I'm not sure the ultra-rich have changed at all. There will be mean and nice rich people, money doesn't give the mean folks any more right to be mean but it might justify it in their eyes I guess. There are plenty of demanding and mean folks in the world. They come in all the shapes, sizes, backgrounds, colors and financial means that you can imagine
For instance, I demand the service I pay for and sometimes that makes me feel like I'm being mean but I'm actually just being put in a position where I have to be more forceful to get the service I've paid for. Think apartment services, warranties and stuff like that. Some companies don't like to give the services they promise without a fight when they lose money.
Besides, you don't get to stay rich by handing out all your money. No one wants to pull an MC Hammer.
There's a difference between expecting the service you paid for and being a demanding prick. Expecting that a financial advisor somehow get your child into a prestigious preschool is the latter.
We have, at the top of society in a milieu most of us will never see, some really rotten people with a lot of power and influence. This realization explains a lot.
For instance, I demand the service I pay for and sometimes that makes me feel like I'm being mean but I'm actually just being put in a position where I have to be more forceful to get the service I've paid for. Think apartment services, warranties and stuff like that. Some companies don't like to give the services they promise without a fight when they lose money.
Besides, you don't get to stay rich by handing out all your money. No one wants to pull an MC Hammer.