Filthy Rich

"Filthy Rich" by Fred Sheinbaum is a science fiction story that takes place in a future obsessed with buying and selling, where not participating in consumerism is seen as wrong and rebellious. The story centers around J.L. Spender, a powerful executive, as he becomes worried about his daughter, Glory, because she is in love with a young man named Ernest Stringer, whose beliefs go against everything J.L. believes in. Over dinner, J.L. tries to understand Stringer, but their different views cause problems. The biggest shock comes when it's revealed that Stringer is secretly rich but chooses not to spend his money, making him an enemy of J.L.'s consumer-driven world. This book is a criticism of a society that has taken shopping too far, and it shows the conflict between a father and daughter as they try to understand each other's values.