At Postconsumers, we believe that there can be many definitions of what it means to be a postconsumer, and that can mean living with a little or a lot. Just because somebody is wealthy and buys more than we would, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are not, in their own way, working to live sustainably or find the satisfaction of enough. Their definition of enough may just be different than ours is. However, sustainability experts are up in a row over Brangelina’s recent rental of a luxury Hungarian home for $27,000 a month.
The dynamic duo of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are known for their efforts to make the world a better place, from her work in developing nations to his passionate effort to restore New Orleans and the surrounding area after Hurricane Katrina. In recent months, the celebrity couple has taken their family to Hungary where Jolie is working on her directorial debut. While there, the family rented a luxury, ten-room villa that rents at a sweet $27,000 per month and is full of luxurious amenities.
When the rental (and its price) hit the gossip sites, green activists were furious. How could Brangelina preach “making a better, cleaner world” while renting such an extravagant house? Couldn’t $27,000 a month feed a lot of starving children and create a lot of clean energy solutions, not to mention simply be better spent in general rather than on a lavish villa rental?
What’s our take? Similar to “Situation Oprah,” we think that the good that Brangelina does for the world far outweighs some (somewhat) excessive spending on a home rental. And to be completely fair about it, Brad and Angelina have much different needs than most of us do, particularly in terms of privacy and security. It would be difficult to accommodate those in a less exclusive location. However, regardless of that, the dynamic duo has paid their dues to society, and we feel that if a $27,000 a month rental is part of the mix of what helps them to find the satisfaction of enough, along with saving lives and raising awareness about important causes, then we are just fine with that!
What do you think? Will it be harder to take Angelina seriously the next time she travels to a developing nation to assist the struggling citizens there because you know she spent the annual salary of an entry level teacher on a one-month rental? Friend us on Facebook and let us know what you think!
