People are No Longer Impressed by Excessive Public Displays of Wealth

Summary

The article discusses the changing public perception of excessive displays of wealth, emphasizing that such demonstrations are now seen as distasteful and out of touch, particularly in the face of growing environmental concerns and economic inequality.

Abstract

The article reflects on the public's negative reaction to Kylie Jenner's extravagant birthday display, covered in rose petals, which many criticized as wasteful and indicative of a disconnect from the realities of economic and environmental crises. It argues that the era of glorifying wealth through shows like "Pimp My Ride" and "MTV Cribs" is over, as people become more aware of the dying planet and the widening wealth gap. The author points out that while individuals are often encouraged to make environmentally conscious choices, the wealthy contribute disproportionately to carbon emissions and environmental degradation. With only 11 years left to prevent irreversible climate damage, the author expresses frustration over the rich's lack of action and the minimal impact of individual efforts compared to the necessary changes by the wealthy. The article calls for a shift in focus from shaming individuals for their small carbon footprints to holding the industrial producers of plastic accountable and urging the rich to change their lifestyles.

Opinions

The author finds Kylie Jenner's floral arrangement for her birthday to be distasteful and a symbol of excessive materialism, which is especially insensitive given current global issues.
Public displays of wealth are now considered grotesque and outdated, rather than impressive.
The article suggests that the fascination with shows like "Pimp My Ride" and "MTV Cribs" has waned as society becomes more environmentally and socially conscious.
There is a critique of the misplaced focus on individual actions, like banning plastic straws, when the largest contributors to environmental issues are the wealthy and industrial producers.
The author believes that the rich have a responsibility to lead the way in environmental efforts, as they have the largest carbon footprints.
The piece expresses a sense of futility among environmentally conscious individuals who feel their efforts are overshadowed by the extravagant lifestyles of the wealthy.
The author calls for systemic change, emphasizing that individual actions alone are insufficient to address climate change effectively.
The article implies that the rich are dismissive of the struggles of the less fortunate, as exemplified by the Marie Antoinette quote, "let them eat cake," which is referenced in the context of the wealthy's response to societal issues.

The earth is dying and we are poor

Just the other day Kylie Jenner uploaded various content onto her Instagram for her birthday. The most impactful was a ‘floral arrangement’ — essentially a room in her masion filled with red rose petals — from her boyfriend.

The reaction from the public was less than stellar, with various people calling her and Travis out for being so out of touch, wasting money, abusing labour and the environment. In my opinion, I think the whole thing was extremely distasteful — to put it bluntly. Not only did it promote and project this idea that wealth/materialism = love (as a friend rightly pointed out), but I also believe that if there were no social media, it would have never happened. It was done to show us, how much they love each other.

The crux of the matter is just that public displays of excess wealth are not impressive anymore, they’re grotesque and dated.

The early 2000s were wild. TV shows such as Pimp My Ride and MTV Cribs were staples of our youth. However, times have changed.The earth is dying and it seems like no one cares.

Picture from Source: Floyd Mayweather has $15 million worth of exotic cars that he doesn’t drive

But is this really that surprising when studies are finding that climate change makes the richer and the poor poorer. According to this same study, the average person in the world’s poorest countries saw their wealth drop by as much as 30% (from 1961 to 2010).

There is a fixation on the banning of plastic straw to remove plastics from the ocean. But this concern is misplaced, seeing as cigarette butts are the ocean’s single largest source of trash. The policies also concentrate solely on individual action — in turn, shaming and hurting disabled consumers — when we should instead be holding the industrial producers of plastic financially responsible for their waste.

Yes, we should all push to be more environmentally conscious however we can’t ignore that the worlds richest emit the most Carbon. With an Oxfam study finding the richest 10 per cent of people produce half of the planet’s individual-consumption-based fossil fuel emissions, while the poorest 50 per cent — about 3.5 billion people — contribute only 10 per cent. They estimated that the world’s richest 10 per cent have carbon footprints that are 60 times higher as the poorest 10 per cent.

I am, like most people, trying to be more environmentally conscious (by transitioning away from eating meat and being less wasteful). However, we have 11 years left to prevent irreversible damage from climate change and most of that rests on whether the rich decide to finally pay attention and change their lifestyle.

So it is no wonder why so many people were horrified by the floral arrangement. And why so many people are now directing the conversation (and rightly so) to ask what the rich are doing to help — versus blaming individuals who, as previously shown, have a minuscule carbon footprint in comparison.

Yes, we must all do better but I am starting to question if it even matters. I believe I speak for most environmentally conscious people when I say that public displays of excessive wealth feel like a kick in the stomach.

I am becoming disillusioned into believing that whatever I do is meaningless.

In a time where; college tuition is on the rise, people are dying from rationing insulin, the wealth gap is widening. I can’t help but feel weary. It seems like we are screaming into a void for the rich to do better and they are sending back a message on social media that reads; let them eat cake.

ZUVA is an award-winning Leeds based spoken word artist, poet and freelance writer. Click here to join her weekly mail list to get her — Comprehensive Guide for True Beginners — Things I Wish I Knew Before Publishing My First Piece. It contains over 16 articles by 12 different authors on everything you need to know before publishing your first piece here.

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