

“We are living in a new Gilded Age”: how the billionaire class came to power
35 snips Jul 10, 2025
Evan Osnos, a staff writer at The New Yorker and author of 'The Haves and Have-Yachts', digs into America's fixation on the ultra-wealthy. He discusses the stark wealth divide and how today’s billionaires are both envied and resented. Osnos explores opulent super yachts as symbols of this new Gilded Age, critiques CEO pay disparities, and reveals the veiled influence of billionaires in politics. He also reflects on what future historians might learn from today's symbols of affluence and the societal values they represent.
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Historic Wealth Inequality Surge
- The number of billionaires in the US rose from 66 in 1990 to over 800 today, signaling huge wealth concentration.
- Meanwhile, median wages grew only 20%, creating unprecedented inequality historically and globally.
Superyachts as Modern Aristocracy
- Superyachts serve as modern aristocratic households with 12 guests served by 50–60 crew members.
- COVID-19 made yachts the 'safest place' with advanced medical tech, including robotic surgery over Wi-Fi.
CEO Pay and Wealth Laws Shift
- CEO pay ratios exploded from 20 times worker pay in 1965 to 350 times today, reflecting shifting norms.
- Laws easing wealth protections like abolishing perpetuities laws allow dynasties to avoid estate taxes indefinitely.