While the rich have been busy ravaging the fabric of society, they've also been preparing for the worst outcomes, according to the Robb Report.
Industry professionals have commented on the exploding popularity of luxury underground bunkers among elite entrepreneurs and celebrities.
"People used to laugh at me," said Panic Room Builders CEO Bill Rigdon, per the Robb Report. "Now? I've never been busier."
The Silicon Valley Billionaires Who Have Designed Our World Have Planned Their Escape
— Thomas Reis (@peakaustria) November 14, 2025
Many have their survival bunkers, private jets, and New Zealand citizenships
Or in Zuck's case, Hawaii
Mark Zuckerberg's compound on Kauai covers 1,400 acres.
Underground tunnels connect the… pic.twitter.com/jJfDoUk17Q
These facilities range in location, from remote to in-home, and protect against a range of potential threats, including climate-related disasters. The bunkers are being built to meet more than just survival needs like off-grid energy, food stores, blast doors, and hydroponic gardens, however.
The contractors building out these bunkers have said that they are often designed with highly customized luxury features, such as racetracks, bowling alleys, and firing ranges. Until they're needed, many continue to use these facilities as secluded retreats. Mark Zuckerberg's off-grid Hawai'i compound has been host to many visitors, for example.
The irony of such extreme preparations is that the rich have been an outsized source of impending climate disasters. Luxury travel in particular has contributed pollution that traps heat in the atmosphere, exacerbates destructive weather patterns, and incurs costs to the rest of the world.
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Worse still, the world's rich are often actively engaged in root cause industries like oil, gas, and coal, or are investing in those industries.
While a luxury bunker may be outside of your budget, it is possible to prepare your home for the challenges to come. Solar panels can provide energy when the grid fails, and weatherization upgrades can ensure you're ready for major climate shifts.
Online reactions were openly disgusted by the apocalypse preparations of the rich.
"They are openly courting disaster because they think this survival cosplay will save them," said one Reddit community member.
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"It's proof that they don't deserve the money they have," chimed in another.
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