Post: #26

(09-11-2015 08:49 AM)El Chinito loco Wrote:  

(09-11-2015 01:08 AM)kaotic Wrote:  Not to sound so crude and unintelligent by why on earth would people pay so goddamn much for a painting ?

At a certain level of wealth money has diminishing returns. There's only so many houses you want to buy, planes, yachts, fancy restaurants etc..

Guys who are billionaires and loaded as fuck won't think anything about dropping 20 million dollars for some ming vase or a hundred million something plus for a painting. It's just figures to them. It's not even really a significant blip on their expense report. A guy who has billions is earning so much money every year in interest, business income, etc.. that it's literally unlimited money to spend in a lifetime.

God forbid they use the cash to help out the poor instead

Post: #27

(09-11-2015 10:42 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  Is there a web site where you can see the best paintings in the world? I like art, but I am cheap, so it has to be free!

http://www.art.com

Quote:God forbid they use the cash to help out the poor instead

What makes you think they aren't? Billionaires that spent their life ripping off the poorest workers often end up donating tons of their cash to charity for tax purposes. Look at the Rockefellers, Gates, Ford foundations.

Post: #28

Rockefellers aren't donating a ton to charity.

It's a ruse. They use tax-free foundations that they put their kids in charge of to pay no tax on their fortune. They use other "foundation" funds to direct education in the direction they want, and to buy politicians.

Post: #29

(09-12-2015 03:16 AM)Samseau Wrote:  

(09-11-2015 08:49 AM)El Chinito loco Wrote:  

(09-11-2015 01:08 AM)kaotic Wrote:  Not to sound so crude and unintelligent by why on earth would people pay so goddamn much for a painting ?

At a certain level of wealth money has diminishing returns. There's only so many houses you want to buy, planes, yachts, fancy restaurants etc..

Guys who are billionaires and loaded as fuck won't think anything about dropping 20 million dollars for some ming vase or a hundred million something plus for a painting. It's just figures to them. It's not even really a significant blip on their expense report. A guy who has billions is earning so much money every year in interest, business income, etc.. that it's literally unlimited money to spend in a lifetime.

God forbid they use the cash to help out the poor instead

I suspect it's mostly a certain personality type that gets to this level of wealth to begin with. I'm not talking about inherited wealth but the ones who achieved it mostly on their own. Even guys who stole and killed their way to the top like many russian oligarchs had to socially maneuver through all kinds of nasty situations to become top dog.

These self made billionare types all seem to have many things in common. They are ultra ambitious and basically a bit sociopathic deep down when it comes to their worldvview. Their narrow focus is about acquiring more whether it be power or money and advancing their position. Everything is still not enough with many of these types.

Philanthropy is an afterthought for most of them. I think a few billionaires have talked about donating most of their wealth at some point but it's hard to distinguish the publicity aspect of it and what they really believe.