Anna Delvey: The Evil Yet Heroic Mastermind
The minute Anna Delvey’s designer heels clicked onto the streets of New York, she wasted no time executing a plan that would later brand her as the perfect balance of a criminal mastermind and a misunderstood anti-hero. With her lies of being a wealthy heiress and convincing portrayal of a nonexistent trust fund, Delvey tore her way into the fantasy-like world of exclusive art galleries, fashion shows, and luxurious hotels. Her controversial actions blurred the line between virtues and vices as they broke through the conventional distinctions of what is morally good and bad, leading us to wonder, is it truly terrible to exploit the manipulative elite with the same tactics they employ themselves?
Anna’s narrative begins like any other immigrant story, with a boost of ambition and determination. Her natural talent of seamlessly navigating through the elitist scene was what ultimately brought her to the top. She would tip in 100-dollar bills to project an image of wealth and fabricate phone calls with her “German lawyer” about her fictional trust fund to deceive banks into lending her millions of dollars. Her outfits at exclusive runway shows left socialites in awe. Her taste for luxury far exceeded that of ordinary people. Piece by piece, Delvey crafted her personality, creating an illusion of wealth. Considering that modern society places a high emphasis on reputation, Delvey’s carefully crafted image of a flawless, curated identity couldn’t have been more effective. Nevertheless, within a few years, she accumulated millions in unpaid hotel bills and owed thousands of dollars to her friends.
Nonetheless, a question arises: was she truly exploiting the innocent, or was she merely mastering a game that elitist society had long been playing? While some believe that her actions were a bold response to society's hypocrisy of commending elitist manipulation while condemning similar tactics employed by commoners, others criticize her unethical climb up the social hierarchy. Often, we praise the notion that passion and drive leads to success, hence, we tend to view wealthy individuals as a result of their ambition and determination, and worthy of their success. However, in the case of middle-class individuals like Anna Delvey, when that passion surpasses the acceptable line of morality and ethics, we condemn those with such qualities. Anna Delvey is the embodiment of this scenario. Initially, her rich friends and business partners lavished her with admiration for her dedication and audacity. But once her lies were revealed, they turned back on her without a second thought.
Delvey had nothing substantial to begin with, but she had an advantage—her genuine motivation to be among the elite. To achieve this, she faked her wealth, and her connections, all for the purpose of starting a high-class society club business. Knowing her situation and values, I admire Delvey’s motivation. Especially in our generation, it is extremely important for many of us to fit in. Thus, I respect her decision to exploit the wealthy rather than manipulate the disadvantaged, and challenge the power dynamic that typically favors the rich.
It’s easy to brand Anna Delvey as a pure villain and manipulator, but upon further reflection, I wonder: if our society only appreciates or rewards the appearance of success, to what extent does belonging in a high society crosses over into betrayal? If someone’s greatest vice is merely fabricating lies to fit into a society they don’t quite belong in, is the blame on the individual or the society for emphasizing these values to this extent?