Did you know that rich people don't cover their windows? I didn't until I saw a recent headline in The Atlantic:
It was just a little ironic that I had to stop reading the article because I was shown paid content and wasn't subscribed. Who do you think hangs window curtains in every room of their house?
Thankfully, and a little mysteriously, I was able to read the whole article a few days later. Apparently, paid content can either give or take away.
But back to the point: the wealthy are eschewing curtains, shades, sheers, blinds, shutters, and everything else on every window in their home. In a 2013 study, The Atlantic found that Americans making more than $150,000 a year were twice as likely to have no window coverings (for free) compared to those making $20,000 to $29,000. Nine years later, having no curtains, drapes, or window treatments at all is being called the “show of wealth” in 2024.
For example, “Just look! Peasants, look at the many large paintings in our brightly wallpapered, tastefully appointed home, not one of which was bought at a furniture store! Admire the marble-like countertops in our expansive chef's kitchen, where we heat up only the finest takeout meals delivered by DoorDash drivers. Take a moment to admire the table setting with its pre-Columbian bowl of sustainably grown citrus fruits you've never heard of and probably can't pronounce.”
Come closer, press your ragged nose against the windowpane and take a closer look at the safari kills, the elegantly plush sofas, and the sparkling junk. Whoa. Don't get so close. I'm kidding. Rosalita! Windows!!”
I don't know why this article affected me so deeply. Perhaps it's because long before I heard about it, I loved to drive through the upscale parts of town at night, admiring the beautiful interiors and thinking about the wonder of uncovered windows that keep you from peering in. The Gladys Kravitz in me was both delighted and perplexed by this unexpected revelation. Were they boasting? Probably not. They were!
As a former proud member of a team that deals with curtains, drapes, shades, shutters, and anything else that keeps prying eyes at bay, I find it hard to understand why anyone, rich or not, would want to live their life mingling with family and friends inside what is essentially a Macy's display.
Do rich people ever feel the urge to collapse on the couch in their underwear and a T-shirt, snacks in hand, and soak up the nacho cheese sauce off their fingers if necessary? Do they really not care if they find out their neighbors are watching Love After Lockup? Talk about something best done in private.
Having it on display in every room all night seems like the opposite of what the rich do, but The Atlantic reports that “allowing prying eyes into your home may seem vulnerable, but it's actually a statement of security.”
what are you going to do
It seems that wealthy Americans are belatedly embracing a long-standing tradition of the Dutch, who, having completely failed to make comfortable shoes, turned to windows instead.
According to The Atlantic, the Dutch let their neighbors inside their homes as a sign of trust, a kind of “community trust.” Similarly, keeping the curtains closed is viewed with suspicion. “What's going on in there, Hans? Are you doing something you shouldn't? Are you making shoes?”
In the United States, state-of-the-art security systems are more important than “community trust.”
A window without curtains is the ultimate symbol of privilege: You're so wealthy that you don't mind someone breaking in and stealing your cheap goods because you know they'll fail miserably.
Meanwhile, I see you guys eating popcorn outside your house, reading your phones instead of talking to each other. You know what? We're the same kind of people.
