The late Paul Bogaert's pursuit of wealth drove him to insanity, addiction, and ultimately lung cancer. Despite his success, he seemed to find solace in his luxurious estate adorned with statues and a converted barn for contemplation and writing poetry.
The journalist describes his visit to the estate of a Russian billionaire, who lived in lavish isolation with just his butler, occasionally getting models to try on his clothes, while the butler cooked him dinner and dined in the servant's quarters.
Despite achieving his aspirations of great wealth, the speaker reveals the toll it took on his mental and physical health, leading him to an existential crisis and drug addiction. The experience of the rich suggests that the cost of making money includes psychological and physical exhaustion, disruptions in sleep, and poor mental health.
The ultrawealthy are unbridled examples of pushing and pushing and the best time they ever had was when they were on the curve of getting rich.
In this episode, the host discusses the challenge of finding the right balance in life. He uses the concept of sloth as a solution to the problems created by the other deadly sins, including greed and lust.
The concept of prosperity lies in the idea that once trade begins, people start to specialize according to their skill set, which eventually adds value to everything.