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Back Up, Billionaires
We need some space
Seeing pictures of Jeff Bezos coming back from his brief jaunt out of our atmosphere was the perfect illustration of many enraging truths, but primarily this: It’s too easy for white, cis-gendered men take up as much space as they need and more. A billionaire decides he wants to build a ̶h̶u̶g̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶n̶i̶s̶ rocket and spend a few seconds way up high in a cowboy hat and then come down again. Between the extreme wealth, the air time, the people power, and the lack of discernible positive impact, that motherfucker took up some serious space by going into space.
Meanwhile, here on the ground, some people still can’t get the vaccine, babies are dying of starvation, people of color are still being murdered and oppressed by systems of power, and teachers don’t make enough money to live in the same communities where they work.
Do I expect Jeff Bezos or other billionaires to solve these problems? Honestly, yeah, kind of. But let’s be honest, women only make up approximately 11% of all of the billionaires around the world, and Bezo’s ex, MaKenzie Scott, managed to give away a shitton of money — in the billions — to hundreds of organizations. The stark contrast between these two approaches at this ridiculous, capitalist-wet-dream macro level continues as it trickles down, and becomes a sea of poisoned stalagtites for everyone who’s…
