Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World

Summit at Sea is an elaborate conference-cruise for elite business leaders, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and associates. The event features motivational speakers and “thought leaders” who share their views and visions on how to use the power of business to solve world problems. Venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar is one of the primary speakers at the summit. He made a fortune investing in companies like Uber and Airbnb, and positions these companies as disruptors fighting a corrupt, government-regulated way of running business.

At the same time as the summit, Giridharadas notes, companies like Airbnb, Uber, and Lyft faced criticism for racial discrimination, for concentrating power, and for limiting their contractors’ opportunities while refusing to extend them the benefits typically provided to regular employees. Other companies similarly control and limit opportunity, such as those in the fields of technology (control of information sharing) and finance (control of buying and selling on the market).

Whistleblower Edward Snowden was invited to speak via video at the Summit at Sea. He initially seemed to side with business leaders and associates, praising their attitude of disruption, start-up mentality, and spirit of fighting the system. When an interview asked Snowden how he was going to build and capitalize on his ideas, however, Snowden backed away, insisting that he wasn’t a capitalist or promoter of ideas.