Pretty good illustration of the concept that no matter how much wealth you have, it's always the other guy that is rich:
"Even today, he wears raggedy old clothes, drives a beat up Subaru and splits his time between modest homes in Ventura and Jackson, Wyo. Mr. Chouinard does not own a computer or a cellphone."
...
"“I was in Forbes magazine listed as a billionaire, which really, really pissed me off,” he said. “I don’t have $1 billion in the bank. I don’t drive Lexuses.”"
Yeah, raggedy old clothes and a Subaru. Got it. Definitely middle class.
Dude just structured his wealth so that he can exercise political power, including giving money to politicians, long after he is dead.
I'm not unhappy about that, but come on, let's be clear about what it is. If the money was going to a different set of politicians, ProPublica would publish an article about how corrupt it was.
Nor am I unhappy about him being rich. I just don't buy the whole "I'm not rich, my houses in Ventura and Jackson Hole are fairly modest!" shtick.
I… what? Your complaint makes no sense. What are you objecting to?
Chouinard’s wealth was his ownership of Patagonia, which was valued >$1B. Not a liquid billion in a bank. There’s nothing that contests he has 2 modest houses and a beat up Subaru. I imagine many folks at that age with a successful career have a higher spend on housing and transportation, never mind founders of well known companies.
>> Chouinard’s wealth was his ownership of Patagonia, which was valued >$1B. Not a liquid billion in a bank
In other words, this specific billionaire's money was invested the same way as most of the other billionaires on the list that he was really, really pissed off about being included on.
"Even today, he wears raggedy old clothes, drives a beat up Subaru and splits his time between modest homes in Ventura and Jackson, Wyo. Mr. Chouinard does not own a computer or a cellphone."
...
"“I was in Forbes magazine listed as a billionaire, which really, really pissed me off,” he said. “I don’t have $1 billion in the bank. I don’t drive Lexuses.”"
Yeah, raggedy old clothes and a Subaru. Got it. Definitely middle class.