Survival of the Richest

Since the alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk, it has become clear: the tech billionaires are not only the richest men in the world, but they are also after political power and the radical transformation of society and nature. When Douglas Rushkoff receives an invitation to an exclusive desert resort, he assumes he will be discussing future technologies there. Instead, he finds himself facing billionaires who question him about luxury bunkers and Mars colonies. While the world struggles with climate catastrophe and social crises, these men are preoccupied with how to keep their private armies in check in the event of a system collapse. Media theorist Rushkoff has been tracking the internet revolution for decades, is the inventor of the terms "going viral" and "digital natives," and has long moved in circles of thought leaders and creative destroyers. At a time when Elon Musk and Peter Thiel are increasingly meddling in politics, he reconstructs how the optimistic spirit of the 1990s could transform into a program of fear and megalomania. Many tech entrepreneurs simply want to leave us mere mortals behind, yet they are celebrated as visionaries. Given the disruptions their business models produce, we must free ourselves from their mindset – for they certainly will not take us along on their exodus. A passionate plea against egomania and for the rediscovery of cooperative action.