I was thinking a bit ago about how easy it would be for extreme success of any kind to tip someone into a kind of religious psychosis, a belief that one is some kind of main character in history or possessed of a divine mandate.

Anyone even a little bit prone to that kind of thinking could be pushed way into it by such an experience.

It’s not that these people are somehow worse than others. If you experienced runaway success and then ended up surrounded with people praising and yes-ing you (because they want your money), how long could you remain sane and grounded?

You also see it with celebrities, Nobel prize winners, politicians, people who become heroes to some movement, even social media personalities that gain huge followings and get “audience captured.”

> extreme success of any kind to tip someone into a kind of religious psychosis, a belief that one is some kind of main character in history or possessed of a divine mandate.

there was a part in Wolf of Wall Street where the main character mentions that money not only allows you to buy better food, buy better cars, buy better clothes, but also allows you to buy better friends, buy better politicians...

obvs didnt turn out the way they intended, and money isnt the only way to shape history, but it seems to make things easier (for a short while at least (until the next guy with money pays to undo yours))

.. i guess money is a cheap moat haha..