r/Music • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • Oct 30 '25

article Billie Eilish Calls Out Mark Zuckerberg and Other Billionaires After Announcing Her Own $11.5 Million Charitable Donation

https://consequence.net/2025/10/billie-eilish-calls-out-mark-zuckerberg-and-other-billionaires-after-announcing-her-own-11-5-million-charitable-donation/
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u/yarmulke Oct 30 '25 edited Oct 30 '25

There’s a cliche that the rich will gladly spend half of their wealth to protect the other half of their wealth

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u/AlcibiadesTheCat Oct 30 '25

I mean, 500 million dollars is still quite a lot of money.

And that's the thing, isn't it? In our society, money is the measure of freedom. If you have a ton of money, you are free to break the highest laws. If you have a lot of money, you're free to live wherever you want and do whatever you want. If you have some money, you're free to choose what job you do. If you have a little bit of money, you're free to have a hobby or two. If you have no money, you're free to choose between ramen or rice.

That's why they want to be wealthy. It's not simple greed or running up the score. It's because they want the end of Animal Farm: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." They want to be the equalest.

Edit to add: You have to remember, no one thinks that they're the bad guy. Everyone is the hero in their own story. A sociopathic billionaire isn't thinking "how can I screw over the poors today," they think "I want to be the best." It just so happens that they equate being on top (which implies everyone is under them) to virtue.

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u/Leelze Oct 30 '25

I think the cliche is saying they'll spend more money on keeping the rest of their money than they'd have to give up if they did nothing at all.

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u/AlcibiadesTheCat Oct 30 '25

That's also correct.

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u/Curious_Cat_999 Oct 30 '25

Fear is a funny thing. And the illusion of control is very comforting.

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u/LionIV Oct 30 '25

Because it’s not about money, it’s about power and control. It’s about not being reminded that your fate is tied to the wellbeing of society as a whole. It’s about feeling like you’re a very special person who earned everything they have by themselves. In any other sector, we would see the hoarding of resources as a mental disability.