Trump's Weirdest Obsession Is Other Men

[snot]

6. I think also that

people find meaning and value in different kinds of things. Most of us find value and meaning in things like work, loving relationships with our family and friends, education and wisdom, and/or trying to help make the world a better place; but oligarchs focus more on power, money, and appearances of various kinds regardless of intrinsic merit.

Many oligarchs are genuinely talented, of course, or at least are very smart about figuring out ways to fleece the rest of us; but I think many of them are unable for one reason or another to take much satisfaction from substantive human relationships, genuine inspiration and quality in their work product, wisdom that goes beyond mere cunning, or charity for its own sake rather than to facilitate their networking or whitewash their crimes.