According to Worldometers.info, out of a total of 195 countries in the world, only 19 are reported as having a gross domestic product (GDP) of $1 trillion or more. The vast majority of the world’s nations get by on a great deal less than that.

So why, I ask myself, would any one person — even a serial baby daddy with a flock of children to support — need, or even want, to be a trillionaire? What would you do with it? Start your own country?

Well, if you were this person . . .

You recognize him … Donald Trump’s former BFF, Elon Musk

Now, if you were, say, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, or MacKenzie Scott, you would find no end of philanthropic causes that desperately need and deserve help . . . just as you’d already been doing, though on a much larger scale.

But the person closest to reaching that goal is already the richest person in the world. And, while theoretically possible, the reality of his actually attaining a net worth of $1 trillion is dependent on a number of factors. It would come in the form of a proposed new pay package from his Tesla company, which would grant him an additional 423.7 million shares of its stock, worth $143.5 billion at today’s value.

But he would only receive the shares if the value of Tesla stock increased significantly, reaching an overall value of $8.5 trillion, thus making Tesla the most valuable company ever. So it’s complicated, and it’s all very iffy. But, like everything Musk has ever dreamt of doing, what seems impossible to us mere mortals could conceivably come true for him.

But again . . . why? Well, there are the bragging rights, of course. But more importantly, there is the sheer personal POWER that accompanies that kind of wealth. And that’s what people like Musk thrive on.

But then there is the age-old ethical question of whether anyone deserves to have so much more than they could ever use, when there is such an overabundance of suffering and devastation in the world.

I am a firm believer that anyone who earns their money honestly, through their own effort and skill, has an absolute right to do whatever they choose with it: invest it, spend it on luxuries, hoard it, or give it away. And no one has the right to force them to share it with others.

But I would hope that, having been fortunate enough to have achieved great wealth, one might want to experience the joy of using a portion of it to make the world, in some way, a better place. What a glorious feeling that would be!

But then, I’ve always been something of an idealist, unlike the Musks of this world. So, while I don’t wish him any bad luck, forgive me if I do hope he never achieves this specific goal. Because I think he already has more than he deserves.

Maybe the Tesla Board of Directors could instead redirect some of that extra cash and give their hard-working employees a big fat raise, or a really nice Christmas bonus . . . or both. You know who I mean: the people who keep the company operating, and who live from paycheck to paycheck and can’t afford a new TV because one of the kids needs braces.

The people without whom Musk would be out of business.

Or am I living in a dream world?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/6/25