Study to back up Edward's point that most rich have some sort of familial advantage unavailable to the poor:
The Effects of Head Starts and College on Family Wealth | St. Louis Fed
The contention that these are all "self-made men" is the problem with which I am taking exception. Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Jobs, Holmes, etc.... They all had access to advantages available only to the significantly privileged (from a US standpoint) or astronomically privileged (from a global standpoint).
We continue to lionize these people, when the recipe for their success is actually very simple:
1. Have money.*
2. Be a jerk.
3. Get lucky.
4. Be hailed as a genius.
We tend to forget about 1, forgive 2, and misunderstand how much being in the right place at the right time matters to 3.
In addition, the wild monetary success I think overweights our thinking on the effort involved. IMO, plenty of people in professions that lack the possibility of wild financial success work harder and arguably accomplish more, in terms of changing the lives of others. Teachers, doctors, scientists, etc.... By wildly overpraising Musk & Co we diminish those who actually keep society working.
*Or easy access to other people's money on very favorable terms.**
**Likely because you were privileged to begin with.