...and some people don't. When I was a New Yorker, living in the world's greatest city, I never really encountered those moronic Sex and the City cliches - though I recognize that there are extremely wealthy, boring people for whom this story is some sort of lifestyle validation.

But get a load of that teaser:

I tried to kick my retail addiction (I have 200 pairs of shoes) for 12 days. It wasn't pretty -- but I did have a drink with Norman Mailer.

My reaction was the same as Ron's and many other letter writers' - this is a joke, right? Wow. Apparently not.

So people who consider Salon a news organization are justifiably insulted. In the future, how about placing the "look at me, I'm a writer" crapola in a separate section? When we go to the main page and see this Eva Gabor-wannabe excrement in the same area where real news is kept, it's an unflattering juxtaposition that makes the whole organization look like a bunch of lightweights.

Remember, if you don't like it, DON'T READ IT.

-- LeCastor

.....and stfu already.

I read a review recently of Judith Levine's "Not Buying It" book, to which the author refers early on in her essay.

While I admittedly didn't read Levine's book, from what I can gather, one of her primary motivations re not shopping for an entire year is to strike a small blow against consumerism and our capitalist society.

While that's all very noble -- and I kind of agree with her that many of us buy too many things we don't really need -- the arm-chair economist in me needs to point out that not buying consumer goods for an entire year will do nothing to undermine consumer capitalism. Not even on a small, small scale.

The only way to actually accomplish her stated objective is to stop PRODUCING things. If Ms. Levine continues to work at her job, and earn the same salary, but put it in a savings account instead of spending it on sneakers and Starbucks, all that means is there's a pool of money available to some other capitalist that can be re-invested in the marketplace. Capitalists love people who save just as much as they love people who spend.

Unfortunately, the idea of quitting our jobs and moving to a cabin in the bush (or even working part-time) doesn't appeal to most of us. We're more attracted to the idea of making the same wage, but just spending a lot less money, and coming out in the black.

That's still a good thing to do. But consumer capitalism as we know it will survive any little efforts we make to save, not spend.

I am a single woman living in New York and making well above the national average. Please don't defend me in the name of some silly PR chick who is wildly impressed by the silly trappings of New York magainze culture.

The saddest thing was she couldn't think of anything to talk about if she didn't have shopping acquisitions to report.

Slice of life stories are intersting when the narrators learns something from the experience and passes it on to us. Last weeks essay by the actor is an excellent example; there was a life lesson in it and he was a wonderful writer with natural rhythm.

This self-centered cry for attention by Ryzik, in contrast, is sadly shallow and self-obsessed.

It disturbs me that the editors pick male writers who are talented, humble, intelligent and aiming to improve themselves. In contrast, most of the female writers outside the Broadsheet section are shallow self-obsessed princesses. Is this an indicator of the editors' subconscious beliefs about women and what they have to contribute to the world? Boo! Hiss!

We get it, Melena, you're impressed by your life as a hanger-on. But you see, most of us aren't - we've been you, or known you, and left the openings early because of you.

If she's lucky, Melena Ryzik will outgrow this middle-school delight at her deeply silly life and end up ashamed for thinking that we're anything but repelled by the idea of 200 pairs of shoes (she says it so many times and with such a giggle that it's pretty plain that she's terribly enchanted by her own naughty glamour). Hopefully the tone of her writing will move beyond that of a bar review in the college paper.

But until then I will never read a word she writes, ever again.

The nerve of some people, expecting the rich to show a little gratitude for their possessions, their education, their travels...instead of wielding their good fortune (and damn good luck) like a cudgel to defend their selfishness.

-- Hotchelaga

Well, i guess you've got nothing to say about everything i wrote about children, shoes, investments and pools.

Here's a question for you, "a little gratitude" to whom, exactly? If you're self-made, who are you supposed to be grateful to, the federal reserve for printing all that money you have? Or to the owners of the ghetto apartment complex where you grew up? Or to the people who discriminate against you because of your last name and accent?

Not everyone who can afford 200 pairs of shoes (i have about 50, which is tiny in comparison) is a generationally-wealthy trust fund baby. Some of us earned what we have, so we have no one to be grateful to but ourselves.

I mean, exactly what are you saying? That the author shouldn't ever write anything about her life except how grateful she is for her job and shoes. That would get quite boring. Remember, if you don't like it, DON'T READ IT.

I'm so sick of this idiotic classist hatred you have of everyone who earns more than the national average, especially single women who fit that description. No matter what they do with their money, unless they donate it all to charity or have lots of babies with it, you will find a way to demonize and criticize them for selfishness, being spoiled, ungratefulness, etc. It's pretty stupid to do that.

The author just can't win.

She can't win.

-- LeCastor

I'd get self-defensive, too, if all the responses about the vapidity of an empty, soulless life that mirrored my own choices hit too close to home.

I mean, it's not as if she left a friend without electricity in a snowstorm to stay safe in bed with her bf.

The nerve of some people, expecting the rich to show a little gratitude for their possessions, their education, their travels...instead of wielding their good fortune (and damn good luck) like a cudgel to defend their selfishness.