the roof was bad and the plumbing had eroded to the point where there was sewage in the basement (despite the fact that several family members were young healthy men, who could have easily fixed the roof and paid the plumber)

ABC/Sears built them a flashy new house, but that doesn't mean that these people will be any less trashy, or any better at housekeeping. The only lesson seemed to be that new (however shoddily built) is better, and if you whine loud enough, someone will put you on TV (provided that they can use your plight to sell appliances)

 

[sudsmaster]

In California the property tax on that $75 million home would be at least $750,000 a year. That's about three times what I paid for my house back in '97!.

Yes, when a NEW house is built, much of the purchase price goes back into the economy, but a fair portion of it is profit for the builder. When the house is re-sold, less will probably go back into the economy, because the seller takes most of the profit, not necessarily pumping at that much new money into the home prior to sale.

And I find the whole "the money goes back into the economy" argument rather an unsatisfying answer to the growing gap between the very rich and the average American. I believe recently I saw stats that showed the average corporate CEO made something like 17 times the average worker back in 1970. Today, the average CEO makes 160 times what the average worker makes.

I'd rather see 1,000 $75,000 homes being built for the average workers - and that money would certainly go back into the economy just as well as the single $75 million home - plus 1,000 families would have their own homes.

 

[rp2813]

Suds, I tend to agree with you. It was stated in the first post that this individual is a software mogul. It's really disgusting to see these wealthy Silicon Valley types who are more interested in building trophy homes (they have polluted the wooded ridges I see from my windows at home) than in contributing a tiny fraction of their wealth to the hungry and/or homeless in the area or to the struggling cultural organizations. Steve Wozniak is one of the few exceptions. Many news articles have highlighted the contrast between the long history of charitable contributions made by the wealthy in San Francisco and the lack thereof in Silicon Valley. Old money generally has class but new money apparently only knows how to be vulgar, at least in this neck of the woods.

 

[hydralique]

It may be disgusting but it is pretty much impossible to stop. If you tax these individuals in a punitive manner, they'll just move the money to other countries with lower tax rates. If you try to regulate the size of the house without reference to the lot size (so that a mega-mansion can't be built even on a lot of adequate size), then the owner is just going to build it elsewhere, either in another juristiction, another state, or another country. Anyone with the resources to build a 75 millon dollar home certainly has the resources to fly to Mexico, Canada, or elsewhere if that's where he can build his dream home.

I don't work on mega-mansions like this, but a good friend of mine is an architect who does from time to time. He has made a career of working for construction companies who need professional level help in coordinating the work of the design architects, landscape architects, interior designers, etc. He recently ended two years of working extensively on a mega-mansion on the California coast, and that project helped support him and his family for that time. I'd much rather see guys like this benefit than people elsewhere if the homeowner prefers to build in California in the first place, as opposed to forcing him to take his money out of the state.

Hopefully the owner of the 75 million dollar home does contribute to charity. If not, then at least he must have employed many people while he made his fortune and that certainly does benefit the region.

 

[48bencix]

Carbon guilt

This home was built for wealth display. Currently wealthy individuals are building with low-impact, green, sustainability in mind. This home, obviously ignored these features, and the owner wants to sell and move on to something that makes more sense to the environment.

Martin

 

[thor]

View from abroad

As one of the few foreigners of this group, and please believe me I don't intend to be rude or anything close to it with anyone here, this very image you all in general despise about this unknown person who spent $ 75M on a house is, well (I'll try to say it without offending onyone here) how Americans are seen in general from abroad: as an extremely wasteful society.

This is not my personal point of view, but most people I know from this country and countless other countries I've been to see America as a land of waste, meaning waste of resources, money, ridiculous big cars, exhuberant houses, extremely cold everywhere air conditioning in summer and extremely warm heating in winter, appliances that are trashed while still in perfect operating condition, street lighting most everywhere for hours on end, and the list goes on and on and on.

Please remember the following statistics: America makes up for 5 % of the world population and consumes almost 40 % of its energy. You might all be able to effortlessly pay your utility bills, but, can America (or the environment) afford it? This is just one of the facts related to the American way of life that people from overseas see and completely disagree with.

You are by far the richest society on earth, and I think you can spend your well earned money in the best way you like. But I can assure you not many poeople from other countries agree with my point of view.

Emilio

 

[whirlcool]

street lighting most everywhere for hours on end,

We need this to help control the runaway crime in our country due to political correctness!

 

[dalangdon]

Hey, watch it! Part of my job is working with neighborhoods about their street light needs ;-)

 

[lightedcontrols]

The Wealthy...

Glenn,
Isn't wealth owning two dishwashers instead of one, when some people have none?
Isn't wealth owning two washers (or more) when some people have none?
Isn't wealth being able to get into your car, when some people have none?
Isn't it OBSCENE to have TWO dishwashers????
Isn't it OBSCENE to have TWO washers???
Isn't it OBSCENE to own a car???
My main message here is GET OVER IT GIRL! If someone wants to display their wealth, why not???? After all, they did EARN it!
Personally, I don't feel like I need to support Americas healthcare system, Americas immigrants, or America's losers that are living continually on wellfare. IF YOU WANT THAT KIND OF STATE, MOVE TO A COMMUNIST COUNTRY. Now, instead of bitching about someone's chandolier, go find something important to think about. (see Gyrafoam's post) Mark

 

[DADoES]

Thanks to everyone for the clarification. I suffered a momentary lapse in judgment in stating my thoughts and I apologize for the thread.

 

[whirlcool]

I didn't think you did anything wrong!

DADOES

You basically just it be known what you thought of this type of spending. Everyone has their own feelings about these kinds of things, and if you feel that way, so what?
Remember, in a free society people get to think whatever they want, and not necessarily out of fear of being political correct!

 

[toggleswitch]

What do you expect me to do with that? (Laughs and points) I

Should anyone feel the need to spend big-bucks, feel free to write a cheque payable to moi-meme.

The name is spelled ------------
My address is ------------------

Thank you kindly.

In the days I was an accountant for some upper-crust peeps, I enjoyed reconcilng a checkbook that was strictly for donations that were non-political. (READ: tax-deductible). *SIGH* I'm quite condident that my entire LIFE's earnings (past present and future) were spent in a year or less.

I must say I GIGGLED at my paycheck the very next time it came to me.

Money doesn't buy happiness.
But at least you can be miserable in style and in comfort.

 

[brettsomers]

Glenn's post didnt strike me as bitching at all. lighted's response is just a wee bit over the top, IMO.