Some sound like a bunch of idiots when they chastise how people spend their money.

[trumad]

Who cares if some young man spends 320 for a belt or a woman spends 2500 on a purse. Hey guess what--- I once bought my wife a Louie Vuitton and it cost a good chunk of money. Great quality, and it looks as new as the day I bought it 8 years ago. Some times you spend more for good quality.

Two stories the last two days about unbelievable racism and the first thing some say is---wow.... they spent that much for a belt?

Who gives a shit.

[msongs]

1. labor who made the $2500 purse probably got paid about 25 cents nt

[trumad]

5. Not Louie

Louie is France mostly....

Ferragamo--- Italy.

I doubt they pay .25.

[LanternWaste]

2. I can't help but think that many of the purchases by those very same critics...

I can't help but think that many of the purchases (televisions, a new sectional for the game room, hell, even an evening out with the family for dinner and a movie) by those very same critics would be seen by a Kenyan subsistence farmer as a year's wage.

And would those critics rationalize their own spending by stating a distinction without a relevant difference, or would they realize they've simply criticized others for what they themselves are, in fact, guilty of too?

[pennylane100]

3. The overt racisim of the store and the cops left me speechless.

However, I must admit that after reading the article, I thought the the cost of the belt seemed so high that I did wonder why someone would pay that much, if they had to save for it. It must have been very something he had wanted for a long time. The good news for him is that when he finishes taking all those involved to the cleaners, he will be able to buy all the belts he wants.

I would put that place on my ignore list but it is already there.

[trumad]

8. I understand wanting something like that and saving for it.

The kid was probably pretty proud that he did it...

My 20 year old came home with a leather coat from Macy's last night. Cost him 150.00... on sale from 300.

He was proud that he bought it on his own.

[notadmblnd]

28. I thought I heard that after the incident, the young man returned the merchandise?

[durablend]

4. Teabaggers needed 'something' to latch onto

They couldn't come right out and say what they wanted to but a few did throw in the expected "Glad to see you spending that welfare money that I paid for"

[Nye Bevan]

6. I expect that a $320 belt does a really, really good job of keeping one's pants up. (nt)

[trumad]

9. Keeping them up fashionably.

Of course some here wouldn't know fashion if it hit them upside the head.

[seveneyes]

19. A wonderful opportunity to educate the proles about fashion

Perhaps you could describe some of the elusive fashion of which you speak?

[trumad]

33. Well---no crime for the rest of the year.

When I put on a Salvatore Ferragamo suit compared to a suit from JC Penney, I know it.

Not knocking a JC Penney suit....but it aint no Ferragamo.

[MADem]

26. I don't know shit about fashion, I'd never spend that much for a belt, but if someone was

discriminating against someone for doing that, I would take issue.

[Phentex]

7. But if Oprah does it, watch out!

And she's a millionaire for crying out loud.

Plenty of people tried to deny the racism. Others were more upset about the cost of the purse (and she wasn't even buying it!)

Strange times.

[trumad]

10. And that's my point.

The lady got tax return money and spent it on a purse. It most likely made her feel terrific. Good for her.

.

[Phentex]

13. Agree...

and I appreciate this thread.

[get the red out]

11. I don't get it either

If someone wants to spend their money on an item I don't necessarily want or need, so what? I'm sure others would have issues with things I spend money on, no matter how little. To each his/her own.

[trumad]

12. I mean I understand dissing someone for a gold plated car.

And yes there are extreme excesses.

But they have to be over the top extreme for me to say anything.

A 320 belt ain't one of those times.

[get the red out]

15. Yep

I somehow missed the rule that says "buy nothing for fun" in the liberal contract.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

17. Or someone sipping from a $300 per glass drink when discussing how much to cut from the poor.

Paul Ryan.

[notadmblnd]

30. I agree, considering over time, how much $$ men spend on belts

Let's say one spends 30 dollars on a belt that wears out in a year, in 10 years you will have spent 300 on belts. I would think that a 300 dollar belt would last at least 10 years if not a life time.

[trumad]

31. Quality usually does.

[HappyMe]

14. Both of those stories were about the jaw dropping racism.

That's all. It really isn't anybody's business what people spend their money on.

[frylock]

16. i think that Louis Vuitton is a sociology experiment..

let's take a butt-ass ugly pattern, throw a designer label on it, mark it up exorbitantly, and see who's still willing to purchase it.

[leftstreet]

18. LOL

No kidding

[seveneyes]

20. That makes a nice sterogram

And that brown...I haven't seen that shade of brown since I melted all my crayons together to make a candle.

[MindPilot]

21. You did that too? I was trying to make a rainbow crayon.

All I got was a very unappealing shade of gray.

[trumad]

22. obviously you dont know Louie

[frylock]

35. i don't, and please don't take my post as personal..

I have many friends that buy LV, and I tell them the same thing.

[MADem]

27. That turd brown background, and those ugly-ass flowers!

It looks like gas station restroom wallpaper!!!

[Shampoobra]

23. If racism is not part of the issue, I can agree with the criticism, but...

...when someone introduces that red herring in the midst of a controversy where blatant discrimination is the issue, I want to shout: "This is America, goddammit! People of color have the right to waste as much money as white people!"

But that's not the issue in these two cases with Barney's. They weren't outraged about people of color wasting that much money, they were outraged about people of color having that much money.

[gollygee]

34. +1

"People of color have the right to waste as much money as white people."

And yeah they were outraged that he had enough money to shop there, and probably made racist assumptions about how he got that money. I keep hearing people say, "How does a poor college student . . ." and there are a couple of assumptions there. First, that he is a POOR college student - yeah a lot of college students are poor but a lot get money from their parents, and he could be getting money from his parents as easily as a white college student could. And the second issue with that is that white college students waste money all the time, and on things that don't last nearly as long as a belt. At least he's wasting money on something tangible he'll be able to use every day.

I think it makes perfect sense if you want to buy one thing from a fancy designer to choose a belt. It might be an expensive belt but it's probably one of the least expensive things by that designer you'll find, and it's something you can wear every day.

[Shampoobra]

37. Two more thoughts to add to that:

1. One of the only reasons this sluggish economy is still moving at all is because people (like me) keep buying things they don't really need ("just one more exception; this is the last time&quot .

2. How is a $350 belt any more wasteful than six video games (at $60 each)? How is six video games any more wasteful that two nights of drinking and dancing? Personally, I'll take the six video games, but I don't blame a non-gamer for thinking that's a waste of money.

I won't waste $350 on a belt, because I already wasted that money elsewhere.

[Bunnahabhain]

24. I concluded long ago

many people seem to feel they have better insight into how my earnings should be spent than I do. I've never felt that way about other people and I find this phenomena curious, fascinating, and at times, a bit pathological.

[csziggy]

25. Next thing you know, they'll be telling people what they can do with their bodies!

Or what kind of food they can buy, or who they can marry, or whether they can carry a gun, or what religion they should follow.

Those all fit in the same bucket - and they should ALL be thrown out.

[Rex]

29. I agree...it is their money to waste!

I could care less.

[Kaleva]

32. Some people spend their money on guns

[bigwillq]

36. I agree

It's their money. They can do what they wish with it.

[pnwmom]

38. I don't have any problem with any of those people buying expensive things.

I only have a problem with any DUer who might buy a $2000 purse and then insist that Obamacare is unaffordable.

[cali]

39. I think it's not insignificant. It points to something deeply sick in our culture

that young people- of any income bracket- feel compelled to spend 2,500 on a handbag or 300 on a belt. We've reached insanity in this consumer driven culture of ours.

[trumad]

40. I know--those young ones....

Shit---I remember spending 300 for an eight ball and sifting it in one night.

Of course--I was a young one back then--along with Hendrix, Joplin, Belushi, etc.

We've reached shit.

[cali]

41. I was young back then too

and I came from a well off family and no way would I have spent that kind of money on a handbag.

I'm sorry this has become a culture that is way over focused on "status" items. And yes it's much more pronounced than it was in the 70s and 80s.

[IronLionZion]

42. People have an unhealthy obsession over what other people get, like jealousy

Its scary on the other side when they don't want poor people to get benefits. They make some truly heartless assumptions and hold a lot of contempt for the "47%" or the "99" or whatever. They cast a lot of judgement down on many of the things we do.

Its just petty on our side when people don't want others to get or spend more than they "deserve". There are a lot of assumptions about what sort of people work in various occupations or purchase various things as if those people are bad somehow.

I know it feels unjust the way wealth is not equal, but why does it matter if someone else gets something? Its more useful to focus on the ones who don't get enough and try to help them out.


And there is a school of thought that if you buy quality and take care of it, it will pay for itself over time. Or its better to spend more for something that is ethically sourced and manufactured, etc. For example, I got some grief from some of my friends over buying a 3hp $400 blender that was made in Utah with 85% American parts, except for the hippies who live in intentional communities or make green smoothies and know how useful it is. This type of appliance can easily last decades and feed lots of people quickly.

In a pinch, many quality items can be sold as it retains much of its value, or even gain value as a rare antique. Examples are Griswold cast iron pans or Gillette double edge razors or many classic cars.

[trumad]

43. I'm guilty---

I buy quality. Always have when I can afford it. I have clothing in my closet that have lasted a decade and still looks brand new.

People are laughing at the brown Louie Vuitton style but have no idea that there are many other styles of Louie that are beautiful. I bought my wife a 1500.00 Louie several years ago--- it still looks brand new and has a life time guarantee for any defect, etc.

Plus---it makes you feel damn good when you buy it. I am certain the kid who saved money and bought the belt felt wonderful that he did it. Good for him I say.

[IronLionZion]

44. It feels good to save up for years to get something you want.

I went to a personal growth workshop that deliberately puts a cap on charitable scholarship amounts because they believe people will be more enthusiastic if we have saved up our own money for part of it.