21st Century Thought January 2014 | Page 11

Dear Philuxeipher,

In regards to the upcoming issue discussing the luxury brand of Hermès an icon and status symbol of wealth, as a philsopher how could you "condone" this spending of obscenely large amounts of money that would be well suited for another cause and shouldn't materialism be one of the causes you advocate against?

- Seriously Confused

Dear SC,

In the words of Gordon Gekko a unique philosophical perspective, especially with him beign fictional character. This quote does ring with truth however "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures, the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind." The purchasing of luxury goods and subbcuming to other matrialistic processes is to each their own, who are you to tell them what to do or think, and simialrily with them to you. The price of a Birkin is particualarlly steep but the ability to afford it doesn't allow one the ability to express their jelously, that would be like sitting in a resturant and telling the waitress to take back the cake that a couple at another table just orderd, slightly ridiculous.

Philuxeipher

Advice from the editor