“The super-rich are treating our planet like their personal playground, setting it ablaze for pleasure and profit. Their dirty investments and luxury toys —private jets and yachts— aren’t just symbols of excess; they’re a direct threat to people and the planet,” said Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar.

  • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    62
    arrow-down
    8
    ·
    16 days ago

    Try mentioning this to Tailor Swift fans and you’ll get immediately crucified. We should normalize the idea that THERE ARE NO ETHICAL BILLIONAIRES. Period.

    It’s a staggering amount of wealth that allows to do shit like this and why do we tolerate this is will be eternally confusing to me.

    Not only is this an issue of equality but it’s a social issue as well. People stop taking public responsibility issues like pollution or climate change seriously because “if private jets are legal then why should I do anything?”.

    • TexasDrunk@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      26
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      16 days ago

      Try mentioning this to Tailor Swift fans and you’ll get immediately crucified. We should normalize the idea that THERE ARE NO ETHICAL BILLIONAIRES. Period.

      While I agree with your sentiment, I don’t think she’s the place to start bitching. She’s one of the “better” ones in that she’s not out here actively hunting the poor on an island somewhere. You start with folks like Musk, Bezos, and Murdoch, and by shining a light on the billionaires that are stealing the wealth and resources of entire countries but staying out of the limelight by keeping their fucking mouths shut. Then we start moving towards Swift. Otherwise the message will just get drowned out by fans.

      • Trailblazing Braille Taser@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        17
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        16 days ago

        If she was a good billionaire, she wouldn’t have hoarded wealth to this degree! Yes, Bezos is 200x worse, but I would bet (less than $1B) that she will catch up in the next decade and we’ll all still be apologizing for her.

        • TexasDrunk@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          18
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          16 days ago

          I ain’t apologizing for her now. My point is to work on the ones that are more easily hated by more people in order to raise awareness.

          • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            arrow-down
            5
            ·
            16 days ago

            I disagree, this flip-flop logic is what drags down the movement and allows “no billionaires except the ones I like” idea to poison the public discourse. If we collectively stick to a unified view we have much more power in changing things.

            • legion02@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              13
              arrow-down
              2
              ·
              16 days ago

              Yes let’s take the most wildly liked billionaire and make them our example. Surely that will convince people to join us.

              • Trailblazing Braille Taser@lemmy.dbzer0.com
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                2
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                edit-2
                16 days ago

                Personally, my goal is to challenge people to think critically about billionaires. Taylor Swift is a great example precisely because fans have put her on a pedestal where she can do no wrong. If the goal is to gather an angry mob, then sure, it’s more effective to focus on Bezos, the guy they already dislike.

      • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        16 days ago

        The point is that there is no “better ones”. The billionaire should not be socially acceptable concept ever. Full stop.

    • Grimy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      16 days ago

      You can add Gaben to that list. Steam can do no wrong even though Gaben spend between 75 and 100 million per year on maintenance for his yatch fleet.

      Billionaire simps disgust me.