搜索
InPraiseofCompetitiveUrges*NickFoulkeYouknowitisspringtimeinLondonnotbythearrivalofswallowsorthesproutingofblossoms,butbytheprintingoftheannualSundayTimesRichList.Thisisasortofleaguetableforthesuperrich,asurveyoftheBritishwealthscapethatdecreeswhocomesoutontop.Inpublishingthislist,TheSundayTimeshasmadetheacquisitionofextremewealthintoaspectatorsport.Butbeingrichhasalwaysbeenacompetitivebusiness.Weliveinstrangetimes.Ononesidethewheelsarefallingofftheworldeconomy①;foodandoilpricesareshootingupwhilepropertyvaluesheadintheoppositedirection.Yetattheotherendofthesocioeconomicseesaw,thebigissueoccupyingsomeintelligentmindsthissummeriswhethertheirsuperyachtisbigenough.AccordingtoPhilippeLamblin,theCEOofPrivatsea②,whichsourceslargeboatsforpeoplewithlargebankbalances,thethresholdforsuperyachtstatususedtobe30meters.Todaythatisnotnearlyenoughtokeepstatus-obsessedplutocratsfromfeelinginadequate.LamblinrecallsjoiningthecruiseofoneofhisclientsandputtinginataharborintheMediterraneannexttosomeoneheknew;theproblemwasthattheboatnexttotheirswas55meters—some20meterslongerthantheonetheyhadbeenenjoyingforaweek.Asherecalls,“Wewentaboardforadrink,andafterweleft,theguyIwaswithsaid,‘Youknowwhat?Nextyearwegobigger’.”Onceuponatime,AristotleOnassisdazzledtheworldwiththeChristinaO,whichatjustunder100meterswasconsideredafloatingpalace.Buttoday,noself-respectingaspirationallyminded,competitivebillionairewouldbesoeasilysatisfied.Eclipse,thelargestyachtatpresent,hasbeenreportedtobealmost170meterslong.Thethingaboutluxurygoodsisthatwhiletheymaylooklikeboats,cars,wristwatchesorworksofart,theyare,asoftenasnot,scorecards.Uptoacertainlevelofluxury,thereiscomfortinshowingeachotherthatyoucankeepup,usingwell-knownsignfiers(acertainbrandofwatch,holidaydestination,motorcar,etc.).Butasmerelyrichescalatesintounspeakablywealthy,peopleusepossessionstosetthemselvesapartfromthosewhowishtobetheirpeers.Anditisforsuchpeoplethattheluxuryworldhascreatedlimitededitions.TheAquariva,forinstance,at10metersand€450,000makesforalovelypowerboat.However,forthoseseekingabitmorewhowerepreparedtopayanextra50,000,afewyearsagoRivadecidedtomake10specialAquarivas,withachampagnecoolerandaleatherpicnicbox.AccordingtoRiva,all10weresoldonthefirstdayofthe2006GenoaBoatShow③.Rivahaslearnedfromthislesson;itislinkingupwiththeclassicMilleMigliacarracetomakeaseriesoflimited-editionRivaboats,thefirstofwhichwillbeauctionedattherally.It’seasytoimaginethesenseofanticipationastheplutocratscompetetoshowwhocancarryoffthefirstlimited-editionRivas.Thethrillofagoodadversarialauctioncannotbeoverestimated.OneLondondealerofRussianantiquesandartworkstoldmethatheputshismostimportantpiecesupforauction,sinceRussiancollectorsfindbiddingagainsteachotherabigpartofthefun.Suchover-the-topcompetitioncanbetracedbacktoancientRome,whichinvokedlawstotametheexcess.Buthistoricallythoseruleswereoftenusedtokeepthelowerclassesintheirplaceratherthantoreinintheexcessesoftheelite.Besides,therichareaninventivebunch,andwerethereanyattemptstorestricttheirspending,theywouldsoonfigureouthowtocircumventthem.Indeed,oneofthegreatjoysofbeingreallyrichisdevisingnewwaysinwhichtocommunicateone’ssuccess.Myfavoriteexamplecomesfrom19th-centuryNewYork.In1864,GeorgeTempletonStrong④notedinhisdiarythatdepartment-storemagnateA.T.StewarthadpurchasedaFifthAvenuebrownstoneanddecidedtodemolishitinfavoroferectingawhitemarblepalace.“Isupposeitwillbejusttentimesasuglyandbarbaricasitspredecessor,”Strongwrote.However,Stewarthadthelastlaugh.HisNewYorkpalacestartedafrenzyofcompetitivemansion-buildingamongthelate-19th-andearly-20th-centuryrich,whochosetodisplaytheirfortunesbycrammingdiversearchitecturalstyles(Renaissance,medieval,anynumberofLouis,Moorish,younameit)intovasthousesalongFifthAvenueandintheresortofNewport⑤.OnesuchGildedAgehostess,soproudofher“medieval”fortress,wasonceheardtoremarkofBlairCastle,a13th-centuryhouse:“It’snotcorrect.Therearealotofmistakes.Mycastleisfarmoreauthentic!”Fortunately,thecompetitivefoiblesofonegeneration’sbillionairesareofteneclipsedbythoseofthenext.