text/Wu Chen
Silicon Valley There is a saying, Fakeituntilyoumakeit! (Fakeituntilyoumakeit!) is embraced by many entrepreneurs as the true meaning of business. Especially in the tide of Internet entrepreneurship, many entrepreneurs may exaggerately promote unfinished products and services too early to win the favor of investors, and then rely on subsequent double-work to make dreams come true.
On the other hand, this sentence is the ancient "wisdom", success is the king, defeat, success is by any means, history is written by the final winner, and it can even be said that the boundary between success and fraud is only between the front line. The same logic is also true in the market. As long as it succeeds in the end, almost no one will pursue your first pot of gold.
Of course, this sentence also highlights a kind of snobbish attitude in the upper class, and also vividly outlines the long-term solid thinking: "People rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles." In the eyes of upper class people, whether they are all the people, they look at their clothes and every move, and even some people choose to focus on whether they are "look thelike" (whether they look like it or not, do they have that temperament). Of course, such solidified thinking is easy to be exploited. If you are good at packaging, "fake and real", and good at acting, and know how to play with people's psychology, it is really possible to enter the upper class and get involved in a mixed circle. You may not be able to perform a "magnificent Gatsby" deed.
Netflix's new drama "InventingAnna" is a story centered on "fakes are true to false and come true". The story tells that Anna, a young girl who claims to be a rich second generation in Germany, successfully squeezed into the social circle of the upper class in New York until she was sent to jail after cheating money. Anna is very distinctive. Although she is young, she leaves an impression on the upper class that is unique to the artistic taste of "OldMoney". For friends around her, friends who can help enter the upper class social circle, it is another kind of generous feeling of spending money. In the end, Anna was only one step away from "making fakes come true", almost borrowing from the bank to $40 million, renting a luxury house in the best location in New York, and unveiling her high-end club. The whole series discusses whether Anna is "fake and true", or how she can "fake and true". Dramas similar to
are repeated in novels and in the real world. "Fictional Anna" is the latest scene, but the plays are obviously different in the new Gilded Age in the 21st century. On the one hand, digital economy has greatly accelerated the speed of wealth creation, and the show-offs of nouveau riche are commonplace; on the other hand, globalization has allowed more foreigners to squeeze into the celebrity circle, heroes do not ask where they are from, and information asymmetry gives more room for "fake and real" people to move around; in addition, social media, such as Instagram, which Anna likes to use the most, can quickly build gorgeous stories, allowing "fake and real" people to be in the increasingly closed social circle.
, if you watch the drama together with the other two books "Bil-lion Dollar Whale" and "V.I.P" (Visitor), you will have a deeper understanding of the new Gilded Age capitalist society 's devoured wealth: the result is the best portrayal of the deepening gap between the rich and the poor, while the superficial wealth, which is the appearance, makes trendsetters flock to it. When the waves wash away the sand, of course, successful promiscuous men will emerge, but it is also easy for counterfeiters who are too deeply involved in the role to mistake it for the truth.
Three tips for fake and real
If you want to get the ticket to the upper class, there is a lot of knowledge.
The first tip is to be good at making a name for yourself.
Anna is very good at showing off. When checking in a hotel, whether it is a doorman or a concierge, the tips for the sale are US$100 big banknotes , which makes it very useful to everyone of the hotel staff who have seen big scenes, and naturally opens the door to convenience for her. Enjoying friends, a party cost more than ten thousand dollars a night, which is a piece of cake for Anna.
: In terms of starting out, or talking about pomp, the protagonist of the documentary work "The Whale Swallows Billion" is better than Anna. Jho Low is the protagonist of the largest corruption case in Malaysia's history, the 1.4 billion 1.4 billion 1.3 fund has been squandered by him in a few years.
Joe Liu knew to show off his Harrow School classmate when he was in middle school. In summer, students were invited to Malaysia for vacation. Through his father's relationship, he rented a luxury yacht and a mansion on the top of Penang. He would spend some time changing the yacht and photos in the mansion with photos of his family, making people feel that he was from the Malay royal family. From the perspective of mixed circles, these short-term pomps are quite intimidating.
similar styling continued from UK Public School to Wharton School of Pennsylvania. When Zoe Low was holding his 20th birthday party at Penn, he spent more than 100,000 US dollars to invite all the nobles he could find in the Penn classmate record, in order to give people the impression of him as a "Malay prince". He also chartered a car to take his friends to Atlantic City to gamble, stayed in the hotel of Trump , and won $200,000 overnight and lost all his face but remained unchanged, giving people the impression of "a wealthy family".
Of course, this impression is all about "swelling and filling the fat man with a swollen face". The key is whether you "bend and stretch", and you firmly believe that "the ship will naturally straighten when it reaches the bridge." Although the father of Jho Low's multi-millionaire sends him money regularly, holding a birthday party of more than 100,000 dollars is still not something he can really afford. But it doesn’t matter if you don’t have money, it’s important to make people feel that you are rich. Impressions are important. When he was at Harrow School, Liu was the one who ran to work. But doing things has the benefits of doing things. For example, when going out together, everyone spreads the bill evenly. He is the one who runs errands and finally settles the bill. The nightclub owner will think he is a "big financial backer". He must have left a good impression on the nightclub owner when he held a party in , and he only paid the deposit on his birthday party, and finally he was able to pay the bill by suffrage and then add credit card installments.
The second tip: learn to get involved in circles.
Anna is very good at circumstance. To "make fakes true", everyone needs to build their own social network and strive to enter the upper social circle. The concierge at a high-end hotel is an entrance to the social circle. Each hotel has its own database. The VIP in the database can receive invitations to various events from New York celebrities. As long as the concierge thinks you are qualified - as long as the score is large enough and the consumption is generous enough - you can be invited to participate in various events and start with the "extra" who is a showcase. Of course, in the eyes of an ambitious young man like Anna, the use of various activities to cling to each other is indeed eye-opening.
Joe Liu is the result of his father's cultivation. Liu's father is a millionaire, and he still has to work hard to truly become a rich man. Under the introduction of British real estate developers, he bought an apartment house in Kensington, London, and lived next to Malaysian politicians. He then sent his son to Harrow School in order to get involved in the circle, because Harrow School is a place for the children of wealthy and powerful countries, laying the foundation for Jho Low to make friends with a new generation of powerful people. Both investments hit the big prize. The former allowed Jho Low to make friends with the stepson of the future Prime Minister of Malaysia , who was a few years older, and the latter gave him the opportunity to join the Middle East rich man.
The third tip is to make money by using information asymmetry and "red eye disease". "Fake the truth" itself is a kind of soft deception that takes advantage of information asymmetry. Whether Anna's German rich second generation identity is fake or real, no one knows until the answer is revealed. Human irrationality always makes people explain the decisions they make later. Since Anna has outstanding taste, generous skills, and can frequently go to the social circles of the upper class in New York, how could she be a liar?
Joe Liu made friends with Abu Dhabi The head of the sovereign fund is a classic case of engaging in circles and making money by using "red eye disease". Such a powerful manager was actually willing to meet with a young man from Malaysia who was a fledgling man from Malaysia. It was strange. On the one hand, it was the result of Liu's circle. He begged his wealthy classmates in the Middle East to help him arrange his trip to the Middle East. On the other hand, it was also his smart place. He knew how to take advantage of the situation and knew how to find the weaknesses of these people.
people compare, which makes people angry. The head of the sovereign fund, the crown prince’s confidant, is such a person still short of money? The answer is, the money is short.He is no better than a prince and grandson. He can count money at home. Although his family is well-off and has a great position, his wealth is still quite different from the royal family. He will naturally not miss the way to make quick money, especially the opportunity to make money under the table. Liu is very good at using these people's greed to pull them into the game.
The fictional Anna and the Zoe Low, who is deeply involved in the corruption case, both highlight the characteristics of the "New Gilded Age". Showshow consumption demonstrates the hierarchical flow driven by globalization on a global scale. In an era when the mobility of a noble family is restricted and aristocrats need to be cultivated by generations, and money cannot buy tickets to the upper class. For example, in the UK two hundred years ago, there will be restrictions on jewelry that noble women can wear and rich business families (restrictions on clothing and color). Only noble families can use crystal utensils, and merchants need to pay special taxes when using them. But in a society where consumption is paramount, money can indeed buy tickets to enter the upper class. New rich don’t have so much time to form etiquette and taste. Their shortcut is to show off their wealth, to amaz others through boasting and wasteful large-scale consumption, and may also impress others in this consumption competition.
The luxurious and luxurious ecology
Anna did not use her beauty to exchange for admission to the "upper society". She cleverly established the image of independent women and female entrepreneurs, and worked hard in the social circle to create a role that does not rely on her family industry but hopes to start from scratch and work hard to get rich.
However, in the real world of gold power, gender discrimination is common. "V.I.P" is a field survey of human social history. The author Ashley Mears has unique opportunities and opportunities. She grew from a model to a professor of sociology. When she was writing this book, she pretended to be a model and observed the rich and riches of the New York upper class club.
Models and girls who resemble models are the objects of clubs and luxury parties to pursue. They will be the center of the party. Their existence brings a special "beauty" that needs to be looked up to. This beauty is also a material exchange of money. Models use the beauty that is transmitted from themselves as a kind of capital to exchange cool nights, opportunities to interact with celebrities and tycoons, establish young people who are new to society in the "upper society", and even get tickets to enter the "upper society".
For models, the pleasure of clubs and luxury parties is not an exchange of money, they are just participants in the game. They also want to participate in the fun and gain some unexpected things outside of the fun. Money exchange is conducted by specialized planners (Promoters), who are the leaders of the ecology of the Pure Golden Miser Club.
planners need to have the ability and means to hook up. Some people drive SUVs on the corner of the street in Soho District waiting for models to audition, while others walk in the block, or eat lunch outside the cafe they often go to while chatting with people of all kinds, turning themselves into a community public figure and becoming an attractive center. They are middlemen, brokers and behind-the-scenes drivers of the "club economy". They connect models and "upper world" in the fields of clubs and luxury parties, earning much higher wages than ordinary people, but the biggest driving force behind them is that they also have the opportunity to be on the edge of the rich life, and in the future, they either start a business or become the owner of the club, and can also enter the rich class. At some moments when they are too close to the rich and the stars, they can also experience the feeling of "fake and true".
The customers who live in the club are also divided into different levels. The first-class guest of
is a "whale", the kind of funder who can spend tens of thousands of dollars. When he was spending money like the most craziest, Zoe Low was the most famous "whale" in the hottest club in New York. There are rumors that he once spent $1 million a night without blinking. He bought the most expensive champagne for every table, while he drank beer in his corner, enjoying the joy of spending money and the envious eyes thrown by others.
But there are not many whales, and the scene of two whales fighting for wealth is unprecedented. Joseph Low has participated once, which is quite energetic to fight for wealth with Eastern Jin Shi Chong and Wang Kai , and he will do whatever he wants.The guests who wait for
are stars, and stars are all attracting focus, just like models. Of course, models also hope to meet stars. Therefore, there is no need to pay for celebrities to participate in parties, because they are part of creating the club's exclusive high-end and luxurious atmosphere. Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Li
is waiting for the real rich people again, who may also spend $100,000 a night. More often they don’t have to spend money to get into the core of the club because they bring relationships and connections, and there are people who are willing to invite them to parties everywhere, and they may hope that they will take care of their business in the future, or become investors, or reach other potential cooperation. This is also the upper social circle that Anna hopes to enter. Below
is the rich man who can afford to spend 2,000 or 3,000 US dollars to buy a table. Four or five financiers with no characteristics can only enter the core of the club by spending money, but if they are two cool-dressed bankers who can bring two or three first-line models around them, the club's door will be open to them for free, and they just need to sip wine at the bar. Attending a party can save money, or even spend money, is also a battle of privilege.
is "BridgeandTunnel". You still have to think about how to translate it into Chinese. The literal translation is "bridge and tunnel", which is the other part of New York connected to Manhattan through bridges and tunnels. Just like Pudong is also "the end of the bridge and tunnel" (beside the bridge and tunnel). It is extended to be non-Manhattan natives, rich but culturally, they are old-fashioned. They can only enter the club by spending money. They are slaughtered lambs and leeks to be cut, and they are also the best type of fooling around.
is the so-called "filler" (recharged). Those men who can't afford the table and can only stand by the bar to buy wine, but at least they have to dress well. The reason why they can enter the edge of the party is nothing more than to increase popularity.
The distance between "fake and true" to "fake and true"
can work hard from "fake and true" step by step to "fake and true"? There is still a fundamental difference between fraud in the upper class of New York and fraud in starting a business in Silicon Valley. The "fake" in the early stage of entrepreneurship at least has a grand vision, and what investors are willing to pay for is more of a vision, and from fake to real can be achieved through hard work. It can even be said that this falsehood is more of a bold assumption and an early assumption.
The fictional Anna and Zo Low also have their entrepreneurial dreams.
Anna wants to build a building in New York into a celebrity club. Its concept, design, or taste is impeccable. If she really needs to get a bank credit, she might be able to do something big.
Joe Low is even more powerful and becomes a "whale" born in New York. He spent millions of dollars a night at a party without saying anything. What he wants is to subvert everyone's perception. He used the unspoken rules of Hollywood and knew that as long as Hollywood stars like Little Little is willing to spend money, they can be invited to show them. He brought a group of celebrities to stand up for him in order to take this opportunity to hook up with all the powerful and wealthy people. Joseph Low is well aware of the unspoken rules when leveraging money and creating momentum.
He and Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little He knew very well that Little Lizi and a big director were both happy that a financial supporter helped them shoot the film, but he didn't ask about money too much (it's unknown whether Liu was "more money and people were stupid" in their eyes).
But both Anna (the story inspired by real events) and Zor Low have fatal injuries, that is, they have cheated money by lying and faked from the beginning, and this money comes too easily, and the luxury and luxury is too addictive. In other words, although they may also have the dream of starting a business, they will soon be easily defeated by "money worship" and become addicted to it and cannot extricate themselves.
Globalization is a wealth-making machine. New rich people are particularly impatient, and being indulged in luxury is the best way.The problem is that if you want to "do the fake and the fake become true", you can just show off your wealth and mix in circles and make up for it. This world is too unfair.
