Tech billionaires and hedge-fund magnates are investing heavily in luxurious underground bunkers and private security forces to survive a societal collapse they may have inadvertently accelerated. A recent encounter with five ultra-wealthy individuals in the US desert revealed their deep anxieties about climate change, biological warfare, and other catastrophic events, which they euphemistically call 'the event'.
The group, which included at least two billionaires, sought advice on everything from the safest geographic locations—New Zealand or Alaska—to the logistics of maintaining authority over hired guards after a collapse. One CEO had already built an underground bunker and secured a dozen Navy SEALs to join him on a pre-arranged signal, but worried about how to ensure their loyalty when traditional currency becomes worthless.
Proposals included using combination locks on food supplies, disciplinary collars for guards, or even developing robots for security. When a humanist scholar suggested treating guards as friends and investing in relationships to foster loyalty, the billionaires dismissed the idea as naive.
The author, who was invited to speak under the guise of discussing technology, realised the group's primary concern was not innovation but survival. Their questions revealed a worldview where wealth is used to insulate from the consequences of systemic failures, yet they remained blind to the irony that their own industries contribute to the very risks they fear.
This phenomenon highlights a growing trend among the super-rich: preparing for apocalypse while ignoring the collective action needed to prevent it. As one participant noted, the challenge is not just building bunkers, but maintaining control in a world without rules.
