11.

Grayling shares his perspective on the true meaning of luxury while Singer reminds us
how our quest for luxury has derailed us from embracing sound values. With which of the two
authors are you most in sympathy? Do you regard the quest for luxury for you and your
society as broadly beneficial or harmful?
[8]

While Grayling makes a distinction between genuine luxury – things that delight the senses –
and mere excess, Singer feels that luxury is superficial, a means to elevate one’s status
through its acquisition. I’m inclined to agree with Grayling as luxurious items to enhance one’s
senses can reflect true appreciation for the arts and the value of such items, and hence is not
as superficial as Singer makes it to be.

Grayling distinguishes ‘luxus, meaning abundance and pleasure’ from ‘luxuria, meaning
grossness’ in his views, showing the difference between genuine pleasure to the senses,
and merely ostentatious and excessive items to elevate one’s status. I agree with
Grayling’s view on luxury whereby luxury can be categorised differently, as not all
luxurious items are considered as pretentious, and that some are acquired for their value
and their ability to enhance the human senses. This can be given in the example of
famous art, whereby they are considered luxurious items due to their ornamental nature.
This is so as art pieces do not serve any practical purpose to an individual, other than
contributing to the ambience of a room. The aesthetic appeal of paintings such as Water
Lilies by Claude Monet, can not only help to beautify a room, but its serenity and artistry
can be appreciated by people as well. Hence, this shows that although luxury items may
not be practical and basic, it is not entirely ostentatious and excessive, but can also help
to enhance one’s senses visually, given that ‘the eye enjoys light, tonalities, hues,
shapes’. In this context, the quest for luxury is generally beneficial as it can reflect true
appreciation for the arts and a genuine liking for it, and not a means to flaunt one’s
wealth, or to portray an image of affluence and status. In Singapore, the government has
been actively promoting the important of the arts and culture, so as to encourage an all-
rounded individual, who is able to appreciate art and its value, as well as being
competent in other areas such as academics as well.

On the other hand, Singer feels that people buy luxury items ‘more because of the status
they bring than their intrinsic value’ and that there are ‘many [other] things [that] are more
central to our happiness’.