Manhattan Reborn 1978

(Not finished~!!)

new York.

Manhattan, 42th Street.

Wildfire Bar.

Ludy, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car, got out of the car first and looked at the group of people gathered at the door of the bar. Strange, said.

"You guys wait for me, we'll leave in 10 minutes~"

"ok~"

Aalto took a step back, leaned on the car and turned to Rosenlot and asked: "When will you leave? Are you determined?"

"Tomorrow night~"

"...Okay~"

"Remember to walk around the town of Corleone for me, maybe... many people are gone~"

"Good~"

Alto curled his lips, feeling helpless towards this little brother who was like a lump of wood~

This is just a casual chat!

Will you die if you say more words?

. . .

In the Wildfire Bar.

When Lu Di walked in, he saw several actors at the bar getting together to review their lines. Harvey, Tangtang and others from Da Film and Television Company stood behind the camera, listening to the director telling the photographer about the luck of the next scene. The lens line and shooting angle, as well as the lens effect he wants to present. .

Ludy looked around and saw little Zach, Old Rhett, and Heywood in the corner. Each of them had a glass of beer in their hands, and they were pointing and pointing at the actors in the bar with contented faces. Whispering and laughing.

Ludy smiled and shook his head, snapping his fingers twice and waving to Harvey in the distance.

"Crack~crack~"

Harvey heard the sound and saw Ludy standing at the door waving to him. A smile appeared on his face, he whispered to Tangtang in a low voice and walked over quickly.

Harvey, before being absorbed by David Boy, independently operated Xiaopier Studio.

He needs to pay a protection fee to the people sent by Ludi every month. .

Therefore, he can joke and joke around with Boss David very casually. If the two of them have different opinions, it doesn’t matter if they say a few curse words or complain~"

"But he didn't dare to deliberately neglect Ludy..."

. . .

Ludy and Harvey sat at Old Rhett's table.

Ludy unbuttoned his coat, gently patted his belly, which had grown fatter recently, and asked Harvey who was sitting down.

"How's the progress on your end?"

"not bad!"

"We just shot a few scenes, and the actors are feeling and in good condition~"

"After we have a few more days to get used to it, and the actors have read the script, we can officially start filming~"

Lu Di turned his head and scanned the actors, and asked curiously: "In your script, is there a character based on David?"

"Yes~"

"Look, that... guy in the brown jacket is the actor we specially found after collecting a lot of information about David's character, experience, etc. from Erica, Susan, and Martha."

Ludy looked at the actor named by Harvey and asked, "What's his... name?"

"Bruce Willis~"

"Well~ remember to leave a copy of the film you shot today for David to look at tonight~"

"ok~I will!"

Ludy stood up, smiled and patted Harvey on the shoulder: "You should be more careful about the shooting~"

"If you encounter any problems, call the company and they will tell me."

"Ok!"

Ludy turned his head with a smile, signaled to Old Rhett, buttoned his coat, and walked out of the bar.

The little Zach, who was sitting opposite Old Red, became active again when he saw Ludy gone, and asked Old Red with a wink.

"Did he say hello to you before he left? Haha~"

"When did you have such a good relationship with him?"

Old Rhett shrugged and said with a smile: "I don't have the face... I just have a good friend~"

The little Zach suddenly said: "Andy?"

"It seems like he hasn't been to the bar for a few days~"

Old Rhett smiled and did not answer. He picked up the wine glass and took a sip. He turned to look at Harvey who was greeting him and prepared to continue watching the filming.

Once upon a time, Andy was a successful banker before going to prison. .

After decades of prison life, he already has his own career and new life~

As his best friend, Old Rhett would only send him heartfelt blessings for his "rebirth" ~

Sitting next to his old friend, Heywood, who was also smiling and saying nothing, was also drinking beer silently at this moment, watching the crew filming, and his mind automatically recalled the time everyone had fun in Shawshank Prison~

----

Manhattan.

In a lecture theater at Columbia University.

Milanla Webster, organize your books and put them in your bag.

Her classmate Pankodi Silas had been sitting in the back row silently watching her every move.

After a few minutes.

Miranla walked out of the classroom and was about to leave the school for an appointment. Pankodi, encouraged by his friends, plucked up the courage to catch up with Miranla and said with a smile.

"Hi~ I noticed you were leaving? Have you finished your classes in the morning?"

Miranla responded to Pankedi's chat and shrugged with a smile: "Yeah ~ I have a date today, I can't be late!"

"Oh~"

"Then... tomorrow is the weekend, can I treat you to French food?"

"I found a very authentic French restaurant on Seventh Avenue, in their restaurant..."

Miranla did not stop, patiently listened to Pankedi's invitation and introduction, shook his head and refused.

"Sorry~!"

"I told you the last time we met in the library that I would not date anyone of the opposite sex except my husband!"

"My date today is very important~"

"If you don't have anything else to do, let's talk next time, okay?"

"...Okay ~ see you later!"

"Hmm~"

Pankedi stopped and stared blankly at Miranla's figure walking away.

In his left trouser pocket, the two movie tickets looked like they were going to be cheap for his friends again. .

----

Manhattan.

Stanley fourth floor.

After listening to Shirley's brief introduction, David fiddled with the pen with his fingertips and began to think about the feasibility of the entire plan.

Fashion, fashion!

While searching for information in the Flint Library of Princeton University, he accidentally saw someone reading an economics book called "Theory of the Leisure Class."

David was very curious about the name of the book, so he wrote it down and planned to look it up when he wanted to change his mind.

result. .

After reading the first dozen pages of "Theory of the Leisure Class" in the New York Public Library, he immediately felt that the economic thinking and philosophical thoughts expressed by the author in this book were almost prophetic.

The author of "Theory of the Leisure Class" is Thorstein Bond Veblen, the founder of institutional economics.

David himself summarized it. In this book, Veblen focused on two big issues.

First, what is the leisure class?

Second, what is the impact of the leisure class on society?

The first big question needs to be broken down into Lange's smaller questions, which are the definition of the leisure class and how the limited class evolved~

The leisure class generally has two characteristics: first, it enjoys a distinguished social, political and economic status, that is, the upper class; second, it is divorced from specific productive labor and will not do some work that belongs to the lower class people.

The evolution of the leisure class can be distinguished from the stages of social development.

From the ignorant and uncivilized era when humans had neither enough food nor clothing, to the era of feudal monarchy, and the era of mechanization after the industrial revolution.

In Veblen's view, the mature stage of the development of the leisure class was in Europe and other regions during the feudal period. The upper ruling class did not need to engage in production activities, but specialized in occupations with certain honors and privileges, such as priests, Knights, nobles, etc.

These upper class people, in order to continue to enjoy the power in their hands and a prosperous life, have established the value of engaging in very productive occupations, which is a glorious and noble occupation, and allow all producers to do so because of their "strength" , silently shouldering his own heavy work. .

strength!

The essence of the leisure class is strength, and its external manifestation is engaging in unproductive work.

The formation of something must be due to its essence; but the continued maintenance of something is often achieved only through violent means.

As time goes by, those upper classes who have gained more "strength" gain more by constantly instilling the values ​​​​in the lower class that only hard work can lead to success, and then use violent means to steal everything from the strugglers. The "strength" consolidates one's class status.

So. .Who are the people of the lower class?

Are they willing to have their "strength" that they have invested countless efforts and even their lives to be taken away?

of course not!

Therefore, when people want to gain more "strength" for themselves, they can't help but let their bottom line drop again and again, provoke disputes, and annex those with smaller "strength" to make themselves stronger and faster. It also slowly became more brutal. .

However, those who do not have the "strength" of high-end goods and the leisure class still have to maintain the many manifestations of being a leisure class. Usually they only have two methods: pretending to be fat and seizing "strength" from others. To make yourself a member of the leisure class in the eyes of others. .

(It’s a bit convoluted, but that’s the truth~)

. . .

The second big question is, what is the impact of the leisure class on society?

A few centuries ago, representatives of the leisure class, the upper ruling class such as monarchs and religious bishops, used predatory means to acquire more land, wealth, believers, etc. for themselves, making their "strength" more worthy of the name. .

With the passage of time and the development of the times, the essential "strength" of the leisure class and its external manifestations have gradually become money = leisure. .

The ultimate goal for people who want to be rich is to become the leisure class ~

If people at the bottom want to improve their class, they must constantly pursue and obtain more money to increase their "strength"~

The leisure class, on the other hand, wants to prove their strength to people before finding the next target to plunder, so they will find ways to show that they are rich. .

Once you have wealth, if you don't show off your wealth, you will only be admiring yourself. You will not get recognition from others, let alone win honors. Therefore, it is necessary to show off your wealth in some way.

From ancient times to the present, people have always believed that the best way to show off wealth is to enjoy leisure time.

As for the leisure class living in big cities, the best way to show off is to buy expensive items to show their "strength" ~

Veblen's behavior of showing his "strength" to the leisure class is called "conspicuous consumption"~

Conspicuous consumption, if David puts it in his own words, can be summed up in a simple sentence~

Regardless of right or wrong, only buy expensive ones!

In addition~

Although, theoretically~

The reason why people buy things, whether it is material or spiritual, is a positive internal need.

Most people pursue value for money or value for money when shopping.

But in real life, people’s shopping behavior is often not like this ~

David, who has experienced the Internet e-commerce era in his previous life, are his friends, classmates, colleagues, and family members all the so-called "powerful" leisure class?

No!

So why do they become addicted to spending almost all their wages and continue to pursue expensive luxuries?

The answer is simple.

The consumerist values ​​that are rampant around the world have made them lose their rationality!

Again~

In modern society, the combative temperament shown in the political arena; the love of gambling in sports competitions; belief in fate, soft superstition, and the study of advanced knowledge, etc.

These are the changes in thoughts, habits and psychology of people who are immersed in consumerist values ​​and dream of becoming members of the leisure class~

. . .

David tried hard to take back his scattered thoughts and tapped the notebook lightly with the pen in his hand.

Having money = having time~

What kind of conspicuous consumption do people who have money and leisure like most?

Live in luxury homes, drive luxury cars, ride on private jets, yachts, and travel around the world. .

They wear expensive luxury fashions, carry luxury watches, and carry luxury babies in their hands, and attend various parties day and night~

Vulgar?

vulgar!

Envy?

. .A bit~

David was so vain about his love that he felt his toes begin to scratch the ground. .

Call ~

He breathed a sigh of relief and returned his attention to the plan he was going to talk to Shirley about.

The prerequisite for the prevalence of consumerism is that people’s wallets bulge~

But there are exceptions to everything~

Like. .During World War II, countless American women couldn't buy their beloved nylon stockings, so they drew eyebrow pencils on their thighs and walked out on the streets, winning countless heads. .

Women, on the road to beauty, most of them go all the way to the end. .

Don’t talk to them about rational consumption!

Is it beautiful?

like or not?

Beautiful, do you like it?

buy!

Buy and buy!

Of course, among those who like to buy and buy, men also account for a certain proportion.

Men and women just like different things~

But when it comes to pursuing beauty and chasing the things they love, they are willing to bleed continuously, grit their teeth and stamp their feet to place orders and buy them back. .

As Shirley just mentioned, brands such as COACH, Dior and Chanel.

We haven’t completely found the big opportunities for our future development in the financial crisis~

No war or crisis can stop people's love for beauty!

David is convinced of this~

. . .

David slowly smoothed out his thoughts and asked Shirley.

"Just now you said that COACH's products are all sold in major department stores, but you don't have a direct store of your own?"

"Yes~"

"Then... if we acquire COACH, expand its product types, and use fashion ready-to-wear as a new selling point for our directly-operated stores, do you think it's feasible?"

Shirley frowned and thought for a while, smiled apologetically, shook her head and said, "It's about fashion...Fashion trends are constantly changing every moment~"

"New York Fashion Week every year cannot completely become the leader of the fashion market and fashion trends."

"I can't give you a clear answer now~"