Slate Business Slate Money | Money Talks: Money is One Hell of A Drug
Jun 24, 2025
James Frey, a bestselling author and founder of a unique content creation business, delves into the captivating allure of wealth in his new novel, Next to Heaven. He shares insights on how extreme wealth shapes identity and its intoxicating yet destructive nature. The conversation touches on the ethics of wealth accumulation and critiques the careless behavior often found among the rich. Frey also explores the psychological impacts of money, societal expectations, and the complex culture within affluent circles, offering a thought-provoking perspective on ambition and fulfillment.
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Wealth as an Addictive Drug
- Wealth works like an addictive drug, driving a never-ending craving for more money.
- Even billionaires still seek more, showing that wealth brings neither happiness nor contentment.
Wealth Buys Impunity and Protection
- Extreme wealth affords impunity and lack of accountability unthinkable for ordinary people.
- Insider trading and other white-collar crimes go mostly unpunished, unlike street crimes.
Extravagant Billionaire Birthday Party
- James Frey describes the extravagant birthday party of a billionaire's two-year-old daughter.
- The party cost just under a million dollars and featured rides, makeup artists, and carnival games.
