6 ms·

These same people are the ones who end up jumping off a bridge, because their net worth plummeted several billions, even though they would still be millionaires

These same people are the ones who end up jumping off a bridge, because their net worth plummeted several billions, even though they would still be millionaires. Moreover most of their lives revolves around their status. They would not survive a civilization collapse, mentally. They would still lose everything that gives them meaning and purpose.

bitlax 4y ago
This is a "beautiful women must also stupid" fallacy. These people are much better equipped to withstand a societal collapse than someone like yourself and your family, who might be the victim of a wandering horde or be subsumed into one.
- ngetchell 4y ago
  What value would a billionaire provide? Could they work a field for a day? Work with their hands to make things? They seem too pampered to survive. Some might not even know how to iron a shirt.
  - mod 4y ago
    Did any of the current billionaires grow up so wealthy that they don't know how to function? I think you're being way over the top. I think they're quite likely to be one of the most valuable people. Way, way more likely than an average guy. Same with their health and ability to work. Bodies adjust quickly, their softness will diminish in a month or two. If you don't agree with that, you must be surrounded by really competent, non average people.
- locallost 4y ago
  What are they equipped with? True preppers are people investing in their skills among other things, getting ready for a time where supplies will not be delivered by Amazon. These people have money, and thus power now, but if society collapses money becomes worthless and they will have no power. They will have their bunkers, but somebody needs to keep the lights on there and supply them with food. Nobody will do that, they will just take it for themselves.
  - mod 4y ago
    They're probably equipped with enough food stores to last their lifetimes. That's what I'd be equipped with. Ways to make fresh water and food, ways to generate electricity, and as we can all guess, an enormous stockpile of toilet paper.
    - lisper 4y ago
      Enough food is not enough. You need a way to defend your food stores against armed gangs who will want to take it from you. So you probably need enough people to man 24-hour shifts on the watch towers. And now you need enough food to feed them for their lifetime. And then you need a plan for the end-game when everyone is too old to stand guard any more. In the face of true societal collapse, lifetime supply of food is more of a problem than it is a solution.
      - mod 4y ago
        Only if they find me. If I'm too old to defend my food, either all the raiders have starved, or they've started farming. A nice food forest would probably be the best option. Camouflaged to most laypeople who can't identify plants. Only collectable some parts of the year. Attracts wildlife. People in large cities have different problem sets than people in remote areas. I don't lock my doors, either. People don't wander by. I'm bordered by bluffs and wilderness. Food stores can be buried etc. I have buried things on my property in the past for a couple of years, came out unchanged.
        lisper 4y ago
        In a situation like that, it's a question of when, not if, someone will find you.
        mod 4y ago
        They'll find me, but they wouldn't if I were a billionaire. Also I just think you haven't thought through many of the problems you presented, most are easily solved. 24h guard? No, I'll make good use of zoneminder, moron detection, loud alarms, and a lot of cameras. I mean I already have that and I'm not wealthy, for an American. It's not hard to hide a place underground or in a remote wilderness when you have a lot of money. Or just somewhere easily defensible, with one path up, that requires heavy equipment to alter.
- funstuff007 4y ago
  I disagree. Many, not all, billionaires are extreme outliers of wealth because of extreme leverage. They are very exposed to an economic downturn and the extreme stress it could cause to someone highly leveraged.

bitlax 4y ago

This is a "beautiful women must also stupid" fallacy. These people are much better equipped to withstand a societal collapse than someone like yourself and your family, who might be the victim of a wandering horde or be subsumed into one.

ngetchell 4y ago
What value would a billionaire provide? Could they work a field for a day? Work with their hands to make things? They seem too pampered to survive. Some might not even know how to iron a shirt.
- mod 4y ago
  Did any of the current billionaires grow up so wealthy that they don't know how to function? I think you're being way over the top. I think they're quite likely to be one of the most valuable people. Way, way more likely than an average guy. Same with their health and ability to work. Bodies adjust quickly, their softness will diminish in a month or two. If you don't agree with that, you must be surrounded by really competent, non average people.
locallost 4y ago
What are they equipped with? True preppers are people investing in their skills among other things, getting ready for a time where supplies will not be delivered by Amazon. These people have money, and thus power now, but if society collapses money becomes worthless and they will have no power. They will have their bunkers, but somebody needs to keep the lights on there and supply them with food. Nobody will do that, they will just take it for themselves.
- mod 4y ago
  They're probably equipped with enough food stores to last their lifetimes. That's what I'd be equipped with. Ways to make fresh water and food, ways to generate electricity, and as we can all guess, an enormous stockpile of toilet paper.
  - lisper 4y ago
    Enough food is not enough. You need a way to defend your food stores against armed gangs who will want to take it from you. So you probably need enough people to man 24-hour shifts on the watch towers. And now you need enough food to feed them for their lifetime. And then you need a plan for the end-game when everyone is too old to stand guard any more. In the face of true societal collapse, lifetime supply of food is more of a problem than it is a solution.
    - mod 4y ago
      Only if they find me. If I'm too old to defend my food, either all the raiders have starved, or they've started farming. A nice food forest would probably be the best option. Camouflaged to most laypeople who can't identify plants. Only collectable some parts of the year. Attracts wildlife. People in large cities have different problem sets than people in remote areas. I don't lock my doors, either. People don't wander by. I'm bordered by bluffs and wilderness. Food stores can be buried etc. I have buried things on my property in the past for a couple of years, came out unchanged.
      - lisper 4y ago
        In a situation like that, it's a question of when, not if, someone will find you.
        mod 4y ago
        They'll find me, but they wouldn't if I were a billionaire. Also I just think you haven't thought through many of the problems you presented, most are easily solved. 24h guard? No, I'll make good use of zoneminder, moron detection, loud alarms, and a lot of cameras. I mean I already have that and I'm not wealthy, for an American. It's not hard to hide a place underground or in a remote wilderness when you have a lot of money. Or just somewhere easily defensible, with one path up, that requires heavy equipment to alter.
funstuff007 4y ago
I disagree. Many, not all, billionaires are extreme outliers of wealth because of extreme leverage. They are very exposed to an economic downturn and the extreme stress it could cause to someone highly leveraged.