Newsweek: The Overclass

« back

This story took note of the rise of a new nouveau riche class in America, consisting largely of the Internet boom millionaires and billionaires.  I flew to Seattle to report this story, speaking to a number of Microsoft stock option millionaires and others who never intended nor expected to be so wealthy – and were struggling with what to do with it.  I visited with one of these accidental millionaires who made his fortune in the cell phone industry – and who was trying to figure out how to share his good fortune.  Seattle ultimately became a center for some very engaged philanthropy – including Bill Gates’ very prominent foundation working on global health issues.