• Maeve
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      405 months ago

      The biggest lotto win in the USA was $2.04 BN, in California. Subtract taxes and there is no way that comes close to the account of money other billionaires have ammassed, even assuming there was no outstanding debt to pay and the money was invested in high-yield investments (green or not). I believe you’re right.

      • @[email protected]
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        205 months ago

        In theory a modern artist, writer, musician, etc could become a billionaire from direct to customer sales, but I’ll believe it when it happens.

        • @[email protected]
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          145 months ago

          Isn’t Taylor Swift a billionaire? That is about the extent of my knowledge of her though.

        • Patapon Enjoyer
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          75 months ago

          Even them are profitting off the work of hundreds of people. Or rather, a publisher is profitting off of their work along with the work of a lot more people.

          • @[email protected]
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            15 months ago

            Direct to customer meaning they sell direct to a customer. Presumably through digital copies and owning a server rack.

            You can certainly argue that even that kind of hypothetical billionaire shouldn’t exist, and you’d be right.

        • @[email protected]
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          35 months ago

          As much as I dislike her and her views, J.K. Rowling would be an example wouldn’t she?

          • @[email protected]
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            5 months ago

            Nah. Tons of merchandising, films, publishing etc.

            Those Quidditch brooms and plastic wands don’t assemble themselves in a sweatshop.

            Think more like if some self hosted webnovel had the same success somehow, or if she’d been as involved with checking the conditions of the merchandise empire as thoroughly as she was apparently involved in making sure the child actors were treated well. Not particularly likely, but hypothetically.

            • @[email protected]
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              5 months ago

              Why do the merchandise sales not count? Are they not a product of her creative writing? Many webnovelists sell merch. One of my favourite webnovelists semi-recently hired an editor, would that disqualify them?

              I’m a little confused on how you are defining the conditions. If the artist can only count their personal contributions than I don’t think it is possible in any sense. No person no matter how hard working or talented can personally generate a billion in profit.