On: Luxury beliefs are status symbols (2022)

[m463]

Strangely, this reminds me of a book on relationships I read.

It said that only when people were safe and secure in their relationship, were they able to speak freely and voice their true opinions.

Maybe this is similar. If people are financially and physically secure can believe things openly, even if they have little to do with reality.

[boxed → m463]

Or put another way: after reality is removed, beliefs can become insane.

[pavlov → boxed]

This is one potential explanation for why successful people quite often drift towards conspiracy theories and paradoxical bitterness as they get older.

I'm thinking of Rudy Giuliani and Elon Musk, but examples abound.