iiradned

Every billionaire is a machine for producing policy failures at scale.

Billionaires are a danger to themselves and (especially) us @pluralistic
https://pluralistic.net/2026/03/09/autocrats-of-trade-2/

Pluralistic: Billionaires are a danger to themselves and (especially) us (09 Mar 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

Mar 10 at 3:29amWeb
Show threadWade RobertsMar 10

@iiradned @pluralistic billionaire individuals and charitable organisations are the polar extremes of the same policy failure.

Neither should exist, but when they do, they should only be tolerated for the shortest practicable lifespan.

Show threadRide TheoryMar 10
@iiradned @pluralistic Maybe the regulation we need is: as soon as they make their first billion they should have "This machine produces policy failures at scale" tattooed on their foreheads.
Show threadArgonelMar 10
@ridetheory @iiradned @pluralistic supplemental requirement. Add another tattoo in a random location for each additional billion. Minimum tattoo height of 25mm in comic sans for the first tattoo, artists choice for each additional one.
Show threadD2Mar 10

@Argonel @ridetheory @iiradned @pluralistic ?! Nah, font size gets larger each additional billion. After the fifth billion, employees are polled on where it goes and what it says. After the 20th billion, customers choose the composition of ink.

I hear cadmium and cyanide can make some pretty blues…

Show threadPeter 💙 StevensMar 10

@cascheranno @Argonel @ridetheory @iiradned @pluralistic

But if the font is to be bigger, surely that means the needles would have to get bigger and that would hur... OK, good plan😈

Show threadD2Mar 10

@PhilthyPierre @Argonel @ridetheory @iiradned @pluralistic

I’ve also been doing some 1.x to the nth power math fun.

Around the 25th tattoo, at a mere ‘20% larger each time’, we start getting into ‘each letter is taller than a person’. Prickly body paint. So… What color do you want your fave multi-billionaire to be?

Show threadComrade elronxenuMar 10
@cascheranno @Argonel @ridetheory @iiradned @pluralistic This is all very lightweight. I say, take a limb for each billion.
Show threadCassandraVertMar 10
@pluralistic
You should suggest a way to eliminate billionaires, or is that an entirely separate essay?