What do world's top billionaires want?

How they got there and what's going to keep them there?

Rapid technological advancements have enabled developed parts of the world to generate unprecedented levels of wealth. However, that wealth is distributed in a lopsided fashion. More than a half of total world’s wealth is owned by just a handful of ultra rich people. We call them top billionaires.

Why is that a problem? It seems that rapid technological advancement, which is making this staggering level of wealth possible, comes at a price. By wantonly exploiting planet’s natural resources, we have apparently introduced global climate crisis. That crisis threatens to affect some basic human needs, such as the need for healthy food, clean water, and livable weather conditions.

As the situation keeps worsening (year after year we are witnessing worse and worse weather, freakish storms, droughts, dangerously high levels of temperatures in summertime), larger and larger portions of population will be facing bigger and bigger challenges. Extreme conditions may almost inevitably lead to protests, even riots. The masses (I almost wanted to write ‘unwashed masses’) may rise and take it to the streets.

Meanwhile, the world’s top richest people are enjoying all imaginable luxuries. They are in the position to buy favourable conditions for themselves (even by building underground shelters and luxurious bunkers). But those are extreme measures reserved for some unforeseen doomsday scenarios.

What those ultra rich people want is to continue enjoying their life by traveling, visiting many attractive locations, enjoying all that our world has to offer. They certainly don’t want to be hiding in some underground bunkers, no matter how luxurious those panic rooms (er, panic mansions) may be.

But if the crowds are going to riot on the streets, much of those plans that ultra rich have, may be severely challenged. So, what’s a rich guy to do?

Well, it is not a big secret that the top rich are famous for their iron clad solidarity. They care for each other, because that know it’s the only way for them to stay at the top. It would be hard to envision that they are not worried and are not planning for ways to keep the masses subdued. They certainly don’t want unruly mobs roaming the streets and asking for their heads.

But therein lies the problem. There is a saying “whatever got you there, keeps you there”. In their case, what got them there is advanced technology. But it cannot keep them there for the reasons we’ve mentioned above — the high price of technological advancements and the crumbling environmental and economic conditions. So, given that’s the case, what is the trick that’s going to keep them there?

Let’s briefly look at ultra rich people from the history. Meaning, from the days when technology was not rapidly advancing and causing worrisome global worsening. All the rich people from the past got to the top of the pile by utilizing violence. They were all brilliant military strategists, who got insanely rich by conquering other countries and territories. And what got them there (violence and military cunning), also kept them there (they continued their cruel regime of violence that kept the masses subdued in fear).

But today, none of the world’s richest people got their ultra rich status by violence. It is not violence and military capabilities that got them to the top. Consequently, they cannot expect that violence and military acumen will keep them there.

So, now for the trillion dollar question: what is it that is going to keep them there?

Add your suggestions in the comments.