Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building a compound worth a staggering $100 million on the Hawaiian island Kauai. When coupled with land purchase prices though, the cost of the sprawling mansion exceeds $270 million. Unsurprisingly, people (including US Senator Bernie Sanders) already have some thoughts on this obscene manifestation of extreme wealth:
Nevertheless, this isn’t even the juicy bit. Although the planning and construction of the roughly 1,400-acre compound has been shrouded in secrecy, a couple of ambitious journalists were able to dig out some details.
The property, which is already one of the world’s most expensive ones, is said to have a treehouse village and not one, but two mansions connected by a tunnel. Most interestingly, however, it was reported that the two mansions of the residence, known as Koolau Ranch, will have access to a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter with its own energy and food supplies.
According to WIRED, Zuckerberg’s project has relied on political connections and legal manoeuvring. Furthermore, it is believed that the American businessman had to show disregard for the local community to build the compound. Are we even surprised?
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Nevertheless, the peculiar fact that the mansion contains a bunker and relies on political ties to be built led to an onslaught of doomsday theories online:
On Monday 18 December 2023, it was also reported by Marca that Barack and Michelle Obama are credited as producers on the doomsday film Leave the World Behind. The movie was released on Netflix on 22 November. It stars Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke and Charlie Evans and thematises the end of the world at the hands of international hackers.
Many are linking the involvement of the Obamas as a sign of warning that this future might be closer than we think. Are Barry and Michelle trying to send us a warning?
There seems to be a concerning theme of the world’s richest and most powerful worrying about an impending apocalypse. While it’s difficult to say whether their worries are justified, it should be noted that sexism, racial prejudice, wealth disparity and greed are recurring themes in these conversations that have always incurred warnings about a societal collapse.