[d3ckard]

Controversially, yes.

The right frame of comparison is not towards average Joe, but towards governments. Billionaires, for better or worse, are independent power sources, which IMO in grand scheme of things are useful.

I think the problem with modern world is not that some people have lots of money, but that we allowed money to buy pretty much everything else.

[Brendinooo]

Yeah I was gonna offer a similar hot take: in a world where government can have trillions, it's probably good on some level that some people have billions. Checks and balances.

[quirkot]

If you want good checks against a government, one dude rich enough to field an army has historically been a bad way to keep the government in existence

[thrance]

Except billionaires are never on the side of the people. They functionally already own the US government, which is how they've been able to amass so much wealth while the rest of the world gets poorer and hotter.

They buy media to push their propaganda, buy politicians... They are not acting as "checks and balances" to power. They are power.