Compared to the reality of the situation, I agree that it’s garish, but psychologically, people in cushy situations tend to over-dramatize their setbacks. If th

Compared to the reality of the situation, I agree that it’s garish, but psychologically, people in cushy situations tend to over-dramatize their setbacks. If they _think_ they have nothing to lose, they will act foolishly just the same as if they really do. If a billionaire slams his toe on the leg of a chair, it still hurts, and being sorry for his real pain isn’t denying his otherwise staggering privilege. It’s an excellent example to use to have him empathize with others. If you want to make them act in society’s interest, you can point out that paying taxes or enforcing environmental regulations won’t prevent them from being rich beyond words. An engineer worried about being fired experiences genuine distress: you can empathize with that there and then because it’s real. Once they have a job, ask them to be more considerate when designing processes or buildings so that everyone can work comfortably in the shade or without having to fear how they are going to feed their family by the end of the week.