This has always been my understanding of the obscenely rich. At some point, it can't be about material goods, and even status seems like a thin draw. It's got to be about power. Not necessarily as in a corrupt, evil way, but just the ability to impact the world on a national or global scale. The difference between a millionaire and a billionaire isn't how many private islands they can buy, it's how many people can be paid to further their goals, whatever those goals may be. Usually, this comes in the form of companies and/or politics. More money and more companies lets you change the world. And really, what person hasn't at some point had the thought, "Man, if I ruled the world, I would fix XYZ" You may not be able to rule the world, but with enough success and money, you can probably fix a few XYZs.