Overthinking About Billionaire Worship

Magical Overthinkers

Amanda Montell & Studio71

Education, Science, Society & Culture

4.3 • 636 Ratings

🗓️ 28 May 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why do we, against all logic, evidence, and bank account balances, still kind of believe that billionaires earned it? This week on Magical Overthinkers, host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) sits down with writer and cultural critic Dasia Sade (@dasiadoesit) to unravel the glittery, gaslight-y spell of billionaire worship in America: how it started, who profits from it, and what it’s doing to our collective sense of possibility (and sanity). From Calvinism to Musk, we trace how a stew of religious guilt, PR manipulation, and celebrity obsession shaped a culture where having a billion dollars feels aspirational instead of deeply dystopian. Plus: why most of us can’t actually comprehend how much a billion is, what billionaires are really doing with all that money, and what it might take to finally break the spell (spoiler: it’s not another Forbes profile). - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers.- To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack.- Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://SHOPIFY.COM/magical⁠⁠ Check out the Fits Everybody Collection at ⁠https://www.skims.com/magical⁠ #skimspartner Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to⁠⁠ https://Zocdoc.com/MAGICAL⁠⁠ to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at ⁠https://MINTMOBILE.com/magical⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	magical overthinkers wait don't skip i gotta tell you something my book cultish is finally coming out
0:08.9	in paperback and i'm hosting two incredibly special live tour events to celebrate the first is in
0:14.4	l.A. on june ninth and is a culty live podcast book tour variety show featuring so many special guests including my co-host
0:22.4	Reese former guests jamie loftis raven simone and miranda pierman mayday plus drag and burlesque performances
0:29.1	and other transcendent surprises and then i'm doing an event on june 13th in new york moderated by
0:35.4	the cult followed author coco author Cocoa Mellers.
0:38.0	Check out Amanda Montel.com slash events for info and tickets.
0:41.5	I so hope you join us for these oh-so special events.
0:47.6	Is this my good side?
0:49.2	Oh, they can't see me.
0:50.1	Oh, well, we're on.
0:51.4	Hello.
0:52.1	I'm Joy from IAB UK.
0:54.1	Now listen, digital advertising is exciting, but let's be honest, it can also feel a bit much.
0:59.9	That's why we're here to help you cut through the noise, spark ideas and feel confident in a world that never stops moving.
1:07.3	So, for inspiration, tools and resources that are free and created to support marketers just like you,
1:14.1	head to IABUK.com slash Joy of Digital. You could thank me later.
1:18.5	Hey listeners, it's Amanda. I want to tell you about another podcast that I think you'll enjoy.
1:23.7	It's called Deep Cover, The Truth About Sarah. In this season of Deep Cover, you'll hear the story of Sarah Kavanaugh.
1:31.3	Sarah was many things to the people she met.
1:33.3	A decorated veteran, a Marine who saved her comrades, a young woman fighting cancer.
1:38.5	Sarah was everything people wanted her to be, until she wasn't.
	...

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