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The Problem with Billionaires — and the Debut of True Net Worth | Randall Lane | TED

As chief content officer of Forbes, Randall Lane oversees the magazine’s signature list of billionaires, tracking the richest people on Earth. But he has noticed that this prompts the ultra-wealthy to stockpile their money instead of spending it on the public good. He debuts a new ranking — True Net Worth — that applauds billionaires…

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As chief content officer of Forbes, Randall Lane oversees the magazine’s signature list of billionaires, tracking the richest people on Earth. But he has noticed that this prompts the ultra-wealthy to stockpile their money instead of spending it on the public good. He debuts a new ranking — True Net Worth — that applauds billionaires for their philanthropy and rewards generosity. Guess who’s in the top five? (Recorded at TED2026 on April 16, 2026)

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36 Comments

36 Comments

  1. @DarkoNomad

    April 21, 2026 at 8:29 am

    Charities are creating more problems than they are solving.
    Taxing the rich might be the only solution to create just society and opportunities for poor.
    Poor people don’t need money, they need more opportunities to earn and live properly.

    • @sadiyaadado4709

      April 21, 2026 at 12:16 pm

      Yes you need for watch my tedx talk on ths issue

  2. @matthewzaksheske4211

    April 21, 2026 at 8:37 am

    Capitalism cannot exist without exploitation. What an incredibly bad take.

  3. @jax4java

    April 21, 2026 at 8:51 am

    Absolutely not. Billionaires are the pariah of humanity. Propaganda much? Bullshit, TED. You have really lowered your standards and no longer represent quality media. Bye.

  4. @warnerww83

    April 21, 2026 at 9:18 am

    Need billionaires? That’s an interesting take. I would probably have a more favorable opinion of them if they didn’t work so hard to ensure wealth is consolidated firmly in their hands. Pay your taxes, not your lobbyist, and we’d want to grab torches and pitchforks a lot less when talking about you.

  5. @grantralston4805

    April 21, 2026 at 9:53 am

    Donation emphasis is great, however, taxation of the rich is guaranteed to be great. We need a wealth tax that actually works.

  6. @vancouverlife1

    April 21, 2026 at 10:19 am

    Actually most people would be happy with much less than a billion bucks. The world would be much better if it was easier to get to “financial independence” and no poverty. Technology seems the only way and that seems to be happening. More people can learn what to do via online tools. Most of the billionaires seem to have achieved it providing assorted technology. Not a fan of the tax idea as the government had already grown quite large with more spending than the billionaires combined. Hmm.

  7. @haniehhedayati661

    April 21, 2026 at 10:27 am

    that’s not true! Iran has billionaires.

  8. @haniehhedayati661

    April 21, 2026 at 10:42 am

    i don’t like the message. if someone gets rich, good for them! you come here saying don’t hate on them for being rich because they will donate their money for free and we should encourage them?! basically to leach on them.

  9. @RadicalTrivia

    April 21, 2026 at 11:03 am

    Yeah or we could just tax them like we did last time.

  10. @TatuSiltanen

    April 21, 2026 at 11:10 am

    The real question is not how much they donate, but how much they pay in taxes.

    • @stachowi

      April 22, 2026 at 9:21 am

      what happens with that charity money OR taxes… it’s not effective. If they can create 100,000 jobs then they’re doing their part.

  11. @joeldheath

    April 21, 2026 at 11:11 am

    The best thing a billionaire can do for the world is become a centimillionaire

  12. @chasmenear7130

    April 21, 2026 at 11:34 am

    The problem with billionaires is that they are billionaires….That and most of them are completely immoral idiots.🤔

  13. @Brojak_Manhorse

    April 21, 2026 at 12:31 pm

    why cant i be a billionaire? is it because im poor?

  14. @animaaura

    April 21, 2026 at 12:39 pm

    One can point to the same period during which we saw growth in Chinese billionaires and economic prosperity, but instead focus on socioeconomic markers in western countries. The number of billionaires exploded but everyone else is worse off, particularly the younger generations.

    Pre-1980 the US was doing very well with very few billionaires, and with most people able to make a decent living for themselves with almost any job.

    Yes, the factors that create wealth also create billionaires, but depending on where you’re starting from, they can also transfer massive amount of wealth from everyone to a few.

  15. @auro1986

    April 21, 2026 at 1:20 pm

    only problem is when you have robbed everybody of everything then you can’t invent a new source of income for yourself

  16. @mikerphone.

    April 21, 2026 at 1:54 pm

    Where do I get whatever this guy is smoking?

  17. @dapulse7147

    April 21, 2026 at 2:07 pm

    6:13 We should reward them for paying taxes. Charity is even an expression af power if the billionaire decides what’s worth it.

  18. @h.j.s1461

    April 21, 2026 at 2:22 pm

    Wow, chocked about majority toughts here. All against billionaires. They’re thinking is better then don’t exist. Or that is a good idea increase tax over then. What’s mentallity is it? 1984 coming fast even.

  19. @NonAlignedThinker

    April 21, 2026 at 2:24 pm

    bad comparison.. you compared percent of net worth to percent of income.. shame shame shame

  20. @AdityaMehendale

    April 21, 2026 at 3:44 pm

    Correlation is not causation.
    F*ck charity – pay your fair share of (income- and property-)taxes.

  21. @achrist2

    April 21, 2026 at 3:53 pm

    This is a masterclass in how to cloak misinformation as educational. Extreme wealth is only possible if many live in extreme poverty. If billionaires paid their fair share of tax, there would be more wealth circulating for everyone to benefit from. At the moment, they hoard wealth at least in part to starve necessary research and development into alternatives they would not personally (and exclusively) benefit from. They also force the workforce into a never ending cycle of working more for less until they die. Mackenzie Scott is exceptional and has been hurrying to do as much good as she can with her wealth. But “you can have it when I am dead” is not noble or generous when people are dying now and the climate crisis is approaching a tipping point we won’t be able to reverse.

  22. @nishiki393

    April 21, 2026 at 4:41 pm

    Nonsense. We shouldn’t be relying on the charity of billionaires and trillionaires. This is what FAIR and proper tax code / tax policy is for.

  23. @Scoobydcs

    April 21, 2026 at 7:57 pm

    i think this is backwards

  24. @KodeeDentares

    April 21, 2026 at 8:25 pm

    Utter tripe.

  25. @sri9982

    April 22, 2026 at 1:05 am

    Enlightining video…

  26. @Sushi0Chef

    April 22, 2026 at 3:07 am

    Did he just say there was ZERO poverty in China? What drugs are he smoking?

  27. @ogbonnamonday4825

    April 22, 2026 at 1:39 pm

    I am a Nigerian, where did you make the findings that Nigeria 🇳🇬 has just 4 Billionaire.

  28. @jriv

    April 22, 2026 at 1:52 pm

    What is this pro billionaire propaganda 🤢🤢🤢🤮

  29. @jriv

    April 22, 2026 at 1:53 pm

    Trickle down economics for the zellenial mind 👎👎👎👎

  30. @ba8e

    April 22, 2026 at 7:34 pm

    Copium Olympics

  31. @jorgipogi

    April 23, 2026 at 9:53 am

    The problem are politicians who sell themselves to them.

  32. @LifeSavingDefense

    April 23, 2026 at 9:55 am

    Stop being jealous of others who succeed.

    Stop wanting to control Other People’s money.

    STOP over taxing Billionaires..

    Tax rates on income should be the same for everyone —- ZERO.

    Taxing what we make punishes people for being successful.

    it’s nobody’s business with somebody else makes or what they do with their money.

    No I’m not a billionaire
    I don’t even make three figures and I’m in the middle of fighting mortgage company through Bankruptcy.. so yeah I can use somebody else’s money but it’s not mine to take it it’s not yours either.

    tax the world on what we spend at ONE Rate less than 10%.

    Change all loans including credot cards to 10% or less and then the world of people who are not billionaires could actually survive and possibly become billionaires.

    Leave charity to churches and other private Businesses .

    Stop giving away your hard earned money to beggers.

    Everyone needs to earn their own way if they physically can and we need to stop giving what we earn a way to lazy people who choose to beg for free money from those who work

  33. @jorgipogi

    April 23, 2026 at 9:57 am

    They should definitely pay more taxes.

  34. @jorgipogi

    April 23, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Charity is definitely a big scam for the buddies of the billionaires to gain recognition and big checks.

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People & Blogs

We’re Keeping the Ocean Wild — and You Can Join Us | Sylvia A. Earle | TED

In 2009, marine biologist Sylvia Earle stood on the TED stage and made a wish: to build a global network of “Hope Spots” and protect the ocean before it’s too late. Seventeen years later, she’s back to report on what’s happened since — and the picture is both more urgent and more hopeful than you…

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In 2009, marine biologist Sylvia Earle stood on the TED stage and made a wish: to build a global network of “Hope Spots” and protect the ocean before it’s too late. Seventeen years later, she’s back to report on what’s happened since — and the picture is both more urgent and more hopeful than you might expect. From 100,000 fur seals saved from near-extinction to coral reefs rebuilt clam by clam, Earle says we already know exactly what needs to be done; the only thing left is to find the will to do it. (Recorded at TED2026 on April 17, 2026)

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And you thought human dating was complicated! #TEDTalks

Octopus, squid and cuttlefish — collectively known as cephalopods — have strange, massive, distributed brains. What do they do with all that neural power? Dive into the ocean with marine biologist Roger Hanlon, who shares astonishing footage of the camouflaging abilities of cephalopods, which can change their skin color and texture in a flash. Learn…

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Octopus, squid and cuttlefish — collectively known as cephalopods — have strange, massive, distributed brains. What do they do with all that neural power? Dive into the ocean with marine biologist Roger Hanlon, who shares astonishing footage of the camouflaging abilities of cephalopods, which can change their skin color and texture in a flash. Learn how their smart skin, and their ability to deploy it in sophisticated ways, could be evidence of an alternative form of intelligence — and how it could lead to breakthroughs in AI, fabrics, cosmetics and beyond.

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How to Google Your Symptoms Without Freaking Out | John Whyte | TED

Why does searching your symptoms online always leave you more frightened than before? As former chief medical officer of WebMD, physician John Whyte spent years believing more information meant better health — until he saw how too much of it was making people spiral. In a world of health influencers, algorithms and AI tools designed…

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Why does searching your symptoms online always leave you more frightened than before? As former chief medical officer of WebMD, physician John Whyte spent years believing more information meant better health — until he saw how too much of it was making people spiral. In a world of health influencers, algorithms and AI tools designed to keep you clicking, he reveals why clarity and context is a better prescription. (Recorded at TEDxNashville on October 19, 2025)

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The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less) — plus originals, podcasts and exclusive content. Look for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design as well as science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit for our entire library, transcripts, translations and personalized recommendations.

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TED videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with the TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Health

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