I assume it's a natural thing to happen if somebody gets a lot of power. If not being extra careful, they will automatically get surrounded by yes men and start drifting in odd directions. Happens to dictators too.

With democracy at least there's changing some of the people in power on a schedule.

A theory I've been playing around with is that they can't justify to themselves why they're deserving of their immense power and wealth and others aren't. If the real answer is they got lucky by circumstance and aren't "special", that their efforts aren't wholly responsible for their results, they'll twist themselves into pretzels trying to avoid the realization and moral implications.

It could be a requirement.

Likewise here. If I accidentally become a billionare I’d donate most of it to good causes after making sure family and close friends will be able to reach their own goals without becoming filthy rich. Creating a dinasty of wealth is cursing your own family.

I used to think this was a universal law but then there's Warren Buffett, who's rich but doesn't seem stupid. Of course he's not a tech billionaire.

And then there's Mark Cuban, who is a tech billionaire but who also still seems to have a working brain.