What would the world look like if billionaires actually helped the people?
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Its not a dragon hoard, its the perceived value of their companies.
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For sure wealth should be taxed, but OPs idea that it's just unused billions sitting around is untrue. People shouldn't belief in falsehoods. Also if you try to argue for wealth tax, and get something basic like this wrong, the argument is already lost.
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It's not enough to put him on my favorable list. Have you used Microsoft lately?
No, all my systems are Linux. Work is W11 and I have to keep deleting ai.exe and aimgr.exe from the vfs MS office16 folders or the AI takes most of my processor for no reason and my applications run like molasses.
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For sure wealth should be taxed, but OPs idea that it's just unused billions sitting around is untrue. People shouldn't belief in falsehoods. Also if you try to argue for wealth tax, and get something basic like this wrong, the argument is already lost.
Of course it isn't just sitting around unused, it's being reinvested to make more money. Billionaires typically put most of their net worth into assets and stocks and then live off of loans, just like the comic I posted alludes to. Just because they don't have literal piles of cash sitting around doesn't mean they aren't absurdly wealthy.
And let's be honest, if a billionaire wanted a Scrooge McDuck style gold pile they could have it arranged within a week at most.
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Bloomberg and others are funding the Paris agreement for the US, where the government pulled out: https://www.bloomberg.org/press/un-special-envoy-michael-r-bloomberg-announces-effort-to-ensure-u-s-honors-paris-agreement-commitments/
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This is canon in Shadowrun.
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Deep beneath a private island in the Pacific, in a hidden chamber lined with gold-leafed bookshelves and quantum supercomputers, the most powerful men on Earth gathered in secret.
Donald Trump adjusted his crimson tie and sighed. “It’s not working, folks. We tried giving them money, and they just keep asking for less.”
Mark Zuckerberg, seated beside him, nodded solemnly. “I even launched an algorithm that boosted posts about universal basic income. What happened? People demanded more gig work instead.”
Elon Musk leaned forward, rubbing his temples. “I offered to give away Tesla stock. Instead, they asked me to cut costs and fire more workers to ‘boost productivity.’ How do you give away wealth when they refuse to take it?”
Jeff Bezos, pacing the marble floor, gestured wildly. “I raised warehouse wages! They organized a petition to lower them, saying it would ‘teach discipline.’”
Peter Thiel adjusted his monocle. No one knew why he wore one, but it added to his aura of sinister brilliance. “We tried funneling money through offshore charities. We even funded a secret movement that encouraged people to demand better living conditions. What happened? They begged for longer hours, fewer benefits, and harsher bosses.”
Larry Ellison sipped a 200-year-old scotch and sighed. “We’re trapped. Every time we try to redistribute our wealth, the system forces it back into our hands.”
A hush fell over the chamber.
The room’s quantum supercomputer beeped. A projection lit up the wall, showing an economic simulation. Every time they injected money into the lower classes, the populace—driven by an inexplicable work ethic—found ways to give it back. They called for “hard work” over “handouts,” praised billionaires as job creators, and tirelessly pursued policies that kept wages low and corporate profits high.
Trump shook his head. “I thought people loved winning. This is the worst deal in history.”
Musk sighed. “Maybe we should leave Earth entirely. Let them sort it out.”
Bezos frowned. “Mars colonization isn’t ready yet.”
Zuckerberg scrolled through his phone, a flicker of hope in his eyes. “What if we just… stopped trying?”
The billionaires exchanged glances.
Thiel steepled his fingers. “That would mean living with the guilt.”
Ellison drained his glass. “Or we could take the nuclear option.”
The room fell silent.
“The nuclear option?” Bezos asked cautiously.
Ellison leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. “We... give them everything.”
Gasps filled the chamber.
“No stocks. No corporations. No assets. No wealth,” Ellison continued. “We drop it all into their laps and walk away. No strings attached. No economic structures left to maintain. Just pure, uncontrolled prosperity.”
Musk paled. “That’s madness. A complete system collapse.”
Trump grumbled. “But maybe… the greatest system collapse.”
The quantum supercomputer calculated. The answer flashed on the screen:
Projected Outcome: Billionaires’ wealth depleted. Poverty instantly eradicated. Within five years, 98% of former billionaires regain their fortunes due to economic demand for ‘strong leadership’ and ‘wealth redistribution toward the competent.’
Zuckerberg groaned. “Even if we burn it all down, they’ll just build it back up around us.”
Bezos sat heavily in his chair. “Then there’s only one solution.”
The others leaned in.
“We keep trying.”
Silence.
Then, one by one, the billionaires nodded.
It was their curse. Their eternal struggle. No matter how hard they tried to give it all away, the world would always find a way to make them rich again.
And so, reluctantly, they raised their glasses.
“To ending poverty,” Musk muttered.
“To losing,” Trump added.
They drank in grim silence, knowing that, once again, they were doomed to win.
Thanks to the first sentence, I read this comment in the voice of The Narrator from George of the Jungle.
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Thanks to the first sentence, I read this comment in the voice of The Narrator from George of the Jungle.
Whoa, that makes it so much better. Thank you! Here's the imdb for the narrator of the '97 movie:
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They can't. Its not a matter of personal greed, its just how capitalism works, it creates immense wealth for a few on one end and mass immiseration for the masses on the other. Billionaires exist because of the system that creates them.
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Look at 2020 during covid where the medical workers did not have PPE and how the supply chain was/is still stressed
I think these are more logistical and planning problems than fundamental lack of supply. The mask shortage was resolved by increasing production afaik. There is a large discrepancy between countries in the ratio between quality of health outcomes and expense of healthcare per person; even if it turns out to be a supply problem to get the most advanced available medicine to everyone, it is certainly possible to get the most impactful medical services to everyone.
We also lack the natural resources where we can just throw money aka paper at problems and their gone forever.
This is probably true though, spending by itself might not be enough.
110% it's from dysfunction that is how our current system is designed. We use so many archaic processes to do things, still rely on old very outdated infrastructure, coal power etc.
It's too inconvenient to switch to green energy because the rich live good and like the lifestyle the cost is higher for green energy but that circles back to a made up monetary system. What is cost when paper has little intrinsic value?
Just go talk to your average person not even a rich person pick a middle class person. People are not willing to make any concessions at all in their lifestyles to save others and help the collective good. Very few will even family members complain of issues but won't change how they operate and consume.
I don't think we fully lack the supply but bear in mind things are finite and we are seeing what little we have left diminish and nations are fighting over mineral deposits. That is why I said we have supply chain, logistics, transportation issues above all because those sectors allow the most efficient delivery and utilization of our resource expenditures so we net lose little as possible.
I think until we find a better source of fuel for major transportation of goods in bulk basically something revolutionary. We are kind of stuck not fully but held with one hand behind our back. The only sector I think compares to the effeciency we need are perhaps trains.
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No, all my systems are Linux. Work is W11 and I have to keep deleting ai.exe and aimgr.exe from the vfs MS office16 folders or the AI takes most of my processor for no reason and my applications run like molasses.
Bill Gates brought you that so he could be the world's richest man.
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What is the point of feeding a tamagotchi?
Exactly, that's why I don't have one.
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