Another game of Which Is More Annoying: P-Diddy jet-skiing on the French Riviera in his bathrobe or a public company CEO buying a $15,000 umbrella stand? According to the NYT Magazine's Rob Walker, P-Diddy wins hands down. The public has more tolerance for conspicuous consumption when there's some pretense that it could have actually been earned.
When diamonds and escalades are O.K. [NYT Magazine]