The luxury socialized

JOVENCITOS CON BOTINES: Luis G. Chacon.http://elmaslargoviaje.wordpress.com /@LuisGChacon

Durante siglos, the middle class was reduced to a mere ladder by which, He treats you as the goddess Fortuna, Subías or hasselled but which could not settle. With the exception of the Church and the military, social mobility was nonexistent. Those who had abilities but lacked a cradle could only prosper socially by brandishing the cross or brandishing the sword. Así, society was divided into two groups as delimited as rigid, rich and poor. De todos modos, such as wealth and poverty are relative concepts since they only exist by comparison, not all the rich got to enjoy what we would call excesses of wealth.

As a result of social division, luxury enjoyed obvious and decisive characters. It was only within the reach of a few and was reflected in perfectly identifiable goods due to their cost, rarity and exquisiteness. It was manifested by the possession and exhibition of what ordinary mortals could never aspire to: noble metals, precious stones, tejidos, tintes, spices and all kinds of exotic products were considered, much more than any industrial fortune, commercial or agricultural, object of desire of those enjoying wealth who aspired to delight in luxury items.

The little story is full of extravagant anecdotes that illustrate the social function of luxury as an element of differentiation and public manifestation and indisputable status. Perhaps one of the most curious characters in the history of Spain has been Mr. Mariano Tellez Giron, XII Duque de Osuna. Even today it is heard ¡nor that it was Osuna! to refer to someone who wastes with little scruple and less wisdom. It is said of the duke that he kept all his palaces in Europe open, that he demanded the table always ready at the usual hours and that a car wait for him at the nearest railway station whether or not his arrival was scheduled. Just in case you would like to show up with your private train since you never shared space with someone who didn't want to. But the most extravagant of the follies of the Osuna occurred while serving as Ambassador of Spain to the court of Saint Petersburg. The Tsar had offered him, as a sign of respect and also as a provocation and display of their power, a lavish dinner at the palace, served on gold plates by embellished lackeys and in which the emperor himself wore a sumptuous ermine cape. Don Mariano wounded in his pride and thinking that so was the pride of the country and the queen whom he represented, belonged to the imperial family, inviting them to dinner in his palace on the banks of the Neva. The food was served by footmen wrapped in fluffy ermine cloaks., like the one worn by the tsar himself and in gold crockery adorned with precious stones that was thrown into the river once plates were removed, glasses and trays of the lavish table.

these eccentricities, although practiced in a much more restrained way, They sometimes appear in the pages of a certain press and always refer to stars of the show or billionaires of very specific nationalities.. Sin embargo, were for centuries common currency among Popes, emperors, kings and aristocrats who offered their guests gargantuan meals at parties overflowing with imagination and artifice.

Instead, in these democratic and hypermodern times where mesocracy is the rule, luxury has been socialized among the middle classes of developed countries. Basic needs covered, satisfying the sense of peculiarity through the public reaffirmation of social status is within the reach of a large part of the population. Access to luxury has been democratized. Perhaps we cannot enjoy high-end vehicles, but the benefits of any of those offered by the market respond to the traditional concept of luxury.. It is easy to find on the shelves of any supermarket of a certain level, alimentos o bebidas que hasta hace pocos años sólo conocíamos por la literatura o el cine; traveling for mere pleasure is no longer the heritage of the wealthiest and clothing branded has taken the place that never had the alta costura in the closets of the bourgeoisie.

¿This means that the concept has disappeared? In no case. Simply, reality is different.

Luxury no longer responds to mere extravagance but to exclusivity. When an economist sees methodical work, leisurely and meticulous of a craftsman, he admires and values ​​him but, Nevertheless, I would not recommend anyone to acquire it since the price of the finished product does not provide enough utility for the transaction to be beneficial to the buyer. is valued, but it is not paid. O sea, la craftsman's paradox which, together with the need to meet the growing demand of the middle classes, forced the industrialization of the production of goods traditionally considered luxury. But today, the once maligned craftsmanship is recovered to offer unique goods to whoever is willing to pay for them. Por eso, luxury is no longer represented by goods but by the exclusive way in which they are manufactured.