[nannotequalnan]

anecdotally, it feels like the tech elite are trying to outsmart the system (such as prepping for doomsday scenarios), rather than trying to improve the system to prevent, or lower the probability of the doomsday scenario in the first place

[chillacy]

You definitely get more bang for your buck spending on yourself vs trying to change society.

[landryraccoon]

It has to be the case that if everyone agrees to spend on something together you get much more bang for the buck than if everyone is out for themselves. That’s the whole reason why tribes outcompete individuals, cities outcompeted tribes and nation states outcompeted cities.

At the extreme, if a small band forms an army, it doesn’t matter how well armed and fortified a single family is; the army is taking them down.

[praptak]

That is true if you play within the tragedy of the commons scenario instead of trying to break out of it.

[chillacy]

Correct, if everyone in society didn't graze the metaphorical commons, then your happiness would be even higher still.

[nannotequalnan]

agree completely, although that's kind of the point. the problem is that the tech elite are going for most bang for the buck (ie. looking out for no 1) instead of trying to solve the mess that they, in part, created

[asien]

> rather than trying to improve the system to prevent, or lower the probability of the doomsday scenario in the first place

I’m not sure Sillicon Valley billionaire can do much too save the earth from collapsing.

It’s not about rich changing the world to save it, it’s about the world monetary system , capitalism and thermo-industrial economy that has climax and is now going to end.

Hence , every society has cycles. Roman era disappeared, Vikings disappeared etc... this society will disappear as well and let something new come.

[BurningFrog]

Neither Romans or Vikings disappeared. Their societies were just called something else a few centuries later.

Kings die every decade or two. States expand and shrink and occasionally disappear. But civilizations and societies mostly stay and develop.

[nannotequalnan]

completely disagree. SV billionaires wield enormous power and influence, through their wealth, positions of power, influential personas, companies etc.

there is a very good argument to be made that elon musk pushed the EV industry forward. similarly, i think tech elite can shape society.

another example: look at the enormous influence warren buffett has had on the asset management industry.

i think SV billionaires could definitely make a dent in things like income inequality, if they focused on it