Erm, the other night I was at a dinner with
some friends, and they had just gone shopping,
yeah, and so they were talking about what
they had just bought and showing things off.
And they were actually bragging about how
expensive the jeans that they bought were.
It wasÖ ridiculous prices. And I just thought
it was really interesting because, when I
brag, I generally brag about a bargain, a
deal, you know. ìI got this for fifty centsî,
you know. I just thought it was interesting.
The difference.
Yeah, the thing about buying something really
cheaply and itís really good, yeah. And that,
that makes you feel really good, getting a
really great deal yeah. And the opposite is
terrible. When you spend loads of money and
then you realise you donít like what you
got.
Which is horrible, and weíve all done it,
because when you do itÖ unfortunatelyÖ yeah.
And every time you see it you think oh, ìI
spent four hundred pounds on that, and never
use it, yeah.
But itís curious, how for example, in different
cultures, how we show our wealth, yeah, or
how we share how much weíve spent is different
in different cultures, yeah. Because I remember
once I was travelling in China, and if you
had something that was a name brand, or whatever,
sometimes they would leave the stickers on
the bottom so that everyone else would know
how much was spent, oh, really? Absolutely.
And also they would ask, how much did you
spend on that? They were always asking different
prices, but again itís not considered a rude
thing. Because in another culture that might
be considered something quiteÖ like, you
would never ask.
Well there are some cultures where they wear
their wealth in gold, yeah. And I always found
that really interesting as well, yeah, yeah,
exactly.
Well, then you hear about these famous people
who just spend ridiculous amounts of money
on things like spending millions of euros
on a car, yeah. When you can probably just
get a niceÖ you know, good car for half the
price, yeah, or tenth of the price. Or like
the erm, people, famous people spending millions
on parties, on parties, yeah.
Dropping five hundred thousand euros or dollars
on, but doesnít everybody? Oh yeah.
Did you hear about the um, party with erm,
Mittal, when we wasÖ, they did things like
send out an invitation, and in the invitation
box there was a diamond, just likeÖ oh wow,
I want an invite, yeah. Just send the invite
and keep the diamond.
Thatís what I would call a bargain.
Some people say that, spending a lot of money
itís actually good for the economy. Think
about it [of course, yeah] spending all that
money, it does help the economy in some way,
of course, thatís true. So, you know, if
you go out and you spend too much youíre
not being selfish, oh. No, no, youíre just
giving it, youíre sharing it.
Our economy depends on people, exactly, buying
things, and then factories can produce things.
And thatís a whole other question, whether
thatís good or not, isnít it?
There was a point in time that the president
was saying: ìGo out and buy, spend!î
Yeah, he is supposed to be environmentally-friendly
president, exactly. That goes against the
environment in a way, doesnít it? Because
the more, products, you produce the moreÖ
Yeah, depends on what youíre buying, pollution.
There are pros and cons to all of it, isnít
there?
Yeah
Spending too much, spending too little.
Yeah, yes, youíre right. If you donít spend,
people lose jobs I suppose.
Of course, yeah. Then, none of us would have
money to spend at all.
I think we should all get rid of our bank
accounts and spend all our money.
Exactly, well letís go now, not that we have
any money, but...
