What to do with a billion bucks?–This is not a game show application!

A page excerpt from Economix–If you are want to understand the global economy in a nutshell, this is the book.

If I had a billion dollars I wouldn’t have a clue what to do with all of it for myself. Buy a big house with a swimming pool and amazing gardens, like those rich and famous houses? That doesn’t make sense to me, perhaps buy big pieces of land in different parts of the world and grow endangered plants. If an inventor is out there who has a device or process where we can conveniently create our own electricity for household use, that would be great promote with the weight of a few hundred millions. I would love to invest with Elon Musk and have his company make more affordable Teslas even if sold at a loss initially, bet on volume you see. Then reinvest in better performance and tech, like using less rare-earth material for the electrical components.

The institute would be run by teachers and artisans not by a profit hungry board. Hire a few huge ships to sweep the oceans off of plastic, these ships would have to use sail and solar power, bio-diesel (from like modified used cooking oil) only when really necessary. Recycle the plastics of course spend some money to speed up research on biodegradable plant based plastics and promote the heck out of that. If I could give giant fossil fuel companies a run for their money–Yes! It would be great use of a billion dollars. Set up technical institutes that teach students actual work place or entrepreneurial skills.

Wishful thinking–I guess. Then again a billionaire out there with a conscience might read these two paragraphs and who knows–get inspired to do something really good for the planet after say like keeping aside like 200 million for himself/herself; with a billion, I think about 25 mil for me and my underlings is more than enough.

1 billion bucks–ain’t got’em. There is no way I can earn that much in a year, even 10 years. Hypothetically to make 100 mil a year after taxes per year, even if I worked really hard for those 10 years, no leave, no vacations to burn the doe, 25 days a month, 10 hours a day; 3000 hours a year (crazy hours!), to keep it simple lets forget taxes, I would have to ask boss to pay me at least $33,330 PER HOUR! Who in their right mind would pay that much and what in the world would I HAVE TO DO to command so much money per hour?

Earning the money in a business would require a huge startup capital and lots of trust from creditors or I have to stumble upon some invention or product that everyone simply must have. Luck and timing play for business to rake in profits, leave alone making 1billion bucks. Certainly no business is a sure thing and the bigger the business goal the greater the risk, not my forte. Lottery?I don’t know of any single lottery that has a billion dollar payout and to hope for striking a hundred 10 mil payouts is more nuts then wishful thinking. Inheriting the wealth would be by far the easiest but I missed that boat long ago! Even if I wished it for my next life so much inherited wealth will probably turn me into a selfish brat.

Anyway wealth is just like food. Just because there are starving people doesn’t mean there isn’t enough food, likewise poor people don’t indicate there is not enough wealth to go around. Just because I don’t have that kind of money to spend doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t have that opportunity. Malnourished masses and paralysing poverty are simply the world vision that the rich without a heart accept as facts of life (just not theirs).

I am not jealous of rich people nor do I think that all rich are greedy–people like Bill and Melinda Gates with their Gates Foundation, Elon Musk with his visionary greener and grander world future are a few people who are worth their wealth. I am sure there are more of them out there who understand that with great wealth comes a great opportunity– even if it is to make a name for oneself–to leave a mark that I tried to make this beautiful world l live in more beautiful.

Expand your economic knowledge of our amazing world, comic style like the pix above check out this book–well worth your time!