They are building bunkers. Big ones. It’s not just a plot for a bad Hollywood movie anymore; it’s a genuine line item in the budgets of the world’s most powerful people. When we talk about survival of the richest, we aren’t talking about who wins a reality TV show. We are talking about a very real, very expensive movement where the 0.01% are prepping for "The Event."
That’s what they call it. The Event. It could be a climate collapse, a social uprising, or a digital virus that wipes out the global banking system. Douglas Rushkoff, a media theorist who actually spent time with these guys, documented this mindset in his book Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires. He describes a group of high-net-worth individuals who aren’t trying to fix the world. They are trying to outrun it.
Honestly, it's a bit terrifying. These people have more resources than some small nations, and instead of investing in long-term global stability, they are buying remote acreage in New Zealand and hiring former Navy SEALs for security. It’s the ultimate exit strategy.
The Bunker Mentality and the New Zealand Gold Rush
Why New Zealand? Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal, basically started the trend. He bought a 477-acre estate in Wanaka. He even got citizenship in a way that raised a lot of eyebrows back in 2011. Since then, the island nation has become the "Plan B" for Silicon Valley’s elite.
It’s isolated. It has plenty of fresh water. The government is stable. Basically, it’s the perfect place to hide when things go south. But it's not just about the land. Companies like Rising S Co. and Vivos are seeing a massive spike in demand for underground shelters that look more like luxury condos than fallout shelters. We are talking about air filtration systems that can stop Sarin gas, hydroponic gardens for fresh veggies, and private theaters.
👉 See also: Why Amazon Stock is Down Today: What Most People Get Wrong
Imagine spending $10 million on a hole in the ground. For some, that’s just a rounding error. They are treating the planet like a sinking ship, and they’ve already claimed the best lifeboats.
Security Questions That Keep Billionaires Awake
During his meetings with these elites, Rushkoff was asked one question more than any other. How do I maintain authority over my security guards after the money becomes worthless?
Think about that. If the dollar crashes and society breaks down, why would an armed guard listen to a billionaire? The solutions these guys brainstormed were grim. Some suggested using "disciplinary collars" on their security staff. Others talked about being the only ones with the combination to the food storage. It reveals a deep-seated lack of trust. They realize that in a total collapse, their wealth is just a digital ghost. Without a functioning society, they are just people in a very fancy basement.
The Disconnect From Reality
There’s a weird irony here. Much of the tech that these billionaires created—the algorithms that polarize us, the automation that threatens jobs—is the very thing fueling the instability they are trying to escape. It’s a closed loop of anxiety.
✨ Don't miss: Stock Market Today Hours: Why Timing Your Trade Is Harder Than You Think
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has been open about his prepping. He told The New Yorker years ago that he has "guns, gold, potassium iodide, antibiotics, batteries, water, gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force, and a big patch of land in Big Sur." He’s not alone. This isn't just a fringe hobby; it's a subculture within the highest echelons of tech and finance.
It’s Not Just About Bunkers
Survival of the richest isn't always about physical survival. It’s also about legal and financial insulation. We see this in the rise of "sovereign individuals." This is an idea popularized by a book of the same name by James Dale Davidson and William Rees-Mogg. The premise is that the internet will eventually destroy the power of the nation-state.
When that happens, the wealthy will become "sovereign." They will live in tax havens, use decentralized currencies, and bypass the laws that apply to the rest of us. We are already seeing the early stages of this with seasteading projects—autonomous cities on floating platforms in international waters. They want the benefits of civilization without the "burden" of contributing to it.
The Flaw in the Plan
Here is what most of these guys get wrong. You can’t survive a global collapse in a vacuum. A bunker is just a coffin if the ecosystem outside is dead.
🔗 Read more: Kimberly Clark Stock Dividend: What Most People Get Wrong
The "Insulation Strategy" assumes that you can buy your way out of biology and climate. If the bees die, the billionaire in the bunker eventually dies too. If the oceans acidify, the floating city doesn't have much to look at. Experts in disaster resilience, like those at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, argue that true survival comes from social cohesion, not isolation.
History shows us that the societies that survive crises are the ones where people help each other. The ones that fail are the ones where everyone tries to save themselves at the expense of their neighbor.
What People Actually Search for Regarding Survival of the Richest
Most people want to know if this is a conspiracy theory. It's not. The land sales in New Zealand are public record. The interviews with bunker manufacturers are real. People also wonder about the "Event." While the billionaires are worried about AI or nuclear war, the rest of us are mostly worried about paying rent or the next hurricane.
There is a massive gap in perception. To the 1%, the world is a dangerous place that needs to be fenced off. To everyone else, the world is a place where we are trying to survive day-to-day.
Actionable Steps for the Rest of Us
Since most of us don't have $20 million for a New Zealand bolthole, what should we actually do? The goal isn't to build a bunker. It’s to build a community.
- Invest in "Social Capital": Get to know your neighbors. In a real crisis, the person who lives next door is more valuable than a pile of gold bars. Know who has tools, who knows first aid, and who can garden.
- Diversify Your Skills: Learn how to fix things. Basic plumbing, electrical work, or gardening skills are "survival" traits that work in both a stable economy and a chaotic one.
- Support Local Infrastructure: Instead of fleeing, invest your time and energy into making your current town more resilient. Support local farmers and water conservation efforts.
- Hold Tech Accountability: Support policies that prevent the kind of extreme wealth inequality that makes billionaires feel they need to hide in holes. If the world is worth living in, they won't feel the need to escape it.
- Emergency Basics: It doesn't hurt to have a standard 72-hour kit. Not because the world is ending, but because power outages and storms happen. Be prepared, but don't be paranoid.
The survival of the richest is a fantasy of total control in an uncontrollable world. True survival is about connection. It's about making sure the "Event" never happens by fixing the cracks in our foundation while we still can.