Modern Age Heroes: How Elon Musk, Zuckerberg, and the Rich White Men Became Our False Icons

Once, our heroes were poets, philosophers, elders who asked big questions, challenged the norms, and inspired generations to think, feel, and act with integrity. They weren’t perfect. They weren’t wealthy. They were human — and their legacy was wisdom, not wealth.

Today, the narrative has shifted. Our heroes are Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Joe Rogan — rich, white, self-made icons (or so we’re told). Musk will soon be a trillionaire, potentially wielding more money than entire countries, capable of creating private armies and defense forces if he wished. Zuckerberg has built a digital empire that shapes how billions see the world. Rogan speaks, and millions listen.

Young people no longer aspire to understanding or creativity. They want YouTube fame, fast cars, sprawling mansions. They idolize wealth, status, visibility. The new hero is selfish, narcissistic, and ruthless — a figurehead for a system that prizes profit over humanity.

Meanwhile, the poor — largely people of color, marginalized communities — suffer, starve, and die while a tiny minority accumulates ever more power. Climate change, resource scarcity, inequality: these aren’t abstract concepts anymore. They are the ticking clocks for a society addicted to hero-worship of the privileged.

I see a future where the fallout of greed and inaction becomes undeniable. Millions march, desperate for survival, banging on the gates of one of Musk’s 500 houses. His armies, financed by his trillions, hold the doors — while the world realizes their “heroes” were never heroes at all. They were thieves, stealing water, land, opportunity, and even the minds of the young.

Half of the global wealth is already owned by just 1% of people. As the gap widens, the rich and “heroic” become villains. The question is: what will it take for society to wake up? No water. No options. No future for those who aren’t rich, white, and protected.

The poets, philosophers, and elders were replaced. And soon enough, the new “heroes” will be hated.

By Evan Sutter.