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[kortirion_among_the_trees]

Very interesting article with lots of food for thought: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/01/30/doomsday-prep-for-the-super-rich?
Too much food, actually, so I'll just remark on two things.  I'm struck by how influenced by Hollywood (rather than real instances of civilisational collapse, as during wars) all these people's doomsday scenarios and preparations are.  But much more striking is the level of egotistic irresponsibility and absence of self-awareness that such behavior entails.  The cause of the imminent social collapse you fear and the cause of your immense wealth are one and the same - put two and two together and use all your money and, therefore, potential power, to influence politics for the better, just as your other ('socially minded') brother billionaires are actively influencing it for the worse.  With power comes responsibility, noblesse oblige and all that, but these people have no concept of a social contract.  Looking out for number one is the most defeatist philosophy imaginable - when number one - in combination with other similar number ones - actually has enough money to genuinely influence the direction of the world.  But no, they prefer to contribute their bit to dismantling the edifice in the hope that when it finally comes crashing down they'll have a helicopter ready to whisk them away to New Zealand.

Comments

[arda-unmarred.livejournal.com]

That's great, stuff like that I understand and approve of (I remember my dad talking to me about the importance of battery technology years ago when he was working for an electric car company, and basically saying that once they crack that, we're set). So kudos to them for all of that. BUT. While they're developing the great green tech we've got the Dakota Access Pipeline, we've got the termination of the Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/861/all-info , we've got massive expansion of fracking, we've got roll-back of coal pollution restrictions, we've got Hinckley Point on this side of the pond, etc. etc. That's why politics will trump (pun intended) tech in the short-to-medium term every time. Same goes for medicine - if people can't access it, what's the use of having it?

I understand your desire to defend these people, but all I'm saying is that if they criminally waste 50% of their money, rather than 100%, they're still criminally wasting it.