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How do you spend your money? Liz Waid and
Colin Lowther look at the moral question of
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buying things that cost a lot of money.

Voice 1

Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.

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And I’m Colin Lowther. Spotlight uses a special
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EPISODE 1
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 EPISODE 1 English
world they live.

…Buying Things that Cost a Lot |

Follow along on YouTube

Voice 1

What do you think of when you hear the word

“luxury”? Some people may think of lying in the
sand on a beautiful ocean beach. Others may
think of sitting on a costly boat in the sun,
enjoying a cold drink. These are experiences of
luxury. But luxury also involves goods and
services. Here are some real luxury goods that
people can buy:

A solid gold baby bed for 16 million dollars

Women’s underwear, covered in jewels, for 10

million dollars

A brand-name watch for 42000 dollars

A popular hand bag for 4,900 dollars

A martini drink for 1,000 dollars

A one-person dinner for 270 dollars

Voice 2
:
 These are extreme examples of available luxury
goods. Most people could never buy these
expensive things. But many people can, and do.
What makes people want luxury? Is it good for
us? Today’s Spotlight is on luxury.

Voice 1

To some people, luxury means excess, or

having more than what is necessary. To others,
luxury means goods and services that cost a lot
of money. In this case, luxury can represent
high quality. Or it can also just represent the
image of a particular brand name. The Oxford
Dictionary de^nes luxury as both a state of
being and as a thing. It says that Luxury is a
state of living with ease and excess. And it says
Luxury is a thing that is not needed, but desired,
expensive, and di_cult to get.

Voice 2

The global market for luxury goods and

services is growing. Euromonitor reports that in
^ve years, from 2010 to 2014, the luxury goods
market grew 36%! It estimates that by 2019, the
global market for luxury goods will have
increased 88% in ten years.
:
 Voice 1

So why are luxury goods so popular, especially

since they are di_cult to get? One of the
reasons is because they are so di_cult to get. It
makes people feel like they have status, or a
high position, that other people do not have.
The website Psychology Today states,

Voice 3

“Buyers purchase luxury goods for different

reasons. One reason is that luxury goods give a
sense of status and wealth. They help people
feel exclusive, or more rare and special than
others.”

Voice 2

Luxury brand names want to stay exclusive, or

only available to a few people. They encourage
the sense that people who buy their products
are better than others. If too many people have
a particular product, it loses its appeal. Simon
Peck is from the House of Luxury, a company
that sells watches and jewels. Peck told the
:
 BBC,

Voice 4

“When the person who drives you around owns

the same watch as you, it is time to look for
something better.”

Voice 1

But not everyone wants luxury just to feel better

than everyone else. Some people simply want
to be like everyone else. Farnoosh Brock writes
a blog on the internet. She wrote about her
desire for luxury products. Brock travelled
several times to Japan. There, she saw many
women with expensive, $5,000 bags. Then, she
wanted one. She wrote about it on her blog
Proli^cLiving. She said that buying particular
brands is very popular in Japan.

Voice 5

“The brand buying popularity in Japan is about

a person’s place in society. The top Western
brand names speak loudly in that culture. So
naturally, everyone buys them. Possibly this is
because everyone wants to belong – to be
accepted as an equal.”
:
 Photo: Junko Nakase

Voice 1

But Brock is also conhicted about the strength

of her desire for a luxury bag. She writes,

Voice 5

“I really, badly want a luxury Prada bag.

Suppose I buy my Prada bag. Will I stop
wanting the beautiful sun glasses that go with
it? What about the perfect little black dress? Or
will I need to learn to rede^ne the meaning of
being pleased and satis^ed?”

Voice 2

For other people, luxury is more about beauty.

:
 Writer Dana Thomas wrote a book about luxury.
Thomas says that not all luxury is greed. She
told the Luxury Society,

Voice 6

“Luxury is moral when it comes from creativity

and not greed. When you create to make
something beautiful, then you are being moral,
spiritual, and true.”

Voice 1

Luxury does not have to only represent a

fashionable brand. It can also represent high
achievement in beauty and creativity. But you
still need to have wealth in order to possess
luxury.

Voice 2

Buying and experiencing luxury puts a person in

a rare group. Many, many people in this world
are poor. The World Bank reports that more
than 2 billion people live in poverty, and more
than 1 billion live in extreme poverty. The United
Nations reports that almost half of the world’s
children live in extreme poverty. Three hundred
million children actually go to bed hungry every
night.

Voice 1

The inequality of people living in poverty and in

luxury is very clear. And it brings up an
important question: is luxury morally WRONG?
:
 Is it wrong to spend 16 million dollars on a
golden bed for a baby? Is it wrong to spend
thousands of dollars on shoes? That money
could buy food for very poor people. It could
support schools. It could do many other things
too

Voice 2

This is a complex debate. You may not be able

to buy $5,000 shoes. But you may be able to
spend $50, or $100, or possibly even $500.
These are still large amounts of money! Any of
those amounts could help a poor person. But
you need shoes too! How can you tell what
exact amount is morally right to spend?

Voice 1

Christian teaching moves the question away

from numbers and products. The Christian
Bible does not say that having wealth is wrong.
Or even that desire for beauty and comfort is
wrong. It says,

Voice 3

“Keep your lives free from the love of money. Be

happy with what you have. For Jesus said, ‘I will
never leave you.’”

Voice 2

This teaching asks us to examine our hearts.

Jesus’ followers believe that they do not have
to chase wealth. They can have money, but they
:
 should not love money. They believe that God
will provide for their needs, including the
presence of Jesus.

Voice 1

The writer of this program was Jen Hawkins.

The producer was Michio Ozaki. The voices you
heard were from the United States and the
United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for
this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can
listen to this program again, and read it, on the
internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program
is called “Buying Things That Cost a Lot”.

Voice 2

Tell us what you think about today’s program.

You can leave a comment on our website. We
hope you can join us again for the next
Spotlight program. Goodbye.

Question:

Do you own any luxury items? What

is the most expensive thing you
have ever bought? Why did you buy
it? Write your answer in the
comments below.

Join the discussion

Comment
:
 Name *

Email *

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the next time I comment.

SUBMIT COMMENT

80 comments

Arwa
July 2, 2020 at 3:15 am

The most expensive thins I bought is my phone . It

worth its price . It help me to do many tasks .

waleed atamimi
July 9, 2020 at 1:38 pm

no only the quality of some thing is enough to me

250$
it is gold, I pay it for future

Orjwan Alkamisi
February 12, 2021 at 8:39 am
:
 Hi
Thank you for this information.
I can’t say for sure that I bought an expensive things
because all of things I want,my parents bought it for
me. I think the most expensive is my phone,I used it to
do my tasks and everything I want from it.

Badis Baassou
March 17, 2021 at 6:06 pm

Spend money for poor people , can help them to live in

good condition , i think it is better than buying luxury
things.

Mohamed ELsayed
July 16, 2020 at 11:34 am

Iam not sure Idonot have any expensive items , All

items Ihave is almost normal prices,Ihave the idea of
luxury is moral
thank you so much

DO GIANG NAM
July 19, 2020 at 11:26 pm

Until now, I have never owned any luxury items.

Because I am living in a poverty area.
When I was a student I bought an iPhone mobile that
cost 1.000$. I bought it just simply I like it and I do
everything to own it.
Now I got married and my income is not high, I am
focusing on buying foods and education, health more
than buying luxury items.

Hang
April 24, 2021 at 6:15 pm

Are you Vietnamese?

:
 Tuan
July 26, 2020 at 5:53 am

How can I download Spotlight radio as I did with

previous versions app?

Liz Waid
July 27, 2020 at 2:08 pm

Hello Tuan,

I am sorry the new app does not yet have this ability.
We are working on updating this. Thank you for your
feedback.

Severino Ramos
July 26, 2020 at 10:17 pm

From: ssramossilva@gmail.com
To: spotlight program
Subject: to answer the questions below
Date: Sunday 26, July 2020
Location: São Paulo city Brasil

Dear Liz Waid, Colin Lowther, Jen Hawkins, and Michio

Ozaki

I want to thank you for bringing us more one great

article, thank you very much.
Question 1 – Do you own luxury items?
Answer 1 – No, I do not.
Question 2 – What is the most expensive thing you
have ever bought?
Answer 2 – My apartment where I live in it.
Question 3 – Why did you buy it?
Answer 3 – I bought it to have a roof to live because I
needed a place to stay with my cats. Before, I lived in
rented house and the rental was very expensive to pay.
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Severino Ramos
:
 anna
July 27, 2020 at 11:09 pm

yes l have luxury item.

sometimes i feel it makes in thr higher position
i am brlonged
i think ir is not good to me.

Abrar
July 29, 2020 at 8:46 pm

Yes I have a Luxury watch , its expensive . Most Peaple

on our country love the fashion brands and luxury
watch . And we spend our money to excess stuff.

Ra^q
July 31, 2020 at 12:53 am

Thanks from your information in different area.

Mostly my idea is that we should not think like this that
we are better than others.
My phone cost is 400 $ and nothing else.

Shivan Ali
July 31, 2020 at 8:40 pm

French minister says : The Brands are lie , it made by

smart people and believed by the poor people

Rehab
August 6, 2020 at 3:38 pm

Thank you for this interesting topic ♡

No , I don’t
I had brought a several books for 1000 egyptian
pounds at once .
I bought it to learn more about my religion islam

Abir
August 10, 2020 at 4:11 pm
:
 Yes, i bought a luxury clothes every shopping i do and i
will regret it.

Pavel Mishin
August 11, 2020 at 6:19 pm

Hello,
Once my daughter asked me, “Are there devices with
an “apple” on the back side good?”. I said, “Yes, they
are very good and very expensive”. And she said, “Ahh,
that’s why we don’t have one like that!”. This really hurt
me. And two years later I bought Macbook Air for
$1400. It was very expensive for me. He’s certainly
very good and still works well, but I wouldn’t buy it
now.

Nabil ismaili
August 12, 2020 at 6:06 pm

I have no idea for this topic because all this things its
expensive thank you my friends…..

Ahmed tharwat
August 15, 2020 at 2:57 pm

No,I don’t have any luxury items, but I think it’s good
thing to have it, because there are luxury items have a
good quality and useful in our life.

D.Phuong
October 7, 2020 at 7:16 am

i like luxury goods. But my income is not high, and i am

trying to get much money more than to make my life
better and i can take care my parrents the best way
:
 Margarita
August 16, 2020 at 4:07 am

I dont buy expensive or luxury things, because I dont

have a lot of money. I am such as the apostol Pablo, I
learn to live in the proverty how in the abundance.

MSS
August 16, 2020 at 9:53 am

Yes, I have, slipper, shoes, and dresses .my most

expensive thing I bought it is my laptop mac book
because I want it and have specials speci^cations that
I need it.

Halima
August 18, 2020 at 11:30 am

I care about quality more than luxury goods. When I

becoming rich in the future yes I’ll would to bought
luxury goods.
The expensive thing I bought it it’s my phone and
laptop

Haruki
August 18, 2020 at 12:32 pm

the expensive thing i bought is pc, i buy it because i

can study and work and play in it

Husien
August 20, 2020 at 8:51 pm

Well. I am not taking luxury is a target but some times

you need to buy an expensive thing to get a High
quality!

sultan
August 21, 2020 at 9:11 am
:
 The most expensive i bought is me high PC
i bought him for 2000$
i know this so overpriced but me opinion is against
the high PC give me a lot options like run any games
without any problem and the programs too

Husien
August 21, 2020 at 9:01 pm

Hello ..

Do you own any luxury items?

hmm I am not interested of Luxury idea and High price
product but I paid many expensive things but it worth
as price equal Quality !

What is the most expensive thing you have ever

bought?
May be my phone but I don’t Change it rarely or after 5-
6 Years almost

Why did you buy it?

for Quality issue as I tried to buy a cheap one and I
suffer a lot from it

Emad Alkharosui
August 22, 2020 at 7:45 pm

good and nice

reema
August 24, 2020 at 4:31 pm

the most luxury things that i buy is shoes from a high

brand, and i think that one time only buy for yourself
good thing it’s something good

Ahmed Tariq
August 30, 2020 at 5:47 am
:
 Yes, I do
The most expensive thing I have bought are shoes and
phone. It’s good thing to buy to yourself something
luxury, every now and then.

Shiro
August 30, 2020 at 3:00 pm

the most expensive thing I bought is my phone. I don’t

want to get one with low quality. My last phone I had
used for 4 years.

April
September 3, 2020 at 9:18 am

I like this sentences “They can have money, but they

should not love money. ” It is meaning

Sara
September 6, 2020 at 12:16 am

Yes i does , I bought bag because I like the design for it

Thank you for the subject it very interesting

Mohammed Ali Mohammed

Haidarah
September 6, 2020 at 1:56 pm

Hi Arwa

Nabelah
September 7, 2020 at 4:52 pm

It is most expensive thing i buy a dress with 700SAR

for my sister marriage.

ANDELRAHMAN MORGAN
September 12, 2020 at 10:41 pm

Great
:
 khloud
September 13, 2020 at 10:25 pm

i bought a bag with 2000 sr

MakeYourChoice
September 15, 2020 at 3:08 pm

It so good for learning English

Asma
September 19, 2020 at 9:46 am

Right now i ‘ve just my phone like a luxury items.

The most expensive thing that i have ever bought is
my jewelery.i buy it to ^nd it when i need money

mod
September 22, 2020 at 4:30 pm

actually I never bought any luxury items because i

think its squandering of money and just to be beauty
and specially. In fact i think there are a lot of things its
not very expensive but its very wonderful to wear it or
use it and that’s from my point of view

Marwah
September 24, 2020 at 2:25 pm

Yes! My phone.. it’s very expensive because of the high

storage, My father brought it for me in my graduation
from high school, also because my old phone was
damaged and the buttery is breakdown

Reemy
September 26, 2020 at 8:52 pm

The most thing i bought maybe my phone i bought it

around 3000 S.R it is too much money but i need this
phone to work easily .
:
 safa
September 27, 2020 at 8:48 am

at this time I don’t have any luxury items , because in

my believe this is not important in my life I have other
priority .

Saif
September 29, 2020 at 5:16 pm

Yes I have. It is phone. I buy it because I want some

thing good to connect with the world.

moazz joii
September 29, 2020 at 6:53 pm

I don’t think I have luxury things like A brand-name

watch for 42000 dollars it’s expensive so I like living in
a simple way

riirash bile
September 30, 2020 at 4:25 am

i live in borma anther pleace

feryal
September 30, 2020 at 11:01 pm

we do not need money to be happy

Rajy N Al-Shalaby
December 8, 2020 at 3:25 pm

Man, how say that?

mohamed mohey eldeen

October 17, 2020 at 3:49 am

No,I don’t have

:
 Rasha
October 19, 2020 at 9:30 am

Yes I have bag from channel

I buy it because I love it so much

Dimitry Costales
October 19, 2020 at 10:23 pm

I bought a ps4,it cost 500 usd

Ashwaq
November 1, 2020 at 5:05 pm

Yes I have LV bag, it’s very expensive,

But is good quality.
Thank you for the podcast.

Le Phuc
November 2, 2020 at 11:38 am

I have own items. i was bought items is functional

foods for VND 3 million, because many people
wanting protect healthy and me too

Hatem fathey
November 8, 2020 at 12:07 pm

No i did not.
The most expensive thing that i bought was a little
house.
To live in it.

JANICE MILANTE
November 18, 2020 at 7:58 am

I don’t have any luxury items. The most expensive

thing I have is my laptop. I bought it because I need it
for my job.
:
 Amjad
November 26, 2020 at 8:40 pm

Yes, I have but it’s not very expensive. It’s just on a

middle price.
I buy these things because I loved it.

Rajy N Al-Shalaby
December 8, 2020 at 3:22 pm

a1: Really I don’t have something you can call it a

luxury like sunglasses that cost 1000$ or shoes that
cost 100$ etc… because I don’t see the watch or jacket
etc.. that cost 100$ or more is really important If this
stuff doesn’t give me really value I don’t buy it.

a2: My computer, I guess that cost me 1200$.

a3: So why?! Ok Ok don’t worry like I say I don’t buy

anything without value, so I’m a freelancer(Motion
Graphics designer), so I need a strong PC so I get it,
buy the way I’m starting with my old laptop after that
I’m working and bought new PC so don’t stop or give
up.

Another thing I if we say I’m working 10-14 hours every

day and I’m standing all these hours like my father so
buy shoes that cost even 50-100$ is not wrong
because that gives me the value and, make me
comfortable so that worth.

Mohammed
December 14, 2020 at 6:46 pm

Great answer!! Thanks man

Huda
December 11, 2020 at 11:00 pm

No I have not ..
:
 The most experienced thing i brought was a watch it
cost me maybe 500$
Then I need the money so I sell it. Couldn’t wear it..
I brought it because it was a limited edition watch for
superman and by a good brand of watches..
In luxury the quality is matter not to be especiall.

nuha mahmoud
December 12, 2020 at 12:33 pm

yes , i own just expensive items but we cant say it is

luxury items .i think the most expensive item i have is
a running shose i bought it expensive because it came
from another country and it is bought on purpose , as i
had an injury in my leg and dont want to have and
consequences when i run again ,

emry000
December 29, 2020 at 5:12 am

I have a chose is expinsev . becuse the live is the

chose more from normal chose and lock like buotefol
and confart .

rahaf
January 7, 2021 at 5:56 pm

this is best website for english .. Thanks a lot

Zainab
January 18, 2021 at 1:48 pm

Yes, I have a bag of 300 Kd from Prada brand, and this

is the most expensive thing I own, and I bought it
because it looks nice and cute , I’m from Kuwait and
most people here bought expensive things

Ziba
January 19, 2021 at 2:28 pm
:
 Everyone has its own lifestyle. luxury is de^ned by
everyone.
I buy luxury items like jewellery and use it or keep it for
the purpose of the time that i would use in my lifetime
. In other word, as a human being I have duty towards
people who are needed to help so it keeps me not to
spend money more than i need.

Basheer
January 22, 2021 at 2:50 pm

Actually, yes I have an expensive computer and ps4. I

want to ^lling my free time by do some thing bene^ts
so, I bought my computer but with high quality.

Rawan
January 24, 2021 at 8:01 am

yes, I have luxury items.

I bought new computer, it is very hight quality.
because I need it urgently.

Rami
January 29, 2021 at 2:15 pm

I have a watch luxury, but I didn’t buy it, I got it as a gift.

In generally, I’m not convinced of luxury goods. it’s for
pride and vanity. The most expensive thing I have ever
bought it is Brand perfume. Because I wanted a
constant, long-lasting smell.

Osamah
February 27, 2021 at 8:26 pm

no . I don’t have any luxury items the most things I

have bought it is my iPhone
:
 Mazin
March 7, 2021 at 10:55 am

Thank you so much I’m following you from Saudi

Arabia

Hadeer Hosny
March 8, 2021 at 3:51 pm

I dont have any expensive items , most thing in a

normal price

Amir Gad
March 13, 2021 at 6:17 pm

The real luxury is having your daily food, being safe,

and healthy, that is all you need.

Yasmine Mohamed
March 20, 2021 at 12:10 pm

No, I don’t have any luxury items. The most expensive

thing i have ever bought is my laptop. I buy it to help
me do my homework , tasks and my assignments.

Amna
March 25, 2021 at 6:27 pm

I don’t have any luxury item, my luxury item is my

laptop
No I don’t buy it I’m use it for my job.

Mohamed abdelwahed
March 25, 2021 at 9:33 pm

Yes lpough scoda i go to work

Ghaidaa
April 1, 2021 at 7:43 pm
:
 Thank you for your information
Yes, I bought my phone almost 800$ dollars.
I buy it because it content a lot of advantages also i
need it to help my in My life and my university.

Kimura
April 2, 2021 at 1:42 pm

I have expensive mobile phone “apple”.. I have bought

it because it has a new features that other phones
don’t have.

Khatab
April 17, 2021 at 10:52 am

yas of course to bay luxury. I bay clothes and watch

Thu Trang
April 17, 2021 at 5:47 pm

I own some luxury items, for intance, canifa’s coat,

canifa’s shirt, some items of ecko.

EUSSY
April 21, 2021 at 7:44 pm

i am in the group of people too poor i didn´t have

anything wealth. I just live with the things very need to
survive. i like a lot this broadcasting. I love this
program so much. thanks i have learnt a lot.

Reema
April 24, 2021 at 9:19 am

When I went to us last summer I went to the outlet (

it’s a market for luxury items but discounted ) I bought
( Valentino bag ) it cost me 300$ And the real price
was more than 1000$, it wasn’t the most expensive
thing I bought but was the only high brand or luxury
:
 brand that I have , but buying an iPhone it was the
most expensive thing have ever bought it cost me
1000$ , I bought this iPhone when I was in vacation to
us because my old iPhone broken so I was need a new
phone, and it was worth it to spend this money
because I bought it 2 years ago and still have it , so I
didn’t waste my money but I actually want to be wealth
someday so I can buy whatever I want from the luxury
life
:
 More from this show

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