yeah, no, I don't feel sorry for you [UPDATED]

The New York Times has an article explaining why $500,000 is actually not very much for a New York City "master of the universe" to live on.  Taking it strictly informationally (like, how the hell could someone even spend that much money? Brewster's Millions–style), it's very illuminating.  However, if the point is for us to think, "Wow, yeah, that's just not a reasonable thing to ask, to have to live like that," then let me just extend a big middle finger on behalf of everyone who's never made anywhere close to even six figures in a year: the article assumes a number of fantastic things, like that one must have a $1.5 million apartment, a $4 million beach house, several gowns a year (OK) at more than $10,000/gown (huh), a chauffeur, and regular tutoring for the kids—and again, I'm ready to accept that this is standard for a certain kind of person and that living on $500,000/year might require a major lifestyle change, but I am not ready to accept that that lifestyle change is an unreasonable hardship, particularly in this economy...particularly for executives whose salaries are going to be paid by the taxpayers because their companies have failed!  If the taxpayers started paying my rent, I wouldn't expect you to feel sorry for me if I had to get a roommate and move farther away from a subway stop.  

The article included one piece of information with direct relevance to the little people: "a new study from the Center for an Urban Future, a nonprofit research group in Manhattan, estmates that it takes $123,322 to enjoy the same middle-class life as someone earning $50,000 in Houston."  [Tugs nervously at collar.]  And since the average median* per-capita income in Houston in 1999 (according to houstontx.gov) was $20,101, and since the Urban Future people's figures would suggest that $20,101 in Houston is worth less than $49,578 in New York (for reasons that the newly returned Dr. Math could surely explain better than I,** unless he disagrees, in which case I challenge him to a duel)...  Well, New York is fuckin' expensive.  Not news.

[It just hit me—the article also assumes that you've got to spend $45,000/year on a nanny...but if both parents are working, then you've got another source of income and therefore more than $500,000/year to live on.  No?  While if only one parent is working, then a nanny is hardly a strict requirement...]

* Average median?

** And not just because he's from Houston!^a

^a Just kidding.  Don't tell Dr. Math he's from Houston.