Honestly, I think it's that simple.

Radix malorum est cupiditas: the root of evil is greed. Or more colloquially, the love of money is the root of all evil.

One of the few things I'll hang on to from my religious childhood.

Plus, hell hath no wrath like a nerd who stumbles into power.

My reductive opinion is that nerds come in two main flavors. Ones that are upset that the world is unfair, and are empathically motivated to change it for the better.

And then there's ones like Benzos or Elon, the nerds who see the world as a totem poll. Totem poles where they have been placed below their true position in life. They don't want to get rid of the totem pole, they want to make it bigger, and they want to be at the top, so they may punish those who got in their way.

No. Fuck Elmo. Sesame Street was better when it was about Big Bird.

I'd ask for the number but I'm afraid I already have it.

You technically do need to be

It also works in favor of other billionaires and corporate entities like BlackRock and The Vanguard Group (among countless others). He gets to publicly be a jabroni, and they get to carry on with fewer eyes on them and their practices

Remember his cameo in Iron Man 2? Back when he was considered the real-life Tony Stark? I recently re-watched that movie and the cringe I felt from that scene physically hurt.

Weird take. Having a mental illness doesn’t absolve you from responsibility. Where do you get this bullshit from?