NBF News reports that jewelry once belonging to Wallis Simpson went for close to 8 million pounds (about $12.5 million), with one bracelet fetching some $7 million alone at auction. Wallis Simpson was the woman who caused King Edward VIII to abdicate his throne for love in 1936. The two married and became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
These may be tough times for the common man, but for rich people, there is no such thing as real austerity, as giant contracts for sports stars are also still being proposed and agreed to. The very rich continue to arrogantly demand more, more, and more, because sacrifice doesn't apply to them.
In Tough Times, the Rich Continue to Flaunt, as with the Buyer of the Wallis Simpson Jewelry
Notwithstanding that owning the jewels of the late Duchess of Windsor means owning a piece of one of the great publicized love stories of the 20th century, $12.5 million is still a lot of money. Yet in these times of struggle, when governments are cutting budgets, countries like Ireland need bailouts, and people in America are worried about their unemployment benefits being extended, there's a real disconnect when stories like the jewelry of Wallis Simpson are reported as the masses struggle with everyday life. But it isn't just with items going for sale at auctions.
In the world of sports, ESPN.com reports that aging Yankees superstar Derek Jeter has been in a big conflict with the Bronx Bombers because the management reportedly wants to offer him $45 million for three years, while he reportedly wants $23 million per year for four to five years. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies have just extended the contract of Troy Tulowitzki an extra seven years until the year 2020, which gives him a guaranteed $157.75 million to stay in Denver until the end of the decade, as reported by ESPN.com
What about the tough times? What about the calls for austerity and sacrifice by our politicians? For rich people, these calls don't reach their ears. How many times are the rich directly confronted by the media for the way they live in the face of despair? Why does money and how one flaunts it continue to be the thing to champion and glorify?
Every time I read stories about sports stars or what some folks will spend on things like the jewelry of Wallis Simpson, I see beyond those stories with utter bewilderment. While the rich haggle over millions of dollars in contract talks or auction bidding, the rest of us struggle to stay afloat. Do the rich have any shame at all when they continue to flaunt their lifestyles in times of uncertainty for the majority of beings on this earth? What is it like to be one of the rich, one who resides on the same planet as the masses, but nonetheless lives in a different world?
Sources:
Wallis Simpson Bracelet Breaks Auction Records: http://www.nigerianbestforum.com/blog/?p=67862, December 1, 2010, NBF News
Andrew Marchand and Wallace Matthews, Source: Derek Jeter's agent, Yanks meet: http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5868220, December 1, 2010, ESPNNewYork.com
Troy Tulowitzki agrees to 7-year deal: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5868290, December 1, 2010, ESPN.com news services
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