Their time and money go for maintenance. Meanwhile, the general public is nowhere near this well prepared. At some point, you will panic. For most people, this will occur late in 1999, if at all. Maybe this one isn't self-evident, but it's true.
Service is the basis of that type of leadership that builds a good society.
Power is temporary. This is not a call to pacifism. It is a call to the risks associated with sacrifice. You've already risked your reputation by warning others about y2k. They will remember.