Spectacle Over Substance

 The term "hen do" is inadequate to the grandiose, interstellar ambition of Lauren Sanchez's prenuptial  celebrations. Having whirled across the stratosphere in one of her husband-to-be's Blue Origin spacecraft, Jeff Bezos's intended spent last weekend in Paris in the company of  Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and other members of the 21st century's gilded entertainment overclass. Once upon a time, this ghastly event might at least have been dignified with an aura of secrecy. This being 2025, it was widely publicised by all the attendees. Sanchez - pneumatic, cat-eyed, apparently upholstered - has posted picture after picture of herself on Instagram, grimacing glassily from various deluxe restaurants, spas and river cruises.

Mammon
Elinor Proby Adams (1885-1945)
Photo Credit: UCL Culture [CC  BY-NC-SA]

The public response to this ostentation has been gratifyingly hostile. "Gluttonous" is an adjective that has featured prominently in the newspaper coverage...

Economists and political scientists have spent the best part of a decade searching for the causes of anti-establishment rage. Inequality, immigration and "elite overproduction" are among the convincing explanations. A minor but underrated factor may simply be that we see more of the uber-wealthy than ever before: their yachts, their jet skis, their private islands...

Previous generations of  billionaire businessmen did not aspire to become celebrities ... the money was enough...

Nowadays, the masters of the universe require not only riches but fame. And they get it. The spectacle of obscene wealth is all around us. James Watt, the founder of BrewDog, broadcast his recent holiday in the Maldives virtually nonstop. Last week, the billionaire venture capitalist turned longevity influencer Bryan Johnson posted pictures of himself having all the plasma extracted from his body on social media, (a health treatment, perplexingly)...

Beneath those men on their untouchable pinnacles of wealth are the legions of mere millionaires - the influencers, actors and minor Kardashians - whose never-ending holidays, poolside selfies and cavernous, tasteless mansions make up a great deal of what millions of people spend hours every day staring at on their phones. Thanks to the internet, the rich are integrated into the fabric of our lives...

(James Marriott, The Times, 2025)

Isn't any woman, including Lauren Sanchez, entitled to a hen do if they so wish? But why is it reported in the newspapers and on the television? Presumably it's because she's going to marry one of the world's richest men. So what? Do some people really want to know about her exploits in Paris because she's been given the so called status of a celebrity? Again, the answer must be yes? Is this not disturbing?  Many people are now more interested in celebrity gossip and lifestyle than they are in real, live, world events? And one sad thing is the bid for fame is being pursued by those, many of whom, have no talent.