I think you're being a bit idealistic to assume that people would generally spend their excess resources shaping the world for the better. Instead, we seem to

I think you're being a bit idealistic to assume that people would generally spend their excess resources shaping the world for the better. Instead, we seem to see a lot of people spending those resources on shiny toys to make their own lives a little better, and in some cases, spending those resources to ensure that they get more resources in the future, at the expense of others.