King built to this audacious crescendo in his Vassar speech by putting extreme wealth in cosmic perspective. After walking the graduates through the staggering scale of billionaire fortunes, he used this vivid metaphor to deflate the sanctity Americans often attach to enormous wealth. The line drew both laughter and applause, but King was deadly serious. He pointed out the absurdity of individuals hoarding resources while public schools crumbled and families went without healthcare. It was a bracing message from a man who had earned a fortune from his own talent and work ethic — and who was telling a class of elite college graduates that the point of success is not to keep score but to share the bounty.