There was a spate of articles in the popular press in the last few years on the subject of "billionaire preppers," most notably this one (which was discussed here): <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prep...</a><p>Before, it was easy to dismiss this growth industry as the natural result of certain people having more money than they know what to do with (and perhaps also, depending on your perspective, being overly cautious, or overly paranoid). But now I wonder if they had forewarning, and were making plans to best position and protect themselves for the coming massively destabilizing, winner-take-all wave of AI.
Don’t think there is some conspiracy here. Rich people like to cosplay just as much as your typical suburban family going to Costco. They just have enough money to really spec out their bunkers.<p>-edit-<p>But this does illustrate what is wrong with America today. Instead of building magnificent buildings, parks, libraries, and public works those with the means are instead building silly bunkers that won’t last longer than a lifetime. This turn inward and away from society is sad.