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Comment by kkleindev | Hacker News Reader

What makes a person like Steve Mercer, being extremely well educated and highly successful take part in such dubious procedures? Will a personal experience drive one into being involved in Breitbart and such or is clinical financial calculation fueling such decisions?

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Personally, my thinking is that people like this person already exists on a different "plane of existence" due to their money - the politics of mere mortals like us, in the way it is practiced and experienced by us - simply doesn't feature into things. In terms of getting involved, it is no secret that the same patterns repeat over and over - push people to their limit economically, and they will flock to populist politicians such as Farage and Trump - witness the rise of the alt-right globally. People like Mercer understand this, and have the means to support those players, thus buying a seat at the table.

> push people to their limit economically, and they will flock to populist politicians ... have the means to support those players, thus buying a seat at the table.

So, one part Machiavelli, one part sociopath?

Some rich people do it for self interest e.g. Koch Brothers but most do it because they genuinely believe in the positions. They take a keen interest in politics and the world no different to most people.

Interesting that you get downvoted for stating this. As if rich people couldn't have genuine interest and even altruistic ambitions.

> As if rich people couldn't have genuine interest and even altruistic ambitions.

The Mercers are behind Breitbart, Trump, Bannon and the British Leave campaign; I doubt that altruism has much to do with it.

Personal gain is not always a sufficient explanation, either. Often people do what they do because they think it is right, not because of other motives that you wish to pin on them.

> Personal gain is not always a sufficient explanation, either.

We're discussing the family's dubious actions precisely because they go beyond pure self interest.

They might think it does. The world looks different if you're rich.

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