Because they would make him feel important. Because they would make him feel cool and nonconformist. He would feel like he’s really making decisions and choosing a path. He would feel in control and ontologically whole. Incidentally these are the same blinding motivations which guide the anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers, anti-education anti-healthcare, anti-student loan forgiveness, anti-free school lunch, anti-gun control, anti-immigration, anti-affirmative action, anti-environmental protection, anti-democracy crowd.

The problem with billionaires is the same as those who worship them, which I believe is what endears the latter to the former. They have a very profound hole in their self worth. If you’re a billionaire you probably got to be one by compulsively looking for something to fill that hole, or alternatively you inherited your wealth from someone who has. If you don’t recognize your worth, you don’t recognize your power. If you don’t recognize you power you feel powerless. If you feel powerless, your desperation to control makes you either easy to manipulate or antisocial, or both.