The Barefoot Billionaires: Tech Titans and their Eccentricities

Consider the notable tech giants such as Marc Andreessen, Mark Zuckerberg, and Mark Cuban, all appearing in formal photographs with bare feet. Elon Musk is not exempt from this modern-day lifestyle of the barefoot tech tycoons. The trailblazer behind this trend, ironically, is Marc Andreessen himself, the co-founder of Netscape. Surrealist it may seem; however, this no-shoe trend was born in 1996 when Andreessen graced the cover of Time magazine, sitting on a throne while prominently displaying his bare feet.

The photograph captured an unusual pose—an openly displayed barefoot, with Andreessen’s left ankle resting over his right knee. Coupled with the eye-catching headline ‘The Golden Geeks’, this spectacle could lead one to wonder if the greatest threats to humanity are not merely unearthly demons, but more alarmingly, men who stylize themselves as gods, entrusting our faith in them.

This sentiment could not be exemplified better than through the odd character of Boy Kavalier, the impertinent young antagonist of ‘Alien: Earth’. This peculiar individual regularly utilizes his feet for tasks that an average person would normally accomplish using their hands—a tablet held up by bare feet during a call, a tap on the keyboard with a foot, signifying instructions to his underlings by flexing his feet and such.

Boy Kavalier stands out from the crowd with such unconventional habits, potentially indicating intellectual superiority that moves him to maximize the use of all his limbs. But when dueling a more conventionally dressed and shod adversary, Kavalier brings his bare feet into play as negotiating tools.

He audaciously places his bare feet on the conference room table—grinning at his opponent, who is visibly repelled by this assertive display. This grandiose action may not seem out of place in America, where several wealthy moguls have struck similar poses while at work, and even on national television. However, in various Asian cultures, including Thailand where ‘Alien: Earth’ was filmed, intentionally pointing your foot at someone is seen as highly disrespectful.

Regardless of cultural nuances, one thing is clear: the assertion behind Boy Kavalier’s action is a powerful belief that he is vastly superior to us all. The narrative of ‘Alien: Earth’ creates a gateway to discussions about our humanity—introducing Wendy, a synthetic character with a captured human consciousness.

Like his tech-savvy peers, Boy Kavalier imposes an eccentric obsession on his reality, bringing scenes from Peter Pan to life by naming Wendy and other tech-human hybrids as the ‘Lost Boys’. These so-called Lost Boys are juvenile minds transplanted into ageless human-like bodies as a part of an ambitious experiment on human life.

The lofty aim is to extend human life—an endeavor as noble as interstellar travel. However, it is a cautious prophecy of the likely consequence if incumbent technocrats manage to control our future. The most considerable threats to humanity do not necessarily come from the heavens; instead, the real danger appears to be men who envision themselves as gods, demanding our faith and trust.

The balance in the storyline of ‘Alien: Earth’ changes when an alien-laden spacecraft from Yutani crashes in the territory controlled by Prodigy, Boy Kavalier’s company. Upon discovering the spacecraft, Kavalier lays claim to it, thus diverting his attention from his ‘Lost Boys’ to the more alarming unknown missiles.

Technocracy’s roots can be traced back to the 1930s, when many were enamored by its promise of a society driven by science and technology and run by experts, thus eliminating the need for politicians. The ideology also suggested abolishing democratic elections—a chilling prospect that nevertheless had its believers. Its followers propagated the idea of eliminating the government, capitalism, and money to instead allow tech-experts to take charge, ensuring humanity’s needs are met.

AI and robots would replace human labor, thus allowing us to focus on more enriching pursuits. However, the early technocrats perhaps overlooked the insatiable appetite of billionaires and potential trillionaires for wealth and power.

Within Prodigy’s territory, which includes modern-day Thailand, a large number of workers, including Wendy’s brother Hermit, are indentured. Boy Kavalier coerces Hermit to work for him in order to stay with his sister and to cover the costs of the artificial lung that saved his life. In this bargain, Hermit becomes another piece of property, exploited and controlled by Boy Kavalier against his will.

Beyond the unsettling compound of Prodigy cityscape that echoes dystopian slums akin to ‘Blade Runner’, a billboard with Boy Kavalier’s glare incessantly repeats the slogan, ‘Prodigy is the future! Prodigy is forever!’. We are pushed into an era where corporations triumphantly stand on the ruins of their mistakes. And the villains like Boy Kavalier continue to rule, imperiously leaving barefoot imprints on our questioned reality.