'NYT' Scribe Loving the Rich People Beat
Over the past couple months, you've probably become familiar with the work of New York Times writer Eric Konigsberg, who seems to have been hired to focus exclusively on rich people living on the Upper East Side. Today's piece, about how Upper East Siders have taken to dropping off their over-indulged spawn at nursery school in chauffeured luxury cars, is typical Konigsberg work:
Over the course of four mornings this winter, at least 22 chauffeured S.U.V.'s were seen, most of them repeatedly, waiting in front of the school while parents brought in their children. Most of the cars belonged to families who live between Lexington and Fifth Avenues and 70th to 86th Streets. Subsequent research found that an overwhelming majority of the fathers in these families earn a living in the field of capital management — running money for hedge funds or private equity funds — though there was one television executive and one professional athlete.
It's a somewhat ironic beat for Konigsberg, given a piece his wife, former Glamour editor Ruth Davis Konigsberg, wrote for Elle a couple months ago.
In an article called "Jobs and Monsters" (not, sadly, online), Davis Konigsberg laid out her case against her deadbeat husband, who swanned about the house all day, "writing," while Davis Konigsberg slaved away at her corporate magazine job, miserable. Needless to say, Davis Konigsberg was bringing in all the cash, and supporting the two of them and their baby. In an interview, Davis Konigsberg had this to say about dealing with a deadbeat spouse:
- If you are having significant issues that are damaging the marriage, don't be afraid to try couples counseling, Ruth says.
- Ruth says that often the key to happiness is for the lower-income partner, which may be the man, to take on some extra household duties to create balance.
- Fundamentally, it's most important that you both love and enjoy your careers. You may think that you're arguing about money, but deeper issues are likely involved as well.
- Consider whether making changes in your lives, such as moving to a less expensive area, will help solve some of the problems and take the pressure off.
Or you could just tell your husband to get a job.