From The Economist, the new (improved) Gilded Age: The very rich are not that different from you and me; or less different, perhaps, than they used to be. The introduction to Inherited Wealth by Jens Beckert. Rich Kid Syndrome: America’s burgeoning money culture is producing a record number of heirs—but handing down values is harder than handing down wealth. An interview with David Cay Johnston, author of Free Lunch: How The Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves At Government Expense (and Stick you With the Bill). A review of The Selfish Capitalist: The Origins of Affluenza by Oliver James. Spoil yourself: Luxury may mean excess, vulgarity and obscene waste — but it’s also a basic humanist instinct.
