The Unbearable Hubris of Musk and the Billionaire Tech Bros
Challenging each other to cage fights, building apocalypse bunkers – the behavior of today's mega-moguls is becoming increasingly outlandish and imperial.
The New Tech Titans
Today's tech billionaires, like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, exhibit behavior that sets them apart from their predecessors. From challenging each other to cage fights to building apocalypse bunkers, their actions often seem more suited for fiction than reality.
Unlike their predecessors, modern billionaires are not content with building the biggest house in town. Instead, they aspire to colonize the moon, Mars, or even virtual reality servers. They see themselves as the vanguard of a new dimension, leaving behind the trappings of civil society.
Peter Thiel wanted to create a doomsday escape, complete with luxury amenities, but faced environmental opposition. Jeff Bezos dreams of space colonies housing trillions of people, while Elon Musk plans to build a city of a million people on Mars. These aspirations go far beyond the ambitions of billionaires in previous eras.
The Rise of the Billionaire Class
While today's tech billionaires may not individually be wealthier than their predecessors, the overall number of centimillionaires and billionaires has dramatically increased. This concentration of wealth is unprecedented, with a few individuals accumulating a significant portion of the world's resources.
In the past, elite wealth was limited by the material world. Today, virtual commodities like likes, views, and cryptocurrencies can be replicated exponentially. The operations of these billionaires often result in externalized harm, such as mineral slavery in Africa or the spreading of disinformation for profit.
The new billionaire class shows a disregard for the wellbeing of people and places. They see themselves as godlike creators, rising above traditional religious values and exerting their authority in every aspect of life. This mindset is fueled by a belief that with enough money and technology, they can escape the consequences of their actions.
Feudalism and Entertainers
Today's tech billionaires operate with a new form of power that can be termed "technofeudalism." Rather than seeking to extract value from workers, they seek passive income by owning the platforms on which others work. Their visions are abstract and self-interested, lacking the public service ethos of past capitalists.
In many ways, these tech billionaires are more like entertainers than demigods. They engage in public feuds and seek attention through their antics. Instead of emulating them, it is important to recognize their behavior for what it is and challenge their dominance. It's time to reclaim the world from these new robber barons.
The actions of today's tech billionaires may make for entertaining stories, but they do not lead to sustainable futures. It's time to prioritize meaningful change over the fantasies of the super-rich.
