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One of the richest people in the world got married, and, what a surprise, he spent quite a lot of money on it.
The comments about the wedding are mostly a disparagement of Jeff Bezos, his new wife, Lauren Sanchez-Bezos, and all the pomp in general. They were ridiculous, and of course, either tasteless or stylish, and in general, many felt sorry for the poor city of Venice!
People make fun of the groom so passionately because he is rich and therefore corrupt, anyway, right? What does the cheeky guy think of suddenly dedicating himself to his health and training himself to be physically in shape? What an old show-off he is! And then he got married the way he and his wife imagined, and he invited his rich friends to Venice. The nerve of this guy!
They certainly could have had a wedding with potato salad and sausages in the backyard at home! (Mansions have a backyard, right?)
The bride is often called Bezos’ trophy in such comments. That the two might just love each other is completely unthinkable!
Criticism of Bezos’ wedding is hypocritical
Our interest in the wedding is enormous. Even days after, there are reports around the globe. The wedding was a spectacle that entertained the masses, but then they gossiped about it in masses as well. They make fun of it from start to finish as if rich people were not allowed to buy what they want from their earned wealth, and celebrate festivals as they please.
This is a phenomenon, something I will never understand. We (meaning too many of us) admire the rich and famous. We want to be like them. We cheer for them, we follow their every move from afar, but when people have accumulated a certain amount of wealth, we often consider them fair game. As if Jeff Bezos is a worse person just because he is rich. Is he the Darth Vader of the Amazon empire?
Bezos is only rich because we all shop through his platform. His idea wasn’t stupid, and most of us use his service every day, and with that, we make sure that he gets richer, and then we criticize him for what he does with this wealth. How dare he have an expensive wedding when I can’t afford the dental work I need? How dare he spend all this money on something silly like a marriage when I don’t know how to afford the editing of my book?
Is the climate argument only a pretense?
It’s not good for the environment when celebrities fly to Venice in a private jet to celebrate a billionaire’s wedding. But let’s be honest here, as long as we all drive cars, sit in drive-throughs, fly on vacation, use disposable products, and have every nonsense delivered to us via Amazon (!) we should be quiet.
“Yes, but the super-rich are particularly bad for the climate,” is often a statement from the middle class. The only problem is that from the point of view of large parts of the world, the middle class is super-rich as well. There we are, the rich idiots who pollute the environment all day long for “unnecessary luxury”. It’s all a question of perspective.
In addition, people have been getting upset about rich people for much longer than we are worried about the climate. It’s just a new reason for an old game we play.
To pity Venice for the fact that Bezos and Sanchez were pumping millions into the city with their huge party (and additional donations) is also a very weird argument. Venice is a tourist city. It makes a living from it. Venetians can find that stupid and protest against it, but they probably won’t change it. In the end, they will have to decide whether they can tolerate it or whether they will have to leave Venice.
The perfect wedding?
Weddings are a fine thing. They celebrate the love between two people. How, where, and with whom you celebrate your wedding, everyone can decide for themselves.
Imagine, Jeff and Lauren could actually be in love!
Fortunately, we still can do whatever we feel like doing. Everyone does as they please. Even very, very rich people.
So be happy, Jeff and Lauren, and enjoy your honeymoon, wherever you might be. I probably paid for a drink or two, and it served me well. 🙂
I am waiting for another package -or two or three- to arrive.
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I know very little about Jeff Bezos and nothing about his bride. I saw it on the news a few times, thought it might have been a bit over the top, but many weddings are these days. I was happy with a church, family and friends close by. My parents added in a DJ at the reception and we mingled, celebrated and left for our honeymoon. The rest of the night was their call what to do. The important thing was we were married. For the Bezos couple they had other things to focus on and their circle of friends have a lot more money than mine do, so if they want everyone to arrive in a limo, so be it.
The only hesitation I have is… as a person, is Bezos just out for number one? Does he look out for others? Raise money for and donate to charities? Help in times of crisis? Right now Texas could use some help finding the many missing in floods, there are more homeless that need a place to sleep, and the mouths of hungry children are empty. If he does give back to the communities he serves and makes his fortunes from, then he is a good person. Personally he is just someone not in my circle and I am pleased as punch if he is happy, but I could care less how he gets married (as long as it is not a child bride).
(Sorry, I rambled again. 🤐)
I am sure he does his fair share of charity, just like most of us. Not too much, but enough to not feel bad 🙂
As for him and his wife? I didn’t know much about it either, but there is sometimes just no escape.
That is so true that Bezos had an idea, several ideas and they work! I publish my books with Amazon Kindle, Amazon was a lifeline to practical things we needed in lockdown and shielding from medical equipment to Lego sets! I had no interest in his personal life till the wedding made national news.
I am just about finishing my book or something like it. I have so many questions 🙂
Superb boss
I look at this particular occasion two ways – Naturally the guy can get married to his lady-love wherever and however he pleases. One of my two daughters was so in love with Venice that she and her husband-to-be did exactly the same thing out of Australia – just the two of them and they loved it! So do it in as wealthy and luxurious a manner as you want- BUT – there is NO excuse to make such an open show of it and such a fuss using important buildings and having half the poor world looking. Marriage is a private affair between a man and a woman, their relatives if any and friends if they want anyone else there . . . there is no need to take over the town and show how much more important you are compared to the rest of the populace. Taste and decorum were missing more thana little, to my way of thinking!
I don’t agree with you often, but this time I do. I think it has to do with the way I grew up. A small village in the Alp, when we had a reason to celebrate, we did, and it included the whole village and the neighbor villages as well.
I protect my privacy too much, I don’t even show myself too often online, yet I think a marriage can be celebrated any way. We, back then, felt like inviting the world, which of course we couldn’t afford.
Some of us like to celebrate our birthdays quietly and they don’t make a big fuzz, while other, like the older me, would love to celebrate the heck out of it now. 🙂
Different strokes for different folks I suppose.
What a very fair, common-sense, and spot-on commentary Bridget, exactly as I would expect from you. 🤗
Goodness, Peter, I am clinging onto my common sense, but it gets harder and harder.
I can’t possibly imagine why!!!!
🙁
Wealth is not finite. If anyone wants to pursue wealth, they can. The envy is often misplaced. 🙂
Well, you know I agree with your statement 🙂 Have a wonderful day. Stay cool!
Thanks!