#1
When he first entered the public eye, he was a breath of fresh air. A billionaire who was looking to actually do some good. He arguably pushed electric cars to the mass market and successfully launched a viable rival to NASA, starting a second space race. For a while, it looked like we were getting back on track as a civilisation with an eye toward a better future for all.
Then he went full right wing nut job, threw his weight behind Trump and burned all his goodwill overnight.
#2
#3
Fast forward a few decades and the man is nothing but a lackey.
A fall from grace can happen to just about anyone. It doesn’t even need to be someone with a lot of power, but it just so happens that those in the public eye tend to have their achievements and downfalls more heavily publicized. But there’s actually another connection to be made here between power and ruined reputations.
Neurologist David Owen and psychiatrist Jonathan Davidson actually coined the term “Hubris Syndrome.” This refers to an acquired personality change that can develop from prolonged exposure to power and attention. Extreme overconfidence and contempt for criticism can lead people to stray from what they once believed to be morally correct.
#4
#5
Kevin Sorbo is another example. He was widely loved during the height of his fame (Hercules) but he's gone full Kool-Aid and now seems to be entirely insufferable.
#6
Then by 2020s, he has turned Roblox into a shell of it former self. There is no more creativity, there is absolutely zero stuff being done to stop predators, banned Chris Hanson live at CrimeCon due to not wanting to be exposed for the fact Roblox has a serious predator problem. Said in his own words in a interview back in 2025 that he sees "predators as a opportunity".
I know this is going to be buried, because so many people have already replied to this thread. But I feel like the way Roblox has become now **needs to be mentioned.**.
There have also been studies conducted to try to predict exactly how power and attention can change someone’s brain function. Neuroscientist Sukhvinder Obhi, for example, found that people who suddenly rose to a position of power showed lower activity in the mirror neuron system, which is associated with empathy and understanding other people’s experiences.
So, it’s quite literally been shown that power can impair the brain’s ability to simulate and even share empathic feelings toward others. This could help explain why some people who started out as morally acceptable figures, like Elon Musk and Wayne Gretzky, initially seemed to work toward positive things, only to eventually change their worldviews as they gained more power and influence.
#7
#8
Probably the most famous French general of the first world war. Known as the Lion of Verdun and led the victorious French in throwing back the Germans over an incredibly bloody 9 months. If you know anything about how important Verdun was in the history of western Europe you know this was a big deal.
If he had d**d in the 20s or early 30s he would be be one of France's great heroes.
Instead he lived and led the n**i collaborationist Vichy regime after the fall of France in the second war, and now he is collaborationist scum you wouldn't cross the street to p**s on if he were on fire.
#9
As for those actually watching the newfound public figure, they might also start to resent them for being overly successful. This is often a phenomenon we see with celebrities — particularly female celebrities, whose former fans may eventually get tired of constantly being exposed to them — but it can also extend to anyone in the limelight. It’s called the Tall Poppy Syndrome.
This concept was formalized in social psychology by N.T. Feather, which describes the cultural tendency to resent or criticize individuals who stand out or become too successful. As these people become more and more publicized, their actions (whether or not one can morally agree with them) also become more susceptible to criticism.
#10
#11
Was a hero, rolemodel of so many people. And is now despised as a cheater.
#12
He opposed racial discrimination and took concrete actions against segregation.
The Peoples Temple operated facilities and programs for elderly people, children and people with disabilities, and helped members navigate welfare and juvenile justice systems.
If he d**d in the 1960s he would have been considered a great man.
#13
#14
#15
Now he's turned MAGA.
Then, our own expectations of morality come into play. The Halo Effect, coined by Edward Thorndike, causes us to assume that if someone excels at their craft, they’re put on a pedestal, which can lead everyone else to assume they must also be morally upright and benevolent.
So, when that expectation is shattered, sociologists say the backlash can be disproportionately severe compared to that of a regular person doing the same thing — albeit to a much lesser degree due to differences in power, influence, and money. It causes the public to feel betrayed, turning the savior into the villain.
#16
#17
Was injured in the Battle of Saratoga, where there’s a monument of him (or at least his leg).
He went on to attempt to surrender West Point to the British.
#18
And then he started believing his own hype, sided with H***r, went into a war the Country wasn't nearly prepared for thus exposing how it was all basically a giant bluff, lost everything and ended up upside down, hated by everyone.
#19
Instead, she decided to devote every ounce of her energy to.....saying really cruel stuff on social media? Being chronically online? Bullying children? For what?? What is she getting out of this? Attention?? She already had plenty of attention! All she's doing is alienating a huge part of her fan base and losing money. Yes, there are lots of people who don't care and still support her, but there's no denying she's lost money and tarnished her reputation to some degree.
Obviously, I personally think she's a transphobic jerk.. but even if you are a person who also hates trans people, you've gotta agree that her course of action here is just incredibly stupid. Why open your mouth just to say divisive s**t??? If she had just kept her opinions to herself everyone would still universally love her. Instead of a big devoted fan base that adores her, now she has people who actively hate her, people who are generally put off by her, people who reluctantly still support her because they love Harry Potter so much, and people who only loudly support her to own the libs. Yikes.
It also comes down to one simple thing: money. The proverb “Money doesn’t change people; it unmasks them” has existed for decades, and for anyone who started out with humble beginnings, it makes sense to consider how money might change them in the long run. Ambition runs deep, and the more you have, the more you seem to want.
But there’s actually no empirical evidence that proves that. Instead, there are numerous studies showing that money can affect ethical behavior. And a simple game of Monopoly demonstrated that. In a UC Berkeley study, researchers found that players who grew richer during the game changed their behavior dramatically, moving their pieces more aggressively and even acting rudely toward other players. Coincidence? I think not.