THE BUNKER CLASS
Public anger is shifting toward a tech elite making consequential decisions with zero risk for themselves. The ultra-rich are buying up climate-resilient land and building private shelters. The very people with the most power to prevent a crisis are instead preparing their own exit from it, as if they already know what's heading their way.
→ The wealth disparity has exploded, producing a class of people who effectively live in a different material reality from the rest of the population.
→ Tech leaders have become the most visible symbol of unaccountable concentrated power, shaping infrastructure, politics, and public discourse with minimal democratic oversight.
→ The alignment between tech leadership and government has become less about policy and more about maintaining the path to wealth.
→ Private bunkers, security forces, and off-grid contingency infrastructure signal that the people accumulating the most power are aware of the potential fallout of perpetuated inequality.
Pockets of the Future
Explore where this signal is already showing up
Too much power: of 40 groups in American society, billionaires topped the list, with 75% of Americans saying they hold a lot of political power and 62% wanting them to have less.
Source: Yougov: ‘How much power do billionaires and workers have?,’ June 2026
Two economies: billionaire wealth grew three times faster than usual in 2025, hitting a record $18.3 trillion, while the poorer half of humanity holds just 0.52% of global wealth.
Source: Blue News: ‘Billionaire wealth grows three times faster than in previous years,’ Jan 2026
Bunker boom: the world’s largest bunker maker reports growing demand from billionaires and celebrities, with underground compounds costing up to $25 million.