The Teenage Millionaire

Since our first hairy ancestor discovered the secret of fire in that dismal cave all those years ago, humankind has made some pretty impressive leaps forward. We began as hunters and gatherers, and when the ranks of buffalo and mammoths were growing thin, we discovered the practice of crop cultivation. Along the way we picked up everything from organized religion and warfare, as well as government and legal practices that form the foundation of our societies today.

Progressing through the 18th century "age of enlightenment" with its leaps forward in philosophy, science, and intellectual thought; the 19th century with its industrial revolution, we come upon the most impressive century of them all: the 20th.

Undoubtedly the generation that saw the rise of the airplane, the combustion automobile and the rocket ship lived through an uncommon era. Never had civilization progressed so quickly through the cosmos of knowledge. Suddenly, he could now cure diseases from which humans had been suffering since the very beginning. He created machines and computers to help him with the toil of his work. His understanding of everything from the macro to the infinite was unprecedented. It was as if the Tower of Babel had emerged from the sands of time and pointed again to the majesty of mankind.

But perhaps the most curious happening of them all has to be the teenage millionaire.

We know their names: Justin Bieber, the Olson twins, Miley Cyrus, Hillary Duff, Justin Timberlake, Britanny Spears-- on and on it goes. It seems to have started with the child actors in the eighties, then spilled over into the “boy band” era. Now it belongs to the triple threat types -- those who can act, sing and dance.

Never in history was so much owed to so young a demographic. Sure there were kings and emperors of old who inherited the throne and its accompanying riches at a tender young age. But never in my studies have I come across a fifteen year old millionaire.

Historically, it just didn't happen. There is no precedent. In the past, the rich were usually land owners, slave owners, high ranking military or government types who due to their age and seniority commended the biggest pay cheques. During the Dark Ages wealth shifted into the hands of the Church, and during the Industrial Revolution the greenback belonged to the factory owners and inventors -- but the same principles applied. Wealth trickled from the top down -- that is, from the elderly to the young. Inheritance was really the only way the impoverished masses of history gained any advantage, and even then it was probably nothing more than a thorny field or a draughty stone home.

So what created the phenomenon? What caused this crack in the wallet of time that has enabled so many young people to attain such unheard of wealth?

Well I think most of us can agree that these millionaires are usually part of an exclusive club, that which derives its wealth from the “Entertainment Industry.” Sure there has always been entertainment, but no kids ever got stinking rich from it.

Usually times of peace bring about an increased emphasis on the arts. The 20^th century also saw a unique refocusing of collective identity, in terms of iconography, as well as reorganization of what the masses revered and honoured. Throughout time, the warrior was beloved above all else. Somewhere down the line, this reverence began to shift onto the most unlikely character of them all -- the entertainer.

The biggest leap in this “shift” was a direct result of the “peace dividend” brought on by the end of the Second World War. Up until then, Europe (which made up a large part of the “civilized” world) had seen conflict for centuries. Every few years France, Prussia and Britain would have at it, burning through their treasuries and exacting a huge toll on their people. War was a common feature of European life and intertwined itself on every level, particularity socially and economically. It was not uncommon to see wars lasting for years, and thus much of the national resources and energy went into supporting these efforts.

But since 1945, not only Europe, but nearly every major player on the world stage has not had to significantly mobilize its resources to fight a total war. Sure plenty was spent during the Cold War, but in the West that burden was primarily shouldered by governments, not the public.

No, the people spent their money on living. The peace dividend refocused societies attention away from the warrior and his craft. With the burden of wartime rationing and saving lifted, living standards increased and emphasis was placed on that notorious “American dream” -- even if you weren't American. And probably for the first time in history, the masses had excess income. They were gambling and drinking; buying TVs, radios, records and going to the movies. Thus the pursuit of pleasure prospered and the entertainer emerged to fill the warrior-less void.

But I dare say the exultation of the entertainer has blossomed significantly over the course of the last few decades. Never have I seen such hero worship. Just flip on the ol' flatscreen around seven in the evening and you'll know what I'm talking about. The deluge and proliferation of media related to the entertainment celebrity is nearly cultish in its entirety. Mention of these young elites is everywhere, be it posted on Internet comment boxes or on the shelves of the grocery store checkout isle.

This financial increase among the young is not limited exclusively to entertainment. The Internet has created a swath of dot.com richie-rich kids. And it seems that age is no longer a limiting factor in entrepreneurial pursuits either.  However there is something unique (and a bit odd) about someone too young to vote, get a driver's licence or legally drink making more money then someone twice their age. In fact, it is a little disconcerting.

I suppose at the end of the day we have to accept that this new social class has emerged not due to a bizarre economic or social anomaly, but because we as a society have placed a significant value on such activity. We reward the entertainer, no matter what the age. Regardless of how we feel about these overpaid, underdeveloped group of humans (or the dubious intentions of their parents or of the execs that manufactured them) we need to realize that the resources of a young generation have significantly altered the economic landscape of the modern world.

As with any other economic class, young people vote with their money. And just like the rest of us, our money is where our heart is. So it's not surprising that an increasingly affluent generation support and enable such wunderkind prodigies. And from my observations of popular music and television, it's not likely these mini-me's are going to give up this way of life any time soon.