How is Garrett Wang a billionaire?

[Sophie74656]

Some people do things I would consider extreme but everybody has their priorities on what they spend their money on. I have a convention buddy who has a great job but lives very modestly, drives an old car, doesn't own a computer or dvd player, but will spend several thousand dollars at a convention.

 

[Guy Gardener]

If Garret was giving away his signature for free, it would rock the boat, make every one else, who needs that money, look like an asshole, and completely wreck the fragile economic ecosystem on the convention circuit.

That's the Prime Directive at work folks.

Help = Harm.

 

[jmidnight_99]

I'd love a guitar pick used by Paul McCartney. And no, I would not sell it on Ebay. BTW I wouldn't pay more than ten bucks for an autographed picture of anyone.

 

[Lynx]

I was really surprised to learn that Garrett Wang - our Harry Kim - is worth several billion $. How is is possible?
I cannot seem to find a reasonable explanation if this is even true firstly, and how is this possible?

Garrett Wang worth several billion $?[/url

Well, to be honest, I don't know and frankly I don't care.
Congratulations and good luck to him if he owns that much money!

 

[F. King Daniel]

On a vague tangent, if anyone out there doesn't believe money buys happiness, please send your money to me and I'll show you how it's done.

 

[Christian Weston Chandler]

On a vague tangent, if anyone out there doesn't believe money buys happiness, please send your money to me and I'll show you how it's done.

Technically speaking, money doesn't buy you happiness. Earning or acquiring money usually brings you some happiness because it represents future goods or services you can buy. After that, you have to purchase goods or services, which may or may not bring you a second round of happiness depending on how wisely you purchased. But even for the savviest shopper, there's nowhere I know of that sells happiness directly; I think we'd have to wait until Matrix-style machines that interface directly with our spinal cords come out.

Nevertheless, I eagerly await a demonstration on your part and will forward my bank account details to you by PM forthwith.

 

[SPCTRE]

 

[F. King Daniel]

Technically speaking, money doesn't buy you happiness. Earning or acquiring money usually brings you some happiness because it represents future goods or services you can buy. After that, you have to purchase goods or services, which may or may not bring you a second round of happiness depending on how wisely you purchased. But even for the savviest shopper, there's nowhere I know of that sells happiness directly; I think we'd have to wait until Matrix-style machines that interface directly with our spinal cords come out.

Nevertheless, I eagerly await a demonstration on your part and will forward my bank account details to you by PM forthwith.

*checks PM's repeatly*

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Money buys happiness, but with a pretty heavy diminishing marginal gain that maxes out somewhere around the $70000/year level. If a person does already have $4 billion, more money will not bring additional happiness.

It's hard to tell in Voyager if Wang is a good actor because he does not have an acting role. The Voyager writers had no clue what to do with a character who does not have a central gimmick.

 

[Sophie74656]

Money may or may not buy happiness...but I would love to have the opportunity to find out LOL

 

[jmidnight_99]

I'm pretty sure that Wang made his money from several lucrative internet investments, which he found out about from William Shatner. Shatner is worth at least $100 million dollars through his connections to Priceline.com. According to rumor, Shatner told Wang about this internet deal that he was about to buy into, but then Wang raised some cash and beat him to the punch, sidelining Shatner as the deal exploded. Wang made a FORTUNE while Shatner just sat and watched. This is why there is now a deep hatred and distrust between the two men.

 

[Nebusj]

He cleaned up on the ``when will Harry Kim be promoted'' futures market.

 

[φ of π]

Does that mean "Fung Wah" is going to buy American Dad?

 

[TheSubCommander]

Reddit is not a reliable source...

Nonsense! Academics cite Reddit regularly in theses and dissertations all the time!

 

[Tenacity]

On a vague tangent, if anyone out there doesn't believe money buys happiness, please send your money to me and I'll show you how it's done.

If poverty "buys" you misery, struggle and despair, then money can buy you happiness.

Money can buy you comfort and security and confidence that there will be food in front of your children.

If a person does already have $4 billion, more money will not bring additional happiness.

Depends on the individual. The personal satisfaction of increasing their wealth from $4 billion to $4.1 billion could result in tremendous happiness.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Depends on the individual. The personal satisfaction of increasing their wealth from $4 billion to $4.1 billion could result in tremendous happiness.

I disagree. I think what you're describing is the thrill of victory and domination most prominent in gambler personalities. Among those personalities, it's not the total wealth that gives them that thrill, it's the most recent success. So a person who went from $4 billion to $4.1 billion would be happy but the same person going from $4.2 billion to $4.1 billion would be miserable. A gambler is happy because he just hit the jackpot, not sad that he missed it the past ten thousand times and had a net loss. Or an NBA star might have three championships but be miserable because he's on a losing team this season.

 

[Ghislaine H. B. BRAEME]

So Wang would be a billionaire? Why not although I have some serious doubts.
On the other hand, that he makes a good living as an organizer of ST conventions (he knows how to entertain people, for sure... better than act), it is very possible and it is good for him and his family.

 

[JasonJ]

I think upon reaching billionaire status, I'd disappear.

If Garrett really does have this amount of wealth, good on him. That's some deep, deep wang (to quote a one-time funny movie who's sequels weren't as good).

Even with that kinda of cash on hand, some people just enjoy the simpler things that we "normies" do, like go to ST cons. Which reminds me, I've got to go to a ST con sometime in my lifetime.

 

[jmidnight_99]

I disagree. I think what you're describing is the thrill of victory and domination most prominent in gambler personalities. Among those personalities, it's not the total wealth that gives them that thrill, it's the most recent success. So a person who went from $4 billion to $4.1 billion would be happy but the same person going from $4.2 billion to $4.1 billion would be miserable. A gambler is happy because he just hit the jackpot, not sad that he missed it the past ten thousand times and had a net loss. Or an NBA star might have three championships but be miserable because he's on a losing team this season.

What a load of BS. If the thrill of expanding one's fortune by 5 dollars by way of some personal or business victory makes one happy, then it makes them happy. My aunt used to collect buttons. She had hundreds, but still was overjoyed when she found one more unusual one to add to her collection. 401 buttons made her a lot happier than 400.

Who are you to analyze what makes a person happy, to suit your opinion, and argue otherwise?

 

[StarMan]

4.3 BILLION?