Cory Doctorow on the High Cost of Living with the Ultra-Rich

9 hours ago

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.

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