Many of the world’s largest investment firms have launched new funds over the past couple of years aimed at acquiring or building single-family homes to use as rentals. This comes as no surprise considering that the increased cost of buying a home has forced many Americans into being tenants instead of homeowners. Arrived, a young real estate company backed by Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos, has just announced its entry into the single-family rental fund space. Arrived currently operates a f
I agree that it’s more complicated than “It’s how we are wired, to be stupid selfish jealous monkeys.”
As I said, “it’s never enough”.
No, I’m willing to bet everything I have that I would not behave the same way.
What I’m asserting is that cruelty is an inherent trait to the sociopathic avarice required to hoard that level of wealth. The addiction isn’t about wealth or material possession anymore, it’s power over other people.
Most neuro-normative higher primates work together and are very socially conscious (see: The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haight and The Origins of Virtue by Matt Ridley). They work together the most synchronously and with the most ardent fervor when deposing a perceived unjust tyrant in their group, coincidentally to our discussion.
Plutocrats may not even be consciously aware of it, and they wouldn’t admit it even if they were, but it’s always about control. Cruelty is the point because it’s a vehicle (i.e., modus operandi) by which they maintain control, and get their high; as Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.”
Sociopathic bullies get a huge dopamine hit off of successful manipulation, don’t feel remorse, and in a post-apocalyptic hellscape, they would kill to ensure they’re in charge of an empire of scrap.