I don't even think it's about inner strength or humility. Competitors will force you to make unethical choices in order to succeed. Your own empathy will get in the way of accumulating that kind of wealth. I call it impossible because the actions needed to be taken in order to acquire such wealth are inherently unethical ones. It demands exploitation; It demands narcissism; It demands that you not have empathy. Bezos would not be where he is if he actually paid his workers and let them take piss breaks. Musk would not be wear he is if not for his family emerald mine fortune, and for his delusions of grandeur, taking credit for the inventions he payed people to have. None of these people would have this kind of wealth without political dealings with shady figures, and without lobbying against worker's rights

So is it impossible? Well not technically, but if someone does get to those levels of wealth without the exploitation and lobbying and ruthless business practices, they won't stay there for long anyway, because the other billionaires won't let them

[–] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So is it impossible? Well not technically,

That's what I was saying. It is not, strictly speaking, absolutely impossible. But so improbably as to be nearly not at all possible.

Although, that being said, you made a lot of good points in that comment, to the point where I have to change my mind a bit and say that I agree with you. Humility can take you far to preserve a sense of empathy, but the sheer corruption of the decisions you have to take to become that wealthy inherently make it infinitesimally improbable that you will come out the other side even half as good a person as you went in.

In short, technically improbable but not impossible, yet practically impossible.