Why are billionaires building bunkers?

[cyrano]

Billionaires are building bunkers and buying islands—are they prepping for apocalypse or pioneering a new feudalism?

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-billionaires-bunkers-buying-islands-prepping.html

 

[living sounds]

I remember reading an interview with a top physicist who opted to remain anonymous. A few years ago he was payed to deliver a speech to a bunch of Silicon Valley tech billionaires. Instead, it turned into more of an informal Q&A. They were concerned with how they could stay on top in case of socieatal breakdown, e.g. how to make sure your security personell stays loyal to you etc.

They are intelligent people, and they understand that the current trajectory of increasing inequality is not sustainable. History has shown countless times that there will be an eventual breaking point.

Having access to a sealed off bunker at a secluded space is not a bad thing in this scenario.

 

[living sounds]

There was a post on Nextdoor from someone who says they know some people who know some people and he was encouraging everyone to learn how to grow food..
Of course he's being laughed at by the majority.
Interesting. Could almost say having access to a firearm wouldn't be a bad thing in this scenario if you really believe that.

There are lot's of scenarios with none-zero probability. For instance, a supervolcano explosion or a large asteriod striking the earth can also create an environment where a bunker considerably increases the odds of survival.

 

[hodad]

This might be some of it:

On the other hand, reflexive contrarianism is, as the economist Adam Ozimek puts it, a “brain rotting drug.” Those who succumb to that drug “lose the ability to judge others they consider contrarian, become unable to tell good evidence from bad, a total unanchoring of belief that leads them to cling to low quality contrarian fads.”

Tech bros appear to be especially susceptible to brain-rotting contrarianism. Their financial success all too often convinces them that they’re uniquely brilliant, able to instantly master any subject, without any need to consult people who’ve actually worked hard to understand the issues. And in many cases they became wealthy by defying conventional wisdom, which predisposes them to believe that such defiance is justified across the board.


https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/06/...e_code=1.aE0.0JS1.LhriVxCFNjOK&smid=url-share

 

[jabe]

There was a post on Nextdoor from someone who says they know some people who know some people and he was encouraging everyone to learn how to grow food.

Every rumor and legend has some people who know some people as a source. And I'd take anything on Nextdoor with an extra grain of salt. Or maybe a big bag of rock salt.

There have always been survivalist types. Growing your own food is a useful skill and not to be looked down upon IMO. But if anything that disruptive happens to society, it's going to take a lot more than that to survive...

 

[JohnRoberts]

Because they can?

JR

 

[cyrano]

Because they can?

Yeah, maybe. But the obvious suggestion is that the .1% know something that's being witheld from the rest of the population. Maybe it's just a belief, but the number of people living "off the grid" has never been bigger.

Or are they just building the next generation "Lolita island"?

 

[JohnRoberts]

Don't assume that all rich people are smart...... (some are).

They may eat better but surely get lots of bad advice.

JR

 

[hodad]

Don't assume that all rich people are smart...... (some are).

They may eat better but surely get lots of bad advice.

I would add, "Don't assume that people who got rich by being smart in one area are smart in other areas;" and "Don't assume that certain rich people's arrogance doesn't override their intelligence."