Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, and North West

Mass misbehavior is now the order of the day. The new rich create their own laws, and devise their own moralistic codes, establish their own habits; their isolation through their money makes them feel reckless and untouchable. Once exposed, the public feels titillated. Whereas John Q. Public was once turned off and disgusted by their antics, it is now almost a badge of honor. Gilt by association. A top executive was forced to resign when it was revealed he had opposed same-sex marriage six years ago and had given 1000 dollars to a California proposition that was eventually deemed unconstitutional. All the right people cheered, except for an openly gay columnist, a Brit, who wrote that it was excessive and a hollow victory. His voice was lost in the cheering. The fact that both Obama and Hillary Clinton may have once been nearly as lukewarm about gay marriage as the executive was deemed irrelevant.

Otherwise everything’s hunky-dory. Karate and judo take up most of my time, the creaking joints becoming creakier by the day. New York is as vibrant as ever, but the scruffy young people who now make up the so-called beautiful people are too ugly and too ill-mannered for my taste. Skinny jeans, wallet chains and lots of so-called fashion paraphernalia make them look like homeless people except for the ubiquitous mobile contraptions they carry, some as many as three. It is almost impossible to avoid bumping into them when walking while they text to their heart’s content. All very serious stuff of course, all about Aristotle and Cicero and Goethe. It’s wonderful to live among civilized people and hear classical music blasting from their cars and headphones. It’s so much fun I’m thinking of moving back to Africa, Nigeria or the Central African Republic, to be exact. Yippee!