4 ms·

If we're considering doomsday scenarios here, the answer to your question lies in the traditional tactics of tyrants. Hypothetically, Zuckerberg is going to ha

If we're considering doomsday scenarios here, the answer to your question lies in the traditional tactics of tyrants. Hypothetically, Zuckerberg is going to have family members of the people guarding him locked away somewhere as hostages with other people set to guard them with the original guards kept out of direct communication with anyone but Zuckerberg or his trusted lieutenants. Cousin Eddie isn't going to take over when it means Cousin Franny gets to live less than or equal to how long Zuck lives. Horrible? yes. Rational? Also yes. EDIT: Remember this is a hypothetical. I'm not saying anything about Zuck's character or motivations here.

Paul_S 8y ago
This is some crazy graph of bodybuards guarding each other's family members. If you kill your client then why on earth would his other employees give a shit and kill some defenceless wife and child to avenge their former master?
- telchar 8y ago
  You could ask the same sorts of questions about why fiat money works (if this money has no intrinsic value why will the merchant give over his tangible products for it?). Yet people do terrible things for tyrants. I don't understand exactly why it works but then again I'm not a tyrant of any sort.
  - fipple 8y ago
    People do terrible things for tyrants (or their bosses more generally) because if their boss or tyrant is eliminated the resulting power vacuum will likely harm them with high likelihood (new ruler purges old loyalists) and reward them with low likelihood (they become the tyrant)
  - addicted 8y ago
    Fiat money works because when it’s working well, it is a win win for all concerned. When it isn’t working well, it fails dramatically (Zimbabwe, Argentina, etc). Fiat money (or any money, for that matter)only works till it works because it’s extremely useful for all concerned, and the alternative is a PITA. The doomsday scenario is hardly a win/win.
fipple 8y ago
The thing is that being a warlord and a Silicon Valley CEO are completely different. If the shit really hits the fan, my point is that all of these bunkers will be seized by the warlords from the CEOs.
- telchar 8y ago
  The people setting up doomsday bunkers should probably consider your point. I proposed a strategy they may resort to if they don't (or, as you say, even if they try).
GW150914 8y ago
In the absence of civilization tyrants are rare, what you get are feuding family units, tribes, and warlords. Personal strength of arms is tantamount, and frankly Zuckerberg, Gates, Bezos and the like won’t last a day. Who cares about how rich you were when there is nothing stopping someone else from taking your life and everything else you laughably “own” right? Hypothetically, Zuckerberg is going to have family members of the people guarding him locked away somewhere as hostages with other people set to guard them with the original guards kept out of direct communication with anyone but Zuckerberg or his trusted lieutenants. Cousin Eddie isn't going to take over when it means Cousin Franny gets to live less than or equal to how long Zuck lives. Hypothetical fantasies aside, they can only do those things after civilization collapses, and by then it’s too late. Power in the absence of civilization doesn’t depend on the ability to delegate everything, it depends on the ability to beat someone to death with a jawbone. An actual tyrant requires a government, and it would be quite some time after a traumatized populace stopped just trying to survive day to day for such high level organization to re-emerge. On all likelihood, generations would need to pass.

Paul_S 8y ago

This is some crazy graph of bodybuards guarding each other's family members. If you kill your client then why on earth would his other employees give a shit and kill some defenceless wife and child to avenge their former master?

telchar 8y ago
You could ask the same sorts of questions about why fiat money works (if this money has no intrinsic value why will the merchant give over his tangible products for it?). Yet people do terrible things for tyrants. I don't understand exactly why it works but then again I'm not a tyrant of any sort.
- fipple 8y ago
  People do terrible things for tyrants (or their bosses more generally) because if their boss or tyrant is eliminated the resulting power vacuum will likely harm them with high likelihood (new ruler purges old loyalists) and reward them with low likelihood (they become the tyrant)
- addicted 8y ago
  Fiat money works because when it’s working well, it is a win win for all concerned. When it isn’t working well, it fails dramatically (Zimbabwe, Argentina, etc). Fiat money (or any money, for that matter)only works till it works because it’s extremely useful for all concerned, and the alternative is a PITA. The doomsday scenario is hardly a win/win.

fipple 8y ago

The thing is that being a warlord and a Silicon Valley CEO are completely different. If the shit really hits the fan, my point is that all of these bunkers will be seized by the warlords from the CEOs.

telchar 8y ago
The people setting up doomsday bunkers should probably consider your point. I proposed a strategy they may resort to if they don't (or, as you say, even if they try).

GW150914 8y ago

In the absence of civilization tyrants are rare, what you get are feuding family units, tribes, and warlords. Personal strength of arms is tantamount, and frankly Zuckerberg, Gates, Bezos and the like won’t last a day. Who cares about how rich you were when there is nothing stopping someone else from taking your life and everything else you laughably “own” right? Hypothetically, Zuckerberg is going to have family members of the people guarding him locked away somewhere as hostages with other people set to guard them with the original guards kept out of direct communication with anyone but Zuckerberg or his trusted lieutenants. Cousin Eddie isn't going to take over when it means Cousin Franny gets to live less than or equal to how long Zuck lives. Hypothetical fantasies aside, they can only do those things after civilization collapses, and by then it’s too late. Power in the absence of civilization doesn’t depend on the ability to delegate everything, it depends on the ability to beat someone to death with a jawbone. An actual tyrant requires a government, and it would be quite some time after a traumatized populace stopped just trying to survive day to day for such high level organization to re-emerge. On all likelihood, generations would need to pass.