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Status VS Luxury

 
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What always wanted to know what drive people to success; besides the enjoyment of their job or the need for money for something necessary (like medical treatment for a family member).

Based on the assumption you like driving luxury cars, which scenario would you prefer to be if you could only choose one.

1.To drive a luxury BMW or Jeep Cherokee while everyone around you drives better cars like Humvee or Bentleys.
2.Or to drive a Honda Civic while everyone else drives second-hand Chevy Vega or Mini Metros.

I was thinking to myself I would prefer status above luxury, but I changed my mind when thought of Queen Elizabeth life VS my own.

She had status she had power and she had luxury although limited by 15 century technology.
I am a poor man and I am a nobody. But I have many things she didn�t have back then in 15 century. Like a cable TV, a Playstation, an Ipod that can store a besillion songs, access to good dental treatment and so many verities of foods from all around the world.
 
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Humvee is better than BMW? For whom, Queen Elizabeth? I also don't understand your Honda Civic reference. It's neither status nor luxury for me, and dare I say, for anyone in the continental United States. So, what is the question, again?
 
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I'd take the BMW, but then, I might prefer the BMW to a Bentley anyway, as the Bentley is too large for my tastes. As an additional data point, I picked a Honda over a BMW a couple months ago.

I think the Humvee was supposed to be "better" than the Jeep Cherokee. Personally, I'd take any of the other cars listed over the Humvee, and I'd consider walking over the Cherokee.
 
Gerald Davis
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Ok, I will dumb it down for you.

1.Would you prefer to live in an area where everybody live in mansions while you only live in 3-bedroom house.
2.Would you like to live in an area where everybody lives in a studio apartment while you live in a 2-bedroom apartment.
 
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so, in other words:

Would I take a hit to the quality of my living-space so that I can have the pleasure of knowing mine is better that of those around me?
[ March 13, 2005: Message edited by: Nick George ]
 
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Originally posted by Gerald Davis:

2.Would you like to live in an area where everybody lives in a studio apartment while you live in a 2-bedroom apartment.



Are there really adult humans who would pick this one? I prefer to believe there are not.
 
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Hi,

I think I'd choose the BMW - luxery.

To Ernest Friedman-Hill:

Good question - here's another.
Which of the two following persons would you rather be ?

Soccer example*:

Person A: Your playing on one of the best teams in the world - but your
the worst player on the team.

Person B: Your playing on one of the worst teams in the world - but your
the star on the team.


*You can choose to another line of work, if soccer isn't your "thing".

/Svend Rost
 
Gerald Davis
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It seem that very few people are willing to admit that they prefer status. But you would be very surprised how very few I-Pods owners are willing to change their average quality white earphone for a superior but cheap looking Sennheiser headphone. I guess they want to increase the chances of them getting mugged on street and listen to tinnier sounds.
[ March 13, 2005: Message edited by: Gerald Davis ]
 
Nick George
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Does it work for Rugby, too?
 
John Smith
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In the place where I was born, they would say, "It's better to be wealthy and healthy than poor and sick".
 
Ernest Friedman-Hill
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Originally posted by Svend Rost:
:

Person A: Your playing on one of the best teams in the world - but your
the worst player on the team.

Person B: Your playing on one of the worst teams in the world - but your
the star on the team.



This is just two different forms of status, isn't it? I think it's a different question altogether.

A question that's more analogous to the original would have you choose between your option A (which is option "2" in the original) and an option B in which it's an average team, but everybody gets along well, plays well together, and enjoys a pint together afterwards. That's the "luxury but no status" option.
 
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1.Would you prefer to live in an area where everybody live in mansions while you only live in 3-bedroom house.
2.Would you like to live in an area where everybody lives in a studio apartment while you live in a 2-bedroom apartment.



Didn't they take this section out of the SAT this year?
 
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Originally posted by Gerald Davis:
Ok, I will dumb it down for you.

1.Would you prefer to live in an area where everybody live in mansions while you only live in 3-bedroom house.
2.Would you like to live in an area where everybody lives in a studio apartment while you live in a 2-bedroom apartment.



I think I would like to live in a studio apartment where everybody lives in a 2-bedroom apartment, less cleaning to do, less furniture needed, costs lest, I am single, and I wont need to buy 2 tv's

But coming back to the original question, I would choose the place where people around me are nicer. And if most of the people living in those mansions are going to be snobs, I would rather go with option 2.
 
Sonny Gill
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Originally posted by Gerald Davis:
What always wanted to know what drive people to success; besides the enjoyment of their job or the need for money for something necessary (like medical treatment for a family member).



Sex.
 
Nick George
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Originally posted by Gerald Davis:
But I have many things she didn�t have back then in 15 century. Like a cable TV, a Playstation, an Ipod that can store a besillion songs, access to good dental treatment and so many verities of foods from all around the world.



As long as you have a cable TV, a Playstation, and an Ipod with a bezillion songs, being happy is a breeze.
 
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Originally posted by Gerald Davis:
Ok, I will dumb it down for you.

1.Would you prefer to live in an area where everybody live in mansions while you only live in 3-bedroom house.
2.Would you like to live in an area where everybody lives in a studio apartment while you live in a 2-bedroom apartment.



Thats not really the choice that we have though is it?
In reality we're more likely to have the following choice:

1.Would you prefer to live in an area where everybody live in tidy repectable mansions with good schools etc etc while you can only afford a crummy 2 bed apartment
- or -.
2.Would you like to live in an area where everybody lives in a crappy 2 bed apartments and because the area is so run-down and undesirable you can afford a decent sized 4 bedroom house.

You could argue that in option 1 you have LOW status locally - but HIGH(er) status on the larger scale due to the areas desirability. With option 2 you have HIGH status localy - but lower status on the large scale..

Do we compare/compete with our direct neighbours? or our peers across a wider community???

In the end although most of us would like to say we are uneffected by snobbery, I suspect most of us would rather live in the worst house in a good neighbourhood than the best house in a bad neighbourhood! - Even if it does mean we get less tangible asset for our money!...

If I look at my own position I have:
The most run down house in the street
a middle-standard street for the suburb
in one of the better suburbs in the city..
in one of the most comfortable cities in the country
in arguably the most livable country in the world...

So despite being bottom of the pecking order locally on a small scale - I'd guess my social standing relative to my peers (using a very crude tool for measuring such things)increases as I look at a larger and larger definitions of community...
[ March 13, 2005: Message edited by: Adrian Wallace ]
 
Warren Dew
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Ernest Friedman-Hill:

Are there really adult humans who would pick this one? I prefer to believe there are not.

It seems like a lot of people in Massachusetts would, given they get apoplectic about Reagan's "rising tide lifts all boats" economic approach on the basis that some peoples' boats get lifted more than others'.

Then there's the facetious answer - there are plenty of people who would prefer a two bedroom apartment in Manhattan to a three bedroom house in Queens.
 
Gerald Davis
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It seem that most people are not willing to admit that they prefer status over luxury and comfort. I wonder if they admit it to themselfs. The sooner they do the sooner they get better understanding of themselves.

Status can also mean showing off status, like nice material possition. I know that us humans like to do that. If we lived in a world were luxury and comfort had procedence over status. We would all drive ugly box cars with no style but luxury interia. And the poorer people would not go to the trouble of getting hefty loans to pay for these cars. Having to worry about repayments I would concider a hit on luxury and comfort.

The amount of money we spend ond cloths and shoes. Here in the UK, Kids can spend �140 on a pare of sneakers, is it all for comfort and quality?

Even at this time, I still con't find an I-Pod owner to swop his white earphone (that tell everybody he has an expansive I-Pod) for my much superia more comvertable and better sound earhones and one that is not even opened either.
 
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Originally posted by Gerald Davis:
Ok, I will dumb it down for you.

1.Would you prefer to live in an area where everybody live in mansions while you only live in 3-bedroom house.
2.Would you like to live in an area where everybody lives in a studio apartment while you live in a 2-bedroom apartment.



An old, but still valid, rule for investing in real estate is to buy the worst house in the best neighbourhood. You can fix the house, but you can't fix the neighbourhood.
 
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Originally posted by John Smith:
Humvee is better than BMW? For whom, Queen Elizabeth? I also don't understand your Honda Civic reference. It's neither status nor luxury for me, and dare I say, for anyone in the continental United States. So, what is the question, again?



I know many people in states who believe that driving a Honda is associated with high status and prestige. I don't consider Honda as a high status car company.
 
Gerald Davis
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BMWs better then Humvees!?; investing in real estate!? The most simplistic explanation will have to do then. Lets see you make a hashed answer to this.


1.Would you prefer to own a $20,000 car while others own cars worth $30,000 or more
2.Or would you prefer to own a $10,000 while others own cars worth $3,000 or less.


Based on the assumption that dearer cars are of better design, quality, appeal and desirability then the cheaper cars
 
John Smith
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1. Would you prefer to own a $20,000 car while others own cars worth $30,000 or more
2. Or would you prefer to own a $10,000 while others own cars worth $3,000 or less.


Sorry, I still don't get it. From your formulation above, it seems what you are asking is "Would you rather be poor or rich?". I don't see any "luxury vs status" content here. Perhaps the confusion is that status often goes with luxury. That is, when one pays a lot of money for luxury, it gives one a certain status.
 
Gerald Davis
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If I was to move to America , I would be able to get a better job with more money lower taxes but I would still be at the bottom of the social class.

If I lived in South Africa, I would not be able to find an ideal job and that job would take in less paid job. But I would have high status compared to the rest of the population as a hole and would not be consider poor. I would be the richer cool English guy.

What would you choose.
 
Alan Wanwierd
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Originally posted by John Smith:

1. Would you prefer to own a $20,000 car while others own cars worth $30,000 or more
2. Or would you prefer to own a $10,000 while others own cars worth $3,000 or less.


Sorry, I still don't get it. From your formulation above, it seems what you are asking is "Would you rather be poor or rich?". I don't see any "luxury vs status" content here. Perhaps the confusion is that status often goes with luxury. That is, when one pays a lot of money for luxury, it gives one a certain status.




The point he's making is not whether you are rich or not in absolute terms but relative to your neighbours - would you rather be the poorest guy in a rich neighbourhood having an expensive car - but the worst on the street(i.e. low status but high luxury), or would you prefer to be the richest guy in a poor neighbourhood, driving a reasonable car where everyone else on the street has an old bomb (i.e. high status, low luxury)...
 
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An anology I can draw from my life: I studied in average school, and I was the class topper, and then I joined a top college filled with brilliant people, and I was no longer the topper, but had to stuggle to figure somewhere in between.

Both worked for me. Being the topper in the average school gave me lots of confidence and Being the average student in a class filled with brainies gave me the motivation and inspiration to compete and grow.

I think the equation boiled down to: Do I want to be complacent where I was, knowing I was the best in that place or was I willing to risk it, and venture into unknown seas, but which offered me the scope to look and grow beyond my own boundaries.

I guess I should say, without experiencing option 1 (school), option 2 (college) would not have been as enjoyable or fruitful.
[ March 14, 2005: Message edited by: kayal cox ]
 
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Originally posted by Gerald Davis:
Even at this time, I still con't find an I-Pod owner to swop his white earphone (that tell everybody he has an expansive I-Pod) for my much superia more comvertable and better sound earhones and one that is not even opened either.

I chose iPod over iRiver (status over value-for-money), but swapped the earphones for black Sony earbuds as soon as I got it home (sound quality over status). What does that make me? Confused...
 
Stan James
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Well, to take this somewhat seriously, I lived in a tiny town where the local undertaker built a fabulous new house to show off his status. He had no money left for furniture, and had only folding aluminum lawn chairs inside but that was his little secret for a long time. He chose to sit on uncomfortable chairs and eat macaroni & cheese to pay for his fine house on the hill. And the rest of the town agreed that he was pretty much off his rocker to do so.
 
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I'd rather be awarded a $20,000 bonus for having helped my boss make an extra $100,000, than for both of us to get an extra $5,000. After all, I'm not competing against him, I'm competing with the world. (Fat chance that I'll get either....)

If I were had cancer, I'd rather have a treatment that gave me an 80% chance of a cure while giving people with other forms of cancer a 90% chance, than for drug firms to develop a treatment that gave me a 50% chance of cure and a 30% chance of cure to people with other forms of the disease.

On the other hand, if I were a teenager on the make, I'd rather get lots of hot dates by being one of a very few young men with his own old jalopy, than to drive a newer car that didn't impress the girls because every other fellow had an even nicer one. If I were playing "football" (i.e., soccer), I would rather win 2-1 than to lose 4-3.

So I guess it all depends.
 
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I think Gerald meant to ask "Do you prefer status over quality?"; since usually, if you have a higher status, then you will seem to have some luxuries not enjoyed by those around you. So you can't really say, status vis-a-vis luxury...

Am I right?
 
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don't care what others are driving . honda civic is fine with me .
 
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