this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2023
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[–] kameecoding 65 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Dave got rich and kinda lost his grip with reality

[–] xenoclast 45 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (6 children)

There is probably some secret rich person drug that they're all doing that makes them this way. We'll find out about it in a few decades.

Like lead in gasoline

[–] [email protected] 37 points 11 months ago (4 children)

It's a lack of negative reinforcement. Normal people face negative reinforcement every single day: if you screw up you lose something. Relationships, jobs, money, etc.

After a certain amount of wealth the negative reinforcement starts to disappear. You don't need to give a shit about what "little people" think when you can always find an audience that agrees with you. When people will put up with your shit because you're the one footing the bill. When expensive mistakes are pennies to you.

[–] AutistoMephisto 16 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Exactly. Look at what happened with the OceanGate II Scandal. Stockton Rush, founder of the company was killed when he thought he could bend reality to his will. But the laws of physics can't be bribed or bullied. They can be bent, but not broken. He was told by the manufacturer of the carbon fiber tube that was his submarine that it would not be suitable for use in a high pressure environment. He even fired his own safety guy because he never wanted to be told "no".

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] AutistoMephisto 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The only difference between Musk and Rush is that Musk doesn't board his own rockets if he thinks they're going to kill him. Rush knew his little toy sub wasn't safe. Not only that, but he convinced other rich idiots that it was and conned them into getting on board with him.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Apparently Space X and Tesla both have entire protocols and teams specifically set up to minimize Musk's influence in the companies. I once read a story by somebody who interned at Space X who was told, as an intern, not to do anything Musk ordered him to do and to run it by his boss first. The reason Twitter is burning so badly is because there's no team there to run Musk damage control, so he's free to do whatever he wants and suffer the consequences.

[–] interceder270 10 points 11 months ago

I just wanna say: nobody should have this much money.

If we're gonna make exception, make it for the doctors and surgeons. Don't make it for the business owners who have people do all their work for them.

[–] xenoclast 9 points 11 months ago

And probably drugs.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

If he were some normal dork people would shun him or just tell him to shut the fuck up until the penny dropped and he moderated what he said. But since he is mega rich we get to enjoy his personality in all its terrible glory because there is nobody who can or would dare stand up to him.

[–] interceder270 15 points 11 months ago

It's called "unwavering approval from your peers."

We'd all be pieces of shit if our peers cheered us on for every bad thing we did.

[–] BeatTakeshi 10 points 11 months ago

It's called money. Without moderation

[–] vxx 9 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

Just normal drugs but in unlimited quantities.

[–] Phegan 4 points 11 months ago

It's called sycophants.