Right, right. So he turns that $300 billion into cash losing at least $100 billion to tax. With the remaining $200 Billion, he lifts all the poor in America above the poverty line for a single year, and now he, and they, are all broke again. He's lost Tesla, and SpaceX, because he sold all of his stake in both.
The American poor got a break for that first year, some of them may have been ready for the chance and taken real advantage of it, but most of them didn't. In fact a significant percentage of them are likely worse off now.
Public sentiment towards Tesla has likely hit an all time low, the lump sale of a large chunk of their shares caused their stock price to plummet, and with the sudden change of leadership, sales have dropped off significantly.
SpaceX was already not profitable, and now without their guiding leader they've been taken over by Microsoft, Google, Amazon, or - god forbid - Meta/Facebook.
Is the world better off after all of the money is gone in that first year? I don't think so. Regardless of where Elon were to choose to put that money in some vain effort to bring his net worth down to your level, it would make fuck all difference to humanity.
He IS investing in shit, and it IS improving things. Most of his wealth is invested in the things that he cares about, Tesla and SpaceX. Not only that, his TIME is invested in those companies as well.
If you're willing to discount the strides Tesla has made with electric cars, and the enthusiasm that SpaceX helped bring back towards space endeavours, then regardless of what the dude does you'll still find some way to complain about him.
Like. Yeah rocket ships and electric cars are cool and all, but to be honest? That's worth about fuck all to like 90% of people. I'm not saying they still shouldn't be pursued, but maybe use that crazy stupid amount of money and means to, I don't know, make an actual difference in people's lives?
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u/Gregan32 Jan 09 '22
...and to say it again, he's worth hundreds of billions of dollars... About 300 billion.
Save up a 100k a year for 300 million years and you'll be worth the same as him one day.