One of my favorite parts of Ministry for the Future was the abolition of the billionaires. Just to be that rich makes you an enemy of democracy. Wrote early this year:
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I'd like to emphasize what you wrote re Gates, Bloomberg, & Steyer.
When billionaires are being philanthropic, their wealth has a warping effect on discussions about solutions. Just like it does on the economy and on politics.
Overall, billionaire philanthropy does more harm than good.
@anandwrites.bsky.social wrote about this very effectively and eloquently (although since the success of that book, it kinda feels like they've invited him into the club and effectively neutered him)
It is totally insane. This imbalance and hoarding will kill the dream of true democracy. I can only hope that it is quick and makes it so, so very clear that sanity and caring emerges as a guiding principle.
And despite being the richest, Musk is still desperate for MORE money and power. He's a weak, frightened, small person who thinks enough power and money will make him smart, good, important, loved, and above all SAFE.
They can't.
But he'll make us all suffer as he pursues his doomed quest.
Thanks for pushing this book back up in the list of re-reads. Though it only recently lost to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which has not disappointed. Do yourself a favor and read that one again, too!
A great book! As depicted, I suspect it will take the sudden death of millions of people before governments make serious steps to combat our climate emergency.
And exactly what can we do about this? They buy people, countries, elections, yachts, news media. How much is ever enough of this ? It’s a bottomless spiritual sickness of greed and power. I’ll never ever understand this mindset! 😩
And exactly what can we do about this ? They buy things , countries, elections, people…. How much is enough for them ? It’s a spiritual bottomless pit of greed and power. I’ll never ever understand that mindset. 😩
So easily solved too by simply playing with tax policy levers. You can still be filthy rich, just not "transcend the concept of rule of law and democracy" rich.
On the topic of books in this genre, I loved “The Deluge” by Stephen Markley. One of my favorite Cli-fi books yet. It also incorporates the topics of wealth inequality and a rising trend towards authoritarianism. 🤔
What’s frustrating is humanity has already gone through this. We learned that we cannot tolerate princes whose whims warp and destroy the lives of everyone around them. We have gone through bloody revolutions to be free of them. To be rid of them through the tax code is mercy!
We have no laws against plunder in the U.S. This is, in my estimation, the only reason for big investment here. And why we are turning into a service-centered economic model.....Global Capitalism got nothing on us.......
I've thought about this book every day since I read it, and even more so since Luigi. Not the technocratic bits, or the coming together, blah blah. All good, but what I found shocking about a book so widely praised by the elites was the violence without which none of it was possible.
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When billionaires are being philanthropic, their wealth has a warping effect on discussions about solutions. Just like it does on the economy and on politics.
Overall, billionaire philanthropy does more harm than good.
Wealth at that level isn't earned, it's just *acquired*. Mostly by inheritance, luck, and especially by manipulating the economic system itself.
The people are as out of touch and just as much to blame. They fund these men with their purchases. 😭
They can't.
But he'll make us all suffer as he pursues his doomed quest.
Maybe Xi too -
at least functionally