Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban is known for his outspoken views on business, wealth, and social issues.
In a series of posts on X, he shared his perspective on what truly matters once you reach a high level of wealth, and how he believes the country can be improved through a mix of capitalism and compassion.
“Once your LIQUID net worth becomes high enough, the true value to your life of your next dollar, by itself, gets smaller and smaller,” Cuban wrote.
Instead of chasing more money for the sake of it, he argued that the real reward lies in using your skills and experience to help others.
“Whatever got you to that level of liquidity most likely gives you a unique expertise, that can be put to work to help people who really need it now, or will need it in the future,” he added.
While he acknowledged that making money in the process is fine, he emphasized the core message: “Compassion and capitalism, not greed, are what can make this country far greater.”
Why Wealthy People Don’t Just Give It Away
One person asked why billionaires don’t give money directly to individuals.
“What stops the more personal donations as one gains wealth?” they asked, adding that giving someone $20,000 might feel more impactful than donating $1 million to a charity.
Cuban responded, “It becomes a gift, which is taxed once you reach a certain level, which I long ago passed. Ask Grok for details on the gift tax.”
The IRS imposes a gift tax on large personal gifts over a certain annual threshold, which complicates direct giving for ultra-wealthy individuals.
Criticism of Stock Buybacks
Cuban also weighed in on how companies spend their profits. Quoting another post that criticized companies using AI to cut costs without improving wages or services, Cuban said:
“They are going to buy back more stock, admitting they don’t believe in their business enough to invest that money in their future.”
He called for harsher taxes on stock buybacks unless companies distribute equity more fairly: “Tax buybacks even more UNLESS they give stock to ALL employees at the same value to cash earnings as the CEO and all execs.”
Pushback and Policy Talk
One person replied to Cuban, saying, “Do the people in your echelon of wealth ever stop to wonder if they’ve had enough?.. Greed has been the driver for some time and a lot of people are getting left behind.”
Cuban responded, “All the time. And we invest in ways to help people. Like cost plus drugs,” referencing his company that sells generic medications at transparent, low prices.
Another person asked how the stock market might react to a law that raised taxes on buybacks. Cuban replied, “It already exists. The market is up and if you raise it, Even double it, It would keep going up.”
Author Malcolm Harris suggested forcing billionaires into productive investment.
Cuban pushed back: “That’s the exact wrong way to do it. You know anyone that likes being cornered into doing something?”
He went on to say, “You won’t find one [entrepreneur] that will respond better to sh*t than honey. You create incentives, you can get what you want in a way that benefits people more than just using taxes because that’s the only thing you know.”
A Capitalist With a Cause
Cuban’s recent posts reflect a vision of capitalism that values people and social outcomes alongside profit.
He doesn’t reject the system that made him rich. Instead, he sees a better version of it, one where those with wealth use it to make a meaningful difference.
“Compassion and capitalism, not greed,” isn’t just a tagline for Cuban.
It’s a call for those who’ve “had enough” to rethink how their money and knowledge can result in a better country for everyone.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Mark Cuban” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.