Monday, July 16, 2018

The pessimism of the elite

http://miriadna.com/preview/postapocalyptic-art-by-rolf-bertz


"When the hedge funders asked me the best way to maintain authority over their security forces after “the event,” I suggested that their best bet would be to treat those people really well, right now. They should be engaging with their security staffs as if they were members of their own family. And the more they can expand this ethos of inclusivity to the rest of their business practices, supply chain management, sustainability efforts, and wealth distribution, the less chance there will be of an “event” in the first place. All this technological wizardry could be applied toward less romantic but entirely more collective interests right now.

"They were amused by my optimism, but they didn’t really buy it. They were not interested in how to avoid a calamity; they’re convinced we are too far gone. For all their wealth and power, they don’t believe they can affect the future. They are simply accepting the darkest of all scenarios and then bringing whatever money and technology they can employ to insulate themselves — especially if they can’t get a seat on the rocket to Mars."

https://medium.com/s/futurehuman/survival-of-the-richest-9ef6cddd0cc1

These people are successful in a particular context. In a different one, maybe not.

5 comments:

Paddington said...

As arrogant as it sounds, I believe that, starting in the 1980's, it was relatively easy to make lots of money, if that was your only goal. I knew software developers, accountants, doctors, plumbers and many others who did just that.

The accumulation of wealth, especially if you are willing to hose your friends and borrow lots of money, is not that hard. But, how many of those same hedge fund managers know how to do anything practical at all? They are part of a parasitic class who are the product of other's innovation.

Sackerson said...

Funny, on Facebook we get indignant posts about trophy hunters killing top predators on safari, but in real life the top predators of Wall Street are objects of hero-worship.

Paddington said...

The parasitic class reminds me of the French and Spanish nobles of the 17th and 18th centuries, accumulating money, but not generating wealth. It is they and their attitudes that will bring us down.

James Higham said...

I suggested that their best bet would be to treat those people really well, right now.

Straight over their heads.

Paddington said...

The real way to control them is what was done in the American South under slavery. Give them an underclass to torment.