quiddities and agonies of the ruling class - a rolling new york times thread

1. An object of obsessive, usually exaggerated fear or anxiety

chase citibank hildenbrand

Columbia did an expensive ski jacket called the Bugaboo years ago, though -- so as a product name it probably went right by me.

I'll just throw a wrench in the gears and say that in order to create second-hand strollers _somebody_ has to buy strollers new from the store, and who else if not people who have enough money that it's not a crippling expense? I can't really object to this. My kid rides in a bike trailer that cost several hundred bucks, which I bought new. As far as I know there doesn't exist a bike trailer that doesn't cost this much. I don't use it to show off, I use it so I can get my son to school on my way to work without using the car. Yep, I could have bought a used one on Craigslist. But when my kid's too big for it, I'll give it to a friend who needs one, or sell it on Craigslist, and then somebody else will get one free or cheap.

Oh, I forgot to say "AS A PARENT."

every parent knows about the bugaboo, regardless of whether you have one or not - the lowest end model is like $300. i try not to judge though, sometimes grandparents can be very splurgish. it's crazy with strollers, actually. in a city that's like the one big baby purchase that is immediately see-able and it is totally, totally impossible not to compare what you got with what others have got, and it is almost equally difficult to avoid conferring a sense of superiority on yourself regardless of how the comparison works out. i.e. "god what imbeciles - a $500 baby buggy" vs "ooh, it's not even a mclaren - sucks to be them" ew ew ew ew ew what the fuck

btw cards on the table - i have the mclaren techno xt

God, what an imbecile.

:D

god knows what hideously deprived mindset my child will develop

i don't necessarily think buying new things for your baby is bad -- i think the problem comes from valorizing second-hand purchases as being more socially responsible / better for your child. for many ppl, buying second-hand is a necessity but for the ppl in the article, it's a conscious deliberate choice. it's still consumption & no less conspicuous expect what is being displayed are "social values" rather than "social status".

expect = except

this article allows these people to frame their choice as being conscientious, and still allows them to note that it's just a choice and not a necessity b/c they're still upper-class.

Someone brought her grandson to my office to visit us today and he was in a Quinny stroller. She just rolled her eyes and said, "None of MY money went into that thing, I can promise you THAT." She's great.

Aside from special occasion wear little kids really do not need many new clothes and I'm sure these people are in consignment places looking for baby Lacoste shirts. But wanting a medal for it? Showy.

People's whole stroller/pram thing and expense doesn't really bug me, the same parents would spend mucho dinero on their own bicycles, which don't get used virtually every day for 3 years like your average buggy. Also, crap buggy hard to use, so might as well have a good one.

If I had to take the subway with a baby and a stroller, I'd insist on one that could climb stairs on its own. I mean, for the money.

http://media.techeblog.com/elephant//ul/6685-450x-ibot_1.jpg

parenting/mommy blogs are great for schadenfreude for the childless.

i have personally resolved never to take my stroller on the subway. good god.

yes suzy. for those who travel on foot a good stroller is u&k.

we had trouble setting it up in the store and a guy came over to help us, dressed in an expensive suit, expensive watch, assiduously buffed fingernails. he said he had the same kind. i was like "oh yeah? so is it good?" and he got kind of a faraway look in his eyes and said "it has its uses. it's kind of our 'second stroller'."

haha tracer

In the past year or so, a Whole Foods opened on our block, and suddenly there is this major influx of "stroller people" - mainly women about my age or a bit younger, that have one or two kids and groceries packed into the stroller or stroller accessories, pushing it up a somewhat steep hill. So yeah, I can see having a nice stroller if you're going to use it a lot.

yah, seriously, large cargo compartment under stroller is #1 unanticipatedly crucial stroller feature.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-iyxlepjOfk/SPp7nuE5f3I/AAAAAAAAAMo/MRWNtZXew3M/s400/segway-baby-stroller.jpg

to be fair that segway was 2nd-hand

lol!

that picture reminds me of frogger

OMGWTFLOL. I have not lived in America since the advent of SEGWAY. Pics like this make me think there's no coincidence.

Whenever I see a picture of someone riding a segway in an urban environment, I think how easy it would be for someone to mug them.

The only people I have ever seen on Segways with my own two eyes are police, I think.

Wait, you guys actually see people riding segways? The only time I've ever seen one in person involved Target parking lot security, and I don't think that lasted very long.

i ride a segway to and from work

yeah ... I've never actually seen anyone on these, I've only seen pictures.

Wait, you guys actually see people riding segways?

Usually at transportation locales -- train stations, airports, etc.

sarahel in providence the private security detail for the downcity business association rides segways these days

you should meet me sarahel i ride my segway to every fap

i saw a whole tour group of like a dozen ppl on segways, i turned a corner on my bike and there they were, sort of practicing, they all looked ashamed

I've only seen police and tourists (you can rent them here) on Segways.

xp elmo - I don't think that would work very well in Oakland.

there's a segway rider in my neighbourhood in provincial england. idk what his deal is.

we had trouble setting it up in the store and a guy came over to help us, dressed in an expensive suit, expensive watch, assiduously buffed fingernails. he said he had the same kind. i was like "oh yeah? so is it good?" and he got kind of a faraway look in his eyes and said "it has its uses. it's kind of our 'second stroller'."

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 9 July 2009 19:00 (29 minutes ago)

um, er ... coff ... we have, uh, three strollers. but that's for two kids. and down from four a few months ago! we're going to get rid of one of the other ones, we really only need two -- the big-ass sturdy one and the easy-to-collapse one for buses, subways, etc. (taking them on subways isn't really that hard, btw, as long as the stroller is light enough. just haul it up and down the stairs.)

sometimes i see people riding segways around hollywood or los feliz here in l.a. they always look really serious about it.

(by "down from four" i mean strollers, not kids...)

there's a segway rider in my neighbourhood in provincial england. idk what his deal is.

― FREE DOM AND ETHAN (special guest stars mark bronson), Thursday, July 9, 2009 2:38 PM (27 seconds ago) Bookmark

is he your lord

(by "down from four" i mean strollers, not kids...)

Jeez ruin the joke why don't you.

is he your lord

― goole, Thursday, July 9, 2009 9:39 PM (43 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

no: his stables are the envy of the kingdom.

hang onto the big-ass sturdy one and coach him into becoming an nfl lineman and reap the $$$

the only people i've seen riding segways here (in northern NJ) have been cops. we also have an overabundance of "stroller moms," not to mention folks who ride their bikes on sidewalks (instead of on the road like they're supposed to do).

the easy-to-collapse one, send him to silicon valley and get more $$$$

i have seen segways in teh czech republic

where i do not live, and that is no coincidence

the easy-to-collapse one, send him to silicon valley and get more $$$$

― enbba champions (omar little), Thursday, July 9, 2009 7:42 PM (26 seconds ago) Bookmark

my parenting book: the foldable child

will he fit in the overhead compartments of planes?

and/or storage compartments of overpriced strollers?