Rich Quote by Yip Harburg
““Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a shelter, worthy of Kubla Khan's Xanadu dome; Plushy and swanky, with posh hanky panky that affluent Yankees can really call home. Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a shelter, a push-button palace, fluorescent repose; Electric devices for facing a crisis with frozen fruit ices and cinema shows. Hammacher Schlemmer is selling a shelter all chromium kitchens and rubber-tiled dorms; With waterproof portals to echo the chortles of weatherproof mortals in hydrogen storms. What a great come-to-glory emporium! To enjoy a deluxe moratorium, Where nuclear heat can beguile the elite in a creme-de-la-creme crematorium.””
About This Quote
Source Advertisement: Hammacher Schlemmer catalog, 1970s
A flamboyant description of a luxury shelter marketed as a futuristic, indulgent refuge for the wealthy, mixing absurdity with high‑tech comforts.
In simple terms: Exaggerated luxury shelter for the rich.
Key Takeaway
Recognize hype and assess real value.
Themes
consumerism
luxury
technology
satire
excess
Mood
playful
critical
ironic
Type
advertisement
satire
commentary
When to use this quote
- shopping for high‑tech homes
- evaluating product claims
- designing futuristic interiors
- discussing wealth disparity
- analyzing advertising language
Key Concepts
hyperbole
marketing
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this satire reveal about consumer culture?
- How would you balance comfort and responsibility?
A Different Perspective
The description may overlook practical needs and ethical concerns of such opulence.
![“May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down my face make me more radiant: may my hidden weeping bloom… How we waste our afflictions!... [T]hey're really our wintering foliage, our dark greens of meaning…” quote by Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c7/rainer-maria-rilke-193_abode_may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and_52479.jpg)
