Roderous Perkins

Michael Jackson spent about $500,000 on 2 vases in 1 shop visit, and the manager wouldn't say how many millions he'd spent in total. The scene shows spending turning into a habit instead of a purchase. He walks the store marking what he already owns, asks the clerk to write down what he wants next, and says he already has the space. At that point he isn't choosing, he's following a list. Buying becomes a routine that feels like progress, and the stuff piles up faster than anyone can use it. The reporter's remark that a dealer could retire on 1 client is the business insight here. A single buyer with no price sensitivity can carry a whole shop, which is why the manager was glad to bargain, flatter, and keep quiet about totals. When one customer is that valuable, the seller's job is to keep him comfortable. Look at the taste, too. He compares his house to an emperor's, and the shop owner says he bought about 80% of the stock. Surrounding yourself with the look of old power is an attempt to buy a feeling of permanence, and it is a feeling that more purchases can't finish. That's the cost. Spending that never reaches "enough" turns into a hole, and the only winner is the person ringing it up. The more you buy to feel finished, the less finished you feel.