What The World’s Richest Man Can Teach Us About Value and Ourselves
Consumerism, luxury, and imposter syndrome
This past weekend, I took a rare trip to the largest shopping mall in my area, in need of a specific gift.
To my surprise, the building was overflowing with shoppers.
What recession, I thought while eying snaking lines outside high end retailers including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
As I chatted with a sales associate, she informed me the lines have been there since April of last year!
“Seriously? April? Of 2020?” I asked. “Yes, April 2020,” she confirmed.
As a reminder for those, like me, with a less than stellar memory; thirteen months ago saw the unemployment rate spiking, stocks plunging, all while widespread societal tension, anxiety, and fear ruled the day.
Times have changed, although not by much; for the wealthiest people on earth, that means… more wealth.
In all likelihood, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Bernard Arnault (currently on top) will toggle for position of world’s richest man. Amazon, Tesla, and LVMH stock prices will dictate exactly who ranks where and when.
