Clash of the Battling Billionaire Bullies

Timótheos

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This article from the CBC appeared on my newsfeed this morning and caught my attention because it illustrates what happens when 2 reclusive billionaires butt heads over a seemingly trivial dispute over the management of a neighbourhood tennis court.

The players, 70 year old Toronto millionaire - Harold Peerenboom pitted against the billionaire CEO of Marvel Entertainment - Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter. The article is rather long, but a very interesting read that involves subterfuge, anonymous hate mail, intimidation and DNA collecting. Both men are described as being powerful, formidable and reclusive, with bully-like qualities who are zealously protective of their privacy. Both started out poor but became very rich, one a former soldier in the IDF.

Anyway, not necessarily psychopaths, but certainly an enlightening insight into the machinations of the rich and powerful, and the lengths they will go to prove they're right.

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/sh/og1dB3kAlj/harold-peerenboom-perlmutter-marvel-florida-feud/
 
Timótheos said:
This article from the CBC appeared on my newsfeed this morning and caught my attention because it illustrates what happens when 2 reclusive billionaires butt heads over a seemingly trivial dispute over the management of a neighbourhood tennis court.

The players, 70 year old Toronto millionaire - Harold Peerenboom pitted against the billionaire CEO of Marvel Entertainment - Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter. The article is rather long, but a very interesting read that involves subterfuge, anonymous hate mail, intimidation and DNA collecting. Both men are described as being powerful, formidable and reclusive, with bully-like qualities who are zealously protective of their privacy. Both started out poor but became very rich, one a former soldier in the IDF.

Anyway, not necessarily psychopaths, but certainly an enlightening insight into the machinations of the rich and powerful, and the lengths they will go to prove they're right.

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/sh/og1dB3kAlj/harold-peerenboom-perlmutter-marvel-florida-feud/

Thanks for posting this article, Timótheos. When I finished reading it I couldn't help exclaiming "Gosh, this is what the super-rich must do to spend time and avoid boredom. Too much time and money in their hands". The machinations and accusations are surreal, and the resources that are being wasted are enormous, as defendant Black says:

In an interview with CBC News, Black acknowledged the scale of this legal scrap is out of proportion with the original dispute, which was ostensibly over a tennis court.

"With the expenses of these lawsuits, they could have recreated the U.S. Open tennis facilities there," Black said.

But at the same time the contents of the letters and accusations are, in my view, pure psychopathic. I don't see a normal person, even if wronged or angry, writing that stuff.
 
latulipenoire said:
Timótheos said:
This article from the CBC appeared on my newsfeed this morning and caught my attention because it illustrates what happens when 2 reclusive billionaires butt heads over a seemingly trivial dispute over the management of a neighbourhood tennis court.

The players, 70 year old Toronto millionaire - Harold Peerenboom pitted against the billionaire CEO of Marvel Entertainment - Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter. The article is rather long, but a very interesting read that involves subterfuge, anonymous hate mail, intimidation and DNA collecting. Both men are described as being powerful, formidable and reclusive, with bully-like qualities who are zealously protective of their privacy. Both started out poor but became very rich, one a former soldier in the IDF.

Anyway, not necessarily psychopaths, but certainly an enlightening insight into the machinations of the rich and powerful, and the lengths they will go to prove they're right.

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/sh/og1dB3kAlj/harold-peerenboom-perlmutter-marvel-florida-feud/

Thanks for posting this article, Timótheos. When I finished reading it I couldn't help exclaiming "Gosh, this is what the super-rich must do to spend time and avoid boredom. Too much time and money in their hands". The machinations and accusations are surreal, and the resources that are being wasted are enormous, as defendant Black says:

In an interview with CBC News, Black acknowledged the scale of this legal scrap is out of proportion with the original dispute, which was ostensibly over a tennis court.

"With the expenses of these lawsuits, they could have recreated the U.S. Open tennis facilities there," Black said.

But at the same time the contents of the letters and accusations are, in my view, pure psychopathic. I don't see a normal person, even if wronged or angry, writing that stuff.

I agree on the psychopathic part. It seems it could be a handbook for STS behavior, domination at any cost.

That it all started over a spat over the tennis courts, seems to almost be irrelevant at this point. Really is about power and domination in the end.
 
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