Cory Doctorow on the High Cost of Living with the Ultra-Rich
11 hours ago
- #book-reviews
- #societal-inequality
- #billionaireism
- Cory Doctorow defines 'billionaireism' as a pathology affecting ultra-wealthy individuals above consequences and morals, and the societal harms this dominance causes, including digital platform decline ('enshittification').
- 'Careless People' by Sarah Wynn-Williams reveals insider accounts of Facebook's toxic culture, from sexual harassment to moral recklessness as the company gained political influence, illustrating billionaireism's human impact.
- 'Little Bosses Everywhere' by Bridget Read explores multi-level marketing (M.L.M.) pyramid schemes, linking them to billionaireism through wealthy founders who lobby for policies enabling oligarchy, like Heritage Foundation backers from Amway.
- 'More Everything Forever' by Adam Becker debunks billionaires' futuristic claims (e.g., Mars colonization, A.I. consciousness) as scientifically flawed and self-serving, showing how they distract from urgent issues like climate action.