Survival Stories
Zuckerberg’s Apocalypse Plan Unveiled: Wealth Can’t Buy Immortality
The pursuit of longevity and the fear of death is a universal human experience, but it seems the wealthy have taken it to another level. With their vast resources, they can afford the best healthcare, personal trainers, and pure food, which often results in a longer lifespan compared to the average person. However, the fear of death remains a great equalizer, a fear that even the highest piles of money cannot protect against.
The irony of this pursuit of longevity is revealed when death approaches. The behavior of the world’s wealthiest individuals can often be seen as a futile attempt to delay the inevitable, akin to trying to stop an oncoming freight train with bare hands. For those of us who are not part of this elite group, we can find comfort in the fact that these vast fortunes are being spent on a futile endeavor.
In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and one of the richest men on Earth, announced that he would be giving away most of his wealth during his lifetime. His charity’s main goal, as he stated in a public letter to his daughter, was to promote equality. “Today we are robbed of the potential so many have to offer,” he wrote. “The only way to achieve our full potential is to channel the talents, ideas, and contributions of every person in the world.”
However, Zuckerberg’s recent actions seem to contradict his noble intentions. He has been constructing a luxurious compound on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, where he can survive an apocalypse while the rest of humanity perishes. As detailed by journalist Guthrie Scrimgeour in an investigative story for Wired magazine, Zuckerberg has spent nearly a decade buying land on the island for this project. The compound, which spans 1,400 acres, includes mansions, treehouses, and tunnels. The centerpiece of the $270 million project is a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter equipped with its own energy and food supplies and a blast-resistant door.
It’s peculiar that a man who champions global equality would need an apocalypse shelter designed to isolate him from the rest of the world. Wouldn’t his commitment to the betterment of humanity compel him to open the doors of his compound to his fellow islanders in times of crisis? Or better yet, wouldn’t it have been more beneficial to use the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on this compound for a more public-minded project?
Beneath the charitable spirit of every billionaire lies a deep-seated instinct for self-preservation. This kind of desperate planning for the apocalypse contradicts the notion that the wealthy are invested in the welfare of all. When the tides rise, their yachts will float while our boats sink. Their charitable donations can be seen as a means to pacify the public, to prevent them from questioning why the wealthy are building walls around their properties.
The hope of every billionaire is to enjoy their wealth while also being seen as a good person. However, this is an impossible dream. Moral philosophers argue that giving away some money does not absolve one from the responsibility of using the rest of their wealth ethically. In a world with limited resources, the wealthy have a moral obligation to use their resources to help those in need.
The existence of billionaires presents a significant problem: it gives individuals too much power. The average person might fantasize about buying an entire town to build their survivalist kingdom, but they don’t have the means to do it. When society allows individuals to amass 10-figure net worths, the most outlandish fantasies can become reality.
This is not progress. Capitalism’s tendency to grant godlike powers to those who accumulate billions of dollars is one of its most glaring flaws. Like Ozymandias, Zuckerberg might one day realize that his attempts to elevate himself above the risks of the mortal world are futile. If an apocalypse does occur, the first thing to lose value will be money.
The security guards hired to protect the wealthy will prioritize their own safety. The construction workers who built the compounds will know where the food supplies are hidden. The billionaire boss will find that no amount of gold can keep fate at bay. Perhaps, in such a scenario, it would have been better to be a socialist, Mark. At least then, you would have had comrades who you wouldn’t need to pay to watch your back.
Our Thoughts
The pursuit of longevity by the wealthy, as this article explores, is a fascinating and somewhat disconcerting reality. The irony of such futile attempts to thwart the inevitable is both amusing and a stark reminder of our shared mortality, regardless of the size of our bank accounts.
The case of Mark Zuckerberg presents a glaring contradiction. His philanthropic commitments seem to be at odds with his personal survivalist endeavors. The vast resources funneled into his Hawaiian compound could have been put to more productive and egalitarian use, reflecting his publicly stated values.
It’s intriguing to see how the instinct for self-preservation overpowers the philanthropic spirit of these billionaires. The construction of apocalypse-ready compounds is a stark testament to this. The visual of yachts floating while our boats sink is a powerful metaphor for the growing wealth disparity and the self-serving nature of these charitable donations.
The ethical use of wealth is a pressing issue. As the article rightly points out, merely giving away some money does not absolve the wealthy of their moral obligations. The concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few individuals is a significant societal concern.
The critique of capitalism in the article is thought-provoking. The tendency to bestow ‘godlike powers’ on billionaires is indeed a glaring flaw of the system. The hypothetical apocalypse scenario painted serves as a sobering reminder that no amount of wealth can truly guarantee safety or immunity from life’s uncertainties. It’s a timely reminder for us all to reexamine our values and priorities, and to consider the true value of wealth and power.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Ottis Blakemore
March 15, 2024 at 11:37 am
If I had the resources I would do the same thing. Don’t blame him for that but he’s still a prick.
Brad Roberts
March 15, 2024 at 11:54 am
Thank you for having the patience to put to text what have been my thoughts for many years. I am of retirement age and haven’t come up with an acceptable solution. How to properly blend capitalism and socialism? Wage caps? Wealth caps? Eliminating inheritance? Generational wealth caps?
Go get him fema he be a hoarder
March 15, 2024 at 7:00 pm
Mack Zuckerberg the raging coward ceo of farcebook, Mets, Instagram liar extradinaire you get what you deserve when fema come knocking at you mainly island doors for your hoarding of food be prepared you will be the first Right all no will all the other billionaires who will be toasted! And believe me we the people will be helping them every step of the way you can hide but the people know your dirty little secret now fool! Karma she a biatch and she come for you to!
Anthony
March 15, 2024 at 8:22 pm
Giving away money is not the solution either. There will never be sufficient wealth to include everybody and of those that do get money it will never be enough for their liking. This will inspirie corruption and greed under those receiving the hand-outs.
Pat Lloyd
March 18, 2024 at 1:49 pm
God wins. Mr Zuckerberg needs to look beyond his own, selfish self, and look to the Lord for guidance.