Gallant as that is, I don't think it's either/or with these people, I think it's both/and.

They have to keep exploiting and consuming everything and everyone. Whilst I understand that the rapacious drive to infinite growth is systemic, I'm convinced that one of the mechanisms that keeps it going is their own alienation, the deep emptiness and disassociation that comes from living in a world where nobody can tell them no, and they have to fill that hole with something. After your fifth mansion, third private jet and second mega yacht, just buying things doesn't do it, and why did they accumulate so much if they're just miserable anyway?

The only thing left is hurting people with impugnity, because that proves that you have power.