i think there comes a certain level of wealth which sorta crashes through a sorta ceiling. the money is not so much about buying yourself things to make yourself happy. it becomes about power and influence. but what's weird is i don't think there is a linear continuum. i think there is a hard line, somewhere. above a certain amount, you're not really your own person any more. there is just too much EFFECT to everything you do. ti think these super-rich guys might even hate it on some level, dream of a simpler existence. i think that's what fuels a lot of this stupendous philanthropy. but what do i know, i'm a pauper livin' off blogs and adsense.