Billionaires Who Love Fleece | Sarah Ellison on Tech Royalty | 22
Aug 4, 2020
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Sarah Ellison, a writer focusing on very rich people and their outrageous behavior, discusses the power and behavior of billionaires in Silicon Valley. Topics include their influence on shaping the world, the connection between wealth and power, doomsday bunkers for billionaires, and the rise of Jeff Bezos from a scrawny kid to a billionaire playboy.
Billionaires' extravagant lifestyles become increasingly bizarre as their wealth grows, with teams of people catering to their every need.
Silicon Valley is a powerful and influential hub where tech billionaires like Jeff Bezos have risen to prominence, despite gender disparities that still need addressing.
Deep dives
Exploring the Difference Between the Rich and Billionaires
There exists a significant distinction between being rich and being a billionaire. While rich people may possess small sailboats, billionaires have luxurious mega yachts. Rich individuals may be sheltering in their mansions during the pandemic, but billionaires are retreating to doomsday-style bunkers equipped with ample supplies to survive the apocalypse. Silicon Valley is often associated with billionaires, as it is a land where computer nerds can become tycoons. Understanding what makes tech billionaires tick sheds light on their extraordinary power and influence.
Wealth, Outrageous Behavior, and the Power Struggle
Wealth often leads to outrageous behavior among billionaires due to a combination of drive, hubris, and an endless pursuit of amassing more wealth. The more money they accumulate, the stranger their lifestyles become. At a certain point, billionaires employ teams of people to cater to their every need, creating a surreal existence where they can engage in seemingly absurd projects and ideas. While it's hard to determine whether wealth breeds outrageous behavior or if they are inherently driven individuals, there is a level of wealth where it becomes nearly impossible to remain grounded.
The Evolution of Silicon Valley and Challenges of Gender Equity
Silicon Valley has evolved into a hub of immense power and influence, with tech billionaires like Jeff Bezos taking center stage. Bezos started as a nerdy entrepreneur focused on selling books online, but over time, he expanded Amazon into a vast empire that touches various aspects of our lives. The acquisition of Amazon Studios and his exploration of other ventures propelled Bezos into new circles, eventually leading to his involvement in a high-profile extramarital affair. Silicon Valley has faced scrutiny for its gender disparities, and while progress has been made, there is still a long way to go to achieve gender equity and inclusivity.
Silicon Valley. It’s a magical kingdom where nerds can become tycoons — and all that power goes straight to their big brains. Sarah Ellison joins us to talk about the downright ridiculous behavior of mega-rich techies. Sarah has written for outlets like the Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post. She says if there’s one constant in her long career, it’s this: she writes about very rich people who sometimes act outrageously.