Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 46.46: The "Justice" of the "Let the Rich Get Rich First" Showing Off

May 28, 1996, afternoon.

The meeting room at Lucheng Library, simply yet solemnly furnished, was slightly stuffy.

The air was filled with the dusty smell of old books and newspapers and the restless atmosphere created by the reporters who had arrived early.

Long tables were pieced together to form a makeshift platform, with only a lone chair placed behind it.

Opposite them, the seats were packed with reporters from newspapers and television stations all over Zhejiang Province, their cameras and lenses all pointed at the empty main seat.

Li Xiuxiu squeezed into a seat near the front, her palms slightly sweaty, feeling both excited and nervous.

In the morning, she was racking her brains about how to get close to Wang Sheng again, and even thought about whether to block the door of the hotel where Wang Sheng was staying. Unexpectedly, things took an unexpected turn. Zhang Feng, the minister of the Lucheng Propaganda Department, suddenly notified the media outlets staying in Lucheng that Wang, the general manager of Shengying Media, was willing to hold a press conference. The theme of the press conference was even more novel, called "Exploring the 'Limited Justice' of 'First-to-Get-Rich' Bragging".

It's like having someone hand you a pillow when you're just about to fall asleep!
Li Xiuxiu secretly checked the apology letter in her bag, making sure it was lying flat in the lining of her interview notebook.

At exactly 2:00 PM, the meeting room door was opened.

A staff member from the Lucheng Publicity Department entered first and gave a brief opening speech: "Thank you all for coming. Today, we are honored to have Mr. Wang Sheng, the General Manager of Jingcheng Shengying Media Co., Ltd., who has recently received much attention, to share his views with you on some social issues. Now, please welcome Mr. Wang."

Amidst a steady stream of camera shutter clicks, though not particularly loud, Wang Sheng walked in.

He changed into a well-fitting light-colored shirt and dark trousers. His hair was meticulously styled by Xu Ling. Although he was young, the hard work of the past few days had made him look less immature and more composed.

He walked behind the podium, but did not sit down immediately. Instead, he calmly scanned the reporters present and nodded slightly in greeting.

"Thank you, Minister Zhang, for providing this opportunity, and thank you to all the journalists who braved the sweltering heat to come."

Wang Sheng spoke, his voice clear and resonant, carrying a composure beyond his years: "Recently, there have been many reports about our company's business, sparking a lot of discussion. In particular, topics like 'sky-high weddings' and 'luxury consumption by the wealthy first' seem to be of great interest to everyone."

So today, let's have a frank discussion about the consumption behaviors of some of the "first to get rich," such as pursuing the ultimate experience, unique services, and even spending that outsiders might see as "flaunting." How should we view these behaviors? What is their "justification," and why are they "limited"? I'll start by offering my initial thoughts…"

He sat down and, with a few words, got straight to the point without beating around the bush.

“Mr. Wang!” A male reporter wearing glasses was the first to raise his hand and ask a question with a questioning tone: “Is your so-called ‘limited justice’ just a high-sounding excuse for extravagance and ostentatious wealth? At a time when many people are not well-off, isn’t such extravagance a misallocation of social resources and a moral failure?”

The question was very pointed, and the room fell silent instantly as all eyes were focused on Wang Sheng's face.

Wang Sheng seemed to have expected this, and without changing his expression, he slowly replied: "Comrade reporter, first of all, we must make one point clear: 'Letting some get rich first' is a direct result and proof of the achievements of the reform and opening-up policy."

The chief architect once said, "We should let some people get rich first."

They created wealth through legal business operations and hard work, which is commendable. Secondly, the issue of 'extravagance' you mentioned requires specific analysis.

If their spending, such as purchasing our "wedding movie" service, stimulates a series of other forms of consumption, including photography equipment rental, film production, employment, and even local catering, accommodation, and tourism, and this money enters the market cycle, transforming into income for other workers and tax revenue for the country, can this be called resource misallocation? This is precisely the driving force of consumption on the economy.

He paused, then emphasized, "As for morality, I believe that as long as wealth is acquired legitimately and taxes are paid according to law, one's consumption choices are a matter of personal freedom. We cannot use egalitarian standards to measure the consumption behavior of every newly rich person."

Their pursuit of higher quality and more personalized services reflects social progress and the diversification of market demands, and has objectively spurred new industrial and service upgrades, such as what Shengying Media is trying to do.

Another female reporter pressed further: "But such spending, often amounting to hundreds of thousands, easily triggers a competitive mentality in society and anxiety among ordinary people. Don't you think this will have a negative social impact?"

"The root cause of comparison and anxiety lies in the uneven economic development and the fact that the social security system is still being improved, rather than simply attributing it to the consumption of the wealthy first."

Wang Sheng responded with ease: "We cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater. On the contrary, we should see that the consumption of the wealthy first provides a high-end model for the market, opens up new service areas, and will eventually drive the overall improvement of related industries and income, benefiting more people. Just like when some people bought color TVs first, color TVs later entered thousands of households. It is a process."

"Mr. Wang, do you think this kind of 'conspicuous consumption' is reasonable?" another voice asked. Of course, Wang Sheng would not admit that the essence of this argument was to provide customers like Mr. Chen with a respectable and seemingly legitimate reason to spend money, to eliminate any psychological burden they might have, and even to make them feel that their consumption behavior was "glorious" and "contributing".

The essence of business sometimes lies in having attractive packaging and narratives.

Wang Sheng immediately corrected the reporter's question: "I prefer to call it 'display consumption' or 'quality-oriented consumption.' Whether it's reasonable or not depends on whether it's legal and compliant, and whether it creates real social and economic value."

If a consumption item can bring emotional satisfaction, promote cultural inheritance and innovation, boost employment and tax revenue, it has its value even if it is expensive.

Its 'justice' lies here. Its 'limitations' lie in the fact that we must also pay attention to social equity and encourage those who have become wealthy to give back to society through charity, investment, and other means to achieve common prosperity. However, this does not contradict their legitimate consumption.

Wang Sheng demonstrated clear logic, cited policies, and combined them with economic principles to skillfully resolve a series of sharp questions.

He wasn't vehement, but every word he uttered was steady and powerful. He acknowledged the contributions of the wealthy and linked their consumption behavior to the broader context of socio-economic development, which sounded reasonable and even quite forward-thinking.

Li Xiuxiu listened intently.

She had expected to see a businessman eager to defend himself, or a young and impetuous lucky man, but she never imagined that Wang Sheng would be so thoughtful and have such a broad perspective.

While his proposed logic of "limited justice" may seem to be a defense of his own business upon closer examination, it does offer a new perspective for understanding emerging social phenomena, prompting even someone like her, with a background in journalism, to begin reflecting on consumer ethics in a market economy.

He's only nineteen years old...

How can you think of so much and see so far ahead?
Looking at the confident and radiant young man on the stage, Li Xiuxiu's slight resentment and ambition from being rejected the day before were gradually replaced by genuine admiration and respect.

The meeting lasted for more than an hour.

Wang Sheng almost single-handedly debated with a group of scholars. Although he couldn't convince all the reporters, his performance undoubtedly earned him the respect of many. At least most of the people present felt that this young man was extraordinary and his success was by no means accidental.

Finally, a staff member from the Lucheng publicity department checked his watch and summarized: "Thank you, Mr. Wang, for your insightful presentation and to all the media friends for your enthusiastic questions. This meeting is now concluded."

After the words were spoken, the reporters either packed up their things, discussed among themselves with lingering interest, or got up to surround the reporters and ask them a few more questions.

Li Xiuxiu took a deep breath, seized the opportunity, pushed through the crowd, and quickly walked to Wang Sheng, who was about to leave the podium.

"President Wang!" Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough, and her face showed sincere apology and a hint of nervousness.

Wang Sheng stopped and looked at her, recognizing her as the young reporter who had "morally blackmailed" him yesterday.

"Mr. Wang, I'm so sorry!" Li Xiuxiu took out a neatly folded apology letter from her notebook, handed it over with both hands, and bowed slightly: "Yesterday I was too rash and too eager to succeed, and I said some very unprofessional things, which caused you trouble. This is my apology letter, I'm really sorry!"

Wang Sheng was somewhat surprised as he took the letter, which still retained the girl's warmth.

He glanced at it; the handwriting was neat, the words were sincere, and he genuinely reflected on his mistakes, expressing admiration for his entrepreneurial experience and a renewed appreciation for the journalism profession.

Wang Sheng hadn't taken this small matter to heart, but seeing the other party's sincere attitude, he smiled, folded the letter, and put it in his pocket.

"It's alright, Reporter Li. Your professionalism is commendable, but you should pay attention to your approach in the future."

After speaking, he left the meeting room accompanied by staff from the publicity department.

Watching Wang Sheng's departing figure, Li Xiuxiu stood there, secretly relieved.

At least I didn't offend anyone, and there might be opportunities to get to know them again later.

(End of this chapter)