Paying an escort to spend time with you certainly doesn’t come with the same sacrifices as an organic relationship. And, unlike chatbots, “nerdy escorts” are real people who can provide human perspectives on things like AI, crypto and economics instead of just echoing back a tech worker’s thoughts on such subjects.
I think the whole thing is self-selecting. People with social skills usually are able to get on in life without having to resort to becoming tech billionaires.
I know that sounds odd, but I think most people don’t actually have that drive in their life that is necessary to become extraordinarily rich and powerful precisely because they have human connections that satiate them enough that they don’t become obnoxious workaholics.
Back before the banking industry became synonymous with fat cat CEOs it was a relatively pedestrian career full of normal people. Then the era of huge bonuses came along and suddenly it became attractive to the sort of person that seeks power and wealth above all else.