No, he got lucky founding some social media website. People like Richard Branson pioneering commercial space flight are like Howard Hughes.I met him at a Forbes conference and he is a cool guy.
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.

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Hardly.
But I get the joke, so good on you for that!
A true Howard Hughes for today would be somebody who innovates something like energy production or even discovers a new source of energy to provide to the masses.
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Except that Hughes got all the famous ladies. But if it's true that Zuckerberg once had a fling with a Victoria's Secret model then he may well be Hughes. With all his money I wish he's buy a studio and make films
William Randolph Hearst is also a good comparison.