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 I agree with the Thesis of @saifedean, the answer is FIAT 
 Hmm maybe, maybe not.

Who funded these buildings in the past? Some were the state, some by wealthy folks. Let’s take the government out the equation as they’re broke. Why hasn’t say Elon Musk built a classically solid looking structure? It’s not due to debt or lack of capital. Quite the opposite, he could draw on huge pools of capital.

Blaming everything bad on fiat is easy enough but I’ve yet to find the argument compelling. 

What is stopping any number of ultra wealthy folks building such a structure. It’s not as if building things like this stopped in 1971. The trend was already well set.

Skilled labour would be a factor, not too many stone masons about. What am I missing in this theory?