this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2026
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me_irl
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Wouldn't call that pristine. Fish pee and poop in it. And people. They also die there. Accidentally swallowed that "pristine" water in the Maldives once. Wouldn't recommend π
Oh, look at Mr. Fancy-Pants who's been to the Maldives!
For all you know I could have been born there. But whatever floats your boat.
Yeah, you're right. I meant it as a lighthearted jest since this post seems to be about class disparity.
I honestly don't care whether you saved up to splurge on a scuba trip, or if you went for business, or volunteered with a humanitarian organization, or went as a government worker on a diplomatic mission, or made a port call there while you were sailing, or if it's where you were born, or whatever other reason brought you there.
I think travel is cool, and if you've been there, neat. I hope you respected the local culture. If you're from there, that's rad. I've never met a person from the Maldives before (that I'm aware of, at least).
If you're a billionaire I think you should be doing your part to make society a better place for everyone. Normally I'd say that includes paying a fair share of taxes, but right now (in the US at least) it seems all the tax money is just being pilfered by the fascist in-group anyway. But at least supporting social democratic causes can help to fix the tax code and government expenditures so that it actually serves the ordinary people.
That being said, if you're a billionaire, I don't envy you, and I'd be curious to know for what reason (if any) you feel you need to continuously grow your wealth? Like, a fairly stable, low-risk investment of just $100 million could produce enough annual yield that you would never need to work and still never run out of money. So why could anyone feel like they need more than that?
But overall, I'm not actually upset about you having been to the Maldives
Fair point.
Always. If we travel, it's to learn new cultures. Not sitting as some boring beach. On said islands there actually is not overly much culture (unless you visit the main island). You don't even meet people there except staff.
I really have no idea how you came to such a conclusion. But actually I do my part. Mostly in terms of voluntary labour (unpaid) in a shelter/center/whatever for abused people. Those broken, destroyed or "just" damaged by glorious examples of this species.
Taxes...i do pay, everyone does. There are loopholes, but this is germany, we invented burocracy and rules π
Why should you. Money is just money. It protects from some problems, but also makes lonely. Why would anyone want that...
Because capitalism VASTLY rewards the dark triad. And the prime examples of those traits are those that end up like elon m. Or similar sad puppeteers. If You already have everything you can buy, you need new....hobbies...like getting more money to control more people.
And yes, it can be even less than 100m, unless you wanna live large or need to pay healthcare.
How did we end up here from water where fishes pee into? π
I wasn't really concluding that you're a billionaire, just stating a hypothetical. I doubt billionaires actually spend time on the fediverse, as the values that bring people here tend to conflict with those typically held by billionaires.
You seem like an overall decent human being, both for your perspective on traveling and your volunteer service.
And yeah, capitalism does reward the dark triad. That's why whenever people try to tell me that society isn't actually sick and broken and that I'm the problem for being poorly adjusted to it, I tell them to stop gaslighting me and remind them of all the studies that have been done on how society rewards dark triad and punishes empathy.
If I had all the money I would ever need, I would live in a castle and raise dozens of animals. I certainly wouldn't be neurotically pursuing infinite growth and making everyone else's lives worse to do so.
100m was a highball so that no one could try saying "but that's not high enough!" 5% APY would be 5 million per year. No one could possibly need more than that.
And yeah, healthcare is an issue, but it wouldn't be if billionaires were taxed fairly to fund state-run healthcare (and education to ensure a large enough workforce in perpetuity!)
Conversations tend to meander. At least mine do βΊοΈ
Hmm. Why not. They might be dark a triads ridden, but maybe not stupid. And why would I want to waste my time on echo-chambers and bot-muds like reddit or x or whatever stupid platform. There is usenet, Lemmy and other options where one could still have talks that aren't intellectually challenged. Chance is not zero π
Thanks. You too. Everyone should do that IMHO. If one can afford that, obviously. But sadly the more people could, the less they would. I have been asked countless times WHY I do that as it nets no profit. This is sad, it should be the other way round.
Exactly. And kudos for not giving in to the brainrot. capitalism in itself isn't inherently bad. Same as socialism or a plain dictatorship. It always fails at people. And it's always the worst examples that are on top. No matter where.
Absolutely correct. Except the castle... Who would want to clean or heat that monstrosity π
Wife and I do have more than we need. We travel, we enjoy life and we give back in some form or another. More? Why? For what? We don't live large, we have well calculated budgets and we don't brag with stupid things. When I still had my company, every employee could come and go as they please, and were benefitting from profits. Cleaning staff too of course. Could I had more profits? Sure. Did I need them? Nope. But for a janitor, a thousand more a month means a lot.
It's just the wrong mindset and gets punished. Which makes me furious...
Anecdotal observations from me: people earn 1000 more and spend 1001 more. And are always broke. Even people making 100k a month are basically broke as they spend it on a lavish lifestyle to impress people they would not even deal with. And I've seen rich people break completely just because they suddenly went poor due to happenstance. This was always sad to watch.
Isn't even necessary to tax them hard. Here (Germany) we do have a decent free healthcare and still billionaires avoiding paying a single buck. You couldn't even touch them anyway. Open a company in e.g. Luxembourg, have it run your wealth and pay yourself a tiny salary and car and else is company-leasing. Can even hire employees to do meaningless things and are still saving money. Or just invest it all in stocks. You only pay taxes for dividends payed out. Or countless other silly loopholes or tricks...
The system needs changes as it is inherently flawed to the core. But they won't ever happen, as they evading the taxes are making or buying the rules.
Hehe, that are the interesting ones.
I only have one nit to pick:
In this hypothetical scenario I have all the money I would ever need. So I would just hire a cleaning crew and install a solar farm large enough to power the entire castle, including electric heaters in every room (or a water-based radiators with electric tankless water heaters). π
Meh. Makes still for incredibly much wasted space :)
The space won't be wasted because I'll have enough pets to fill every room π
But wouldn't a nice bungalow on a large property not be better suited? Outdoors for most, with retreat options in their own, fitted habitat? Sounds like a good idea anyway π
Nah, I need a room for my hamsters, a room for my gerbils, a room for my rabbits, a room for my fish, a room for my birds, etc....
Of course cats and dogs would have the run of the whole house (except for other pet rooms), but there'd be a special room just for the cats and a special room just for the dogs.
Outside I'd still have sheep and goats and llamas and alpacas and donkeys and chickens and ducks and geese, etc.... And probably some staff because taking care of all those would be a LOT of work.
Oh and a botanical garden, of course. With an apiary!
HM okay. That sounds like a good general plan. Hope you'd also pay employees way above standards π
Thatβs probably the 4 seasons in bora bora that fish pee is LUXURIOUS
Fair point π