A $149 Million Mansion

Two figures from The U.S. Census Bureau’s data for 2014 provide a slice of reality: 14.8% of the U.S. population was living in poverty and the median income was $53,700. You may recall median means the point at which one half was living below $53,700, and the other half above.
Then there’s the unreal—or what seems unreal to me: A Beverly Hills mansion which was on the market for $195 million a few months ago and which has been reduced to $149 million. It was bought in 2007 for $35 million but extensive work is said to have been done. The $149 million estate includes 12 bedrooms, 23 bathrooms, 53,000 square feet of living space of which 35,000 is for the main residence, a 15,000 square feet entertainment complex, a bowling alley, a lounge area connecting the tennis court to other recreational facilities. The Los Angeles Times article which described the property mentioned it included “ a floating style glass floor walkway set over pools that leads to the entertainment complex which can seat as many as 250 dinner guests”. There is also a guest house, a theater, a disco/ballroom, a DJ booth, a 128-foot reflecting pool, a fountain, a spa and of course a swimming pool and barbecue areas. The estate has its own wine label, two wine cellars, one that can hold 3000 bottles, another 10,000. I can’t clearly imagine the lifestyle of prospective owners, how often would some of these features be used? Would one be able to do anything in that estate but have fun and entertain? Would there be room for ordinary living and hopefully meaningful relationships?
Living at the poverty level of $24,008 for a family of four doesn’t seem desirable, but maybe when seen through what could be inferred of living in a $149 million mansion, being super rich doesn’t grab one either.