posted January 22, 2013 12:12 AM            

Evelyn Williams: Thousands of roses and lots of chocolate truffles. Godiva, and oysters in the half-shell.
Patrick Bateman: [Bateman narrating] I'm trying to listen to the new Robert Palmer tape, but Evelyn, my supposed fiancée, keeps buzzing in my ear.
Evelyn Williams: Annie Leibovitz. We'll get Annie Leibovitz. And we'll have to get someone to videotape. Patrick, we should do it.
Patrick Bateman: Do what?
Evelyn Williams: Get married. Have a wedding.
Patrick Bateman: No, I can't take the time off work.
Evelyn Williams: Your father practically owns the company. You can do anything you like, silly.
Patrick Bateman: I don't want to talk about it.
Evelyn Williams: You hate that job anyway. I don't see why you just don't quit.
Patrick Bateman: Because I want to fit in.
-- from the film American Psycho

The externally defined elite have all their talents wired/devoted to getting rewards from external things, the game of life, money, success, fame, beautiful travel locations, beautiful things, and interestingly substance abuse (an external thing which yields temporary happiness). Regular drinking/smoking/etc will make them happy, the love/attention of a beautiful, talented, or successful person will make them happy, a nice fancy car will make them happy... they think. Because you have to, or they think you have to, be constantly attentive to external queues to get all these external rewards, they have little internal judgment development.

Whatever people, they consider impressive, value, they value. Ask them exactly why they value it, and they won't be able to give you a meaningful reason because they don't think in terms of meaning. They think in terms of getting the things that whatever culture they identify with deem prestigious. Consequently, they're attentive to that pretty mate they want, that nice car they want, that nice house they want, or any external things that can help deliver those things, but not what anything really means (i.e. the basis of the value). Because their identity is these external strivings and they don't have any developed internal judgment of meaning/ethics, they can more easily do and say horrible things.

Contrary to most writings on Narcissism, they are actually not the center of their universe. Impressive external rewards and achievements they believe will satiate their emptiness are the center of their universe. Naturally, none of this stuff in the end makes them sustainably happy but the constant pursuit of it can at very least preoccupy the externally defined elite from their internal emptiness, often for an internally shallow, empty lifetime. The fact that the average person also has no real unique identity, just collective mirroring, allows dangerous Narcissists who achieve power to actually have a major influence on their environments resulting in catastrophic consequences. Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin are just two examples of this.

posted January 22, 2013 12:49 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lexxigramer:

If I were wealthy no one would know it by looking at me or my home.
In fact I would still live modestly.
No extravagances and showing off for me.
I would anonymously help folks.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by T:

---

posted January 22, 2013 12:55 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by SaturnineMoth:
I tend to not identify with what society perceives as status-worthy objectives or titles, or achievements, or possessions...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
but, I have no heart for creatures who follow the leader, without question, without individuality...

there's no fun or practicality in doing inconsequential things just to gain something that isn't even physically profitable to your spiritual/physical well-being or to that of humankind...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I trust what I like, and what I believe in... I do what I feel is right for me, in the moment, and plan only for my own ambitions... not for the recognition of others.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I'm sensitive to what others say, and I like to analyze where trends are heading... and anticipating the next event... but I won't follow anything or one blindly, if I disagree with them, just for the sake of this or that of the above status items/objectives/requirements...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I'm not a rebel either... I don't like to conform for invalid reasons, but also don't seek to obtain the same by doing the exact opposite to the same ends... as some do.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I'm simple... and to some extent self-centered... I have my own convictions and morals and simply refuse to compromise on them for the sake of anything or anyone... even if it gets me ostracized...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
to each their own though. ^^; i just feel that most the time people spend trying to maintain some position that secures some form of status appeal - could be spent doing something more practical and enduring... no?

I'm just not really so concerned about how I appear in another's eyes, nor do I care to judge or be judged by others on things of vanity and inconstant importance/value...

How does having/gaining status benefit humanity??? that is a better question... imho ~

---

posted January 22, 2013 11:26 AM            

Having said, that I like stuff, and if I can afford stuff, I also couldn't care less what you think of me.

If I were so inclined to ride in a Rolls Royce (which I do not because I find them unattractive) and if I could afford one (which I cannot), I wouldn't think twice of rolling down the street in it.

Sure, I'll donate extra generously to the less fortunate, but I wouldn't give two seconds of crap about who thinks what of me and which street I'm rolling my wheels down.

So, am I status conscious? No. I just like living a good life. You will never find me "hiding" wealth.

Extravagance is not the same as showing off. If I had $100, and I went out and spent $120 on something to brag, then it's just plain stupid. If I spent $75 and had $100, then it would be imprudent. But if I spent $15 and the hatred/envy crap comes down on me, then it's the other guy's problem. Not mine.

posted January 22, 2013 11:32 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hera:
Cap rising. It's important. I'd lie if I said it isn't. I'm kinda snobbish about it too, in a secret sort of way..

---

posted January 22, 2013 11:59 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:
If one were to be so worried about presenting the most "socially responsible" image, wouldn't the person be status conscious?

For example, I crack up laughing whenever I see a Green Toyota Prius accelerating hard at the traffic light to match the BMW in performance because the Prius would be using more fuel than the BMW, and yet "feel good" about being "environmentally conscious." Not to mention that a Prius costs more than a BMW. Yet, the BMW driver gets maligned for being status conscious.

---

The pious driver is doing it wrong so to speak.

Not a fan of the newer bimmers, to me they've dumped a bit to much tech into it for no other reason than to have tech in them.

posted January 22, 2013 01:53 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Padre35:
Not a fan of the newer bimmers, to me they've dumped a bit to much tech into it for no other reason than to have tech in them.

---

posted January 22, 2013 02:18 PM            

------------------
Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal

posted January 22, 2013 03:35 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:
Isn't that true for most brands? I climbed into a rented Hyundai whil traveling. It had keyless doors, keyless ignition, sat nav, XM, HDD based mp3, etc etc.

---

Just more that can go wrong at the worst time.

posted January 22, 2013 04:44 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Padre35:
Had a good chuckle watching the people who bought new Bimmers try and get the "door closed, step on brake, insert key fob, push button to start the car" move down, it used to give them all sorts of trouble just driving the car.

---

posted January 22, 2013 04:53 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:
Have you ever tried to use a BMW iDrive system? That's the one with the 8-way controller on the LCD display. The ones with the "Professional Navigation" CCC system are even more nightmarish.

---

That controller was a good example of tech being used for tech's sakes.

Just not a fan of that much tech in the operating system, to much to go wrong, and once it does there are no simple fixes.

posted January 22, 2013 07:19 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by sand:
Venus in Taurus!

---

Only if you associate status with "value".

posted January 22, 2013 07:30 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hera:
Only if you associate status with "value".

Also I guess it depends what one understands by "status". I see people here talked about material things, cars and such. That is not what status means to me. The status that is important to me has nothing to do with what I *have*, but rather with what I have become, by my own effort. Being respected for making a difference in a community, mostly. I link my status to my career very much (and not at all to money) and I have status even though I am not rich. I have connections and I can have power. To make a difference.

---

posted January 22, 2013 08:30 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Hera:
Only if you associate status with "value".

Also I guess it depends what one understands by "status". I see people here talked about material things, cars and such. That is not what status means to me. The status that is important to me has nothing to do with what I *have*, but rather with what I have become, by my own effort. Being respected for making a difference in a community, mostly. I link my status to my career very much (and not at all to money) and I have status even though I am not rich. I have connections and I can have power. To make a difference.

---

posted January 22, 2013 08:31 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by aquaguy91:
i dont care about keeping up with the joneses.... when i got my drivers license i saved up $600 and bought an old dodge truck, it was my first vehicle and i still have it 3 to this day,its been 3 yrs.. its not pretty or flashy, but it is reliable and gets the job done.

---

posted January 22, 2013 10:21 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by aquaguy91:
i dont care about keeping up with the joneses.... when i got my drivers license i saved up $600 and bought an old dodge truck, it was my first vehicle and i still have it 3 to this day,its been 3 yrs.. its not pretty or flashy, but it is reliable and gets the job done.

---

The Joneses can kiss0r my azz0r. When I'm ten times the Joneses, I intend to strive to be twenty times. I'm not going to sit around and use someone else's attainment as the standard by which I am measured.

posted January 22, 2013 10:48 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by aquaguy91:
i dont care about keeping up with the joneses.... when i got my drivers license i saved up $600 and bought an old dodge truck, it was my first vehicle and i still have it 3 to this day,its been 3 yrs.. its not pretty or flashy, but it is reliable and gets the job done.

---

Glad you like your truck. Glad it works out for you.