Kathleen McGregorJan 18, 2023
Dr. D. Elisabeth Glassco

And yet legions of lemmings still idolize them.

“The revelation that billionaires are not exceptional except for the size of their net worth marks a schism from the idea that the wealthy are demigods. Silicon Valley’s billionaires insist that technology will transform and save the world. The infamous robber barons, like Carnegie and Rockefeller, often remade their image, after a career of exploiting their workers, as magnanimous philanthropists.”

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2022/12/20/23509726/billionaire-vibe-shift-elon-sbf-2022

#Musk #News #Twitter

Elon Musk, Sam Bankman-Fried, and the billionaire vibe shift

It was the year the billionaires showed who they really are.

Vox
Jan 18, 2023 at 4:20pmWeb
Show threadCTrevethan🐡🥣Jan 18, 2023
@Deglassco just look at Bezos. i’m giving back? microsoft. Giving back.
but would they pay employees more? nah! and Tim Cook takes a pay cut, but do workers get better pay? nah
Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJan 19, 2023
@CTrevethan Yes, although some are more socially responsible than others, their contributions are minimal compared to the harm they cause as a group.
Show thread72wagonJan 18, 2023
@Deglassco I think the fact that so much wealth is consolidated into the hands of so few is a huge problem that is under appreciated. I believe it's at the root of may other problems we have.
Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJan 19, 2023
@72wagon Certainly, it’s a large cause of social and economic instability.
Show thread72wagonJan 19, 2023
@Deglassco Very true. I think it's becoming more and more clear how much the billionaire class exerts undue political and economic control over everyone else.
Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJan 20, 2023
@72wagon Yes, a very real threat to global security.
Show threadxs4me2Jan 18, 2023
@Deglassco There comes a point where society will not tolerate the unbalanced and exuberant profits. Grifters...
Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJan 19, 2023
@xs4me2 Agreed. It’s unsustainable.
Show threadAngry CentristJan 18, 2023
@Deglassco Billionaires ARE certainly exceptional. From the Robber Barons of the Gilded Age to this current crop, they all share a complete lack of empathy for other humans. To continue to amass wealth beyond anything they could spend in their lifetime rather than improve conditions/compensation for the employees actually CREATING all the value the oligarchs hoard for themselves is the mark of the plutocrat.
Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJan 19, 2023
@dkbgeek While some try to give back, most don’t. It’s a real problem that is only getting more extreme.
Show threadAngry CentristJan 19, 2023
@Deglassco Also: not all, but a LOT of the "giving back" is more showy philanthropy for reputation-management (just like it was for the Robber Barons) and almost never "take care of the people at my huge company that actually MADE all those billions for me."
Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJan 20, 2023
@dkbgeek Good point!
Show threadPampaJan 18, 2023

@Deglassco

Billionaire philanthropists are oxymorons.

Show threadDr. D. Elisabeth GlasscoJan 19, 2023
@Pampa Agreed!