'That's How You Make Monsters,' Says Joe Rogan, Reacting To Claims That 80% Of The World's Wealth Is Inherited

On a past episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Joe Rogan and his guest, VICE Media co-founder Shane Smith, discussed wealth inequality. Rogan brought up a widely shared but flawed statistic – that 80% of the world’s wealth is inherited.

“That’s how you make monsters,” Rogan said, explaining that passing wealth down for generations creates a cycle where some people are born rich while others never get a fair shot. He also pointed out that inherited wealth doesn’t guarantee financial responsibility, meaning some of the world’s wealthiest individuals may not be the best stewards of their fortunes.

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Smith agreed, saying that most people never get the chance to build real wealth. He described it as never getting “a kick at the can,” meaning many are stuck in the economic position they were born into. While society often highlights rags-to-riches success stories, Smith and Rogan argue that wealth is more often inherited than earned.

Though exact numbers vary, research supports the idea that inherited wealth plays a huge role in global inequality. According to intelligence firm Wealth-X, around 10.2% of billionaires inherited their entire fortune, while nearly 30% combined inheritance with their own efforts.

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2024 data from Forbes highlights that all billionaires under 30 inherited their wealth, showing how generational wealth transfer is becoming more common. Examples include the Del Vecchio siblings, who inherited shares in their family’s luxury eyewear company Luxottica, and Livia Voigt, who became a billionaire at just 19 thanks to her family’s company, WEG Industries.

Over the years, Rogan has accumulated a substantial fortune. As of early 2025, he has hundreds of millions of dollars, mostly from his massively successful and influential podcast. In 2020, he signed an exclusive licensing deal with Spotify SPOT worth an estimated $200 million, which he later renewed in 2024 for around $250 million, allowing his podcast to be available on multiple platforms. Beyond his podcast, Rogan continues to perform stand-up comedy and remains a significant figure in the UFC community.

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But wealth isn’t just about money. Inheriting wealth also means gaining valuable connections, status, and opportunities that keep the rich at the top while making it harder for others to catch up. Rogan and Smith said that this system creates a society where wealth stays concentrated among a few, making it more difficult for others to move up.

Despite this, Rogan still sees the United States as a land of opportunity. He said, “This really is the promised land. It really is, I mean, clearly not for everybody but also there’s a possibility the opportunity awaits itself right here. It really is the greatest country the world has ever known.”

Disclaimer: Some elements of this story were previously reported by Benzinga and have been updated.

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