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Everything you’ve said is true, of course.

I’d rather live in a conclave of billionaires, under my current standard of living, than be the richest man in the country living under the standards of 40 years ago.

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How far would you be willing to take this? Would it still be fine to you if those billionaires became trillionaires? Would it still be fine if those people had the wealth and technology to live forever and travel the stars, while you're still living with your current standard of living? Would it be ok when your life to those wealthy people looks the same as the life of a rat does to you?

The argument is even more compelling if you keep going: Should we allow septillionaires? Someone with $1e24 could give $1 trillion to every person on the planet every year for 100 years and still have 99.99% of his money left. How much power and influence over the world would these people have, while the rest have comparatively close to zero? I think we all agree that wouldn't work for a functioning society.

I’d be fine with trillionaires. How rich somebody else is doesn’t bother me.

Now, if they could live forever with that wealth, I’d probably change my mind. But that’s just fiction. Rich people die, some of them younger than I am.

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