4 ms·

"Less fortunate" has always read as a straight euphemism to me for "poor" - you've elicited its true, literal meaning for me for the first time. It shows how g

"Less fortunate" has always read as a straight euphemism to me for "poor" - you've elicited its true, literal meaning for me for the first time. It shows how grossly unfair the "fortune" of the wealth of parents' is... and it's becoming less and less fair over time. More than ever, I think it's essential, that as much as possible we move towards ensuring everyone starts with the basics. Health, education... We can't control parenting, but we can create conditions for it. It's not just fair for the individual, but fulfilling the potential of all makes for a better nation. This would not affect the people already at the top within a nation... except through the contest between nations. Those that do not nuture their human resources will be replaced by those that do. This is how the USA rose to dominance... and this is how it falls.

dogma1138 9y ago
It's not even a question that money helps but the question is how much and how. It's also a question of what type of success were talking about as there are plenty of people from both less successful and more successful (pre MSFT) family lines that followed in their fathers/mothers footsteps rather than making it on their own. If you are fortunate enough to live in a good/upper middle class home which values hard work and education and bestows it on you I'm not sure how much additional wealth and or power would be a factor if you are breaking on your own. Both Bill's parents were very successful and hard working individuals with remarkable achievements I would even go out and say that his mother likely was more accomplished than his father considering the time and circumstances. So at least in this case I wholly stand behind my assertion that how his parents lived had much more impact on Bill than their bank account. P.S. I'm pretty sure that both Gates agree with you here is Sr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_JjmBhsk64 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_JjmBhsk64 (short) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcE0L4tG3o4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcE0L4tG3o4 (long). And this isn't new he's been advocating for higher taxation, more accessible education health care etc. for as long I can find speeches or opinion/editorial pieces by him.

dogma1138 9y ago

It's not even a question that money helps but the question is how much and how. It's also a question of what type of success were talking about as there are plenty of people from both less successful and more successful (pre MSFT) family lines that followed in their fathers/mothers footsteps rather than making it on their own. If you are fortunate enough to live in a good/upper middle class home which values hard work and education and bestows it on you I'm not sure how much additional wealth and or power would be a factor if you are breaking on your own. Both Bill's parents were very successful and hard working individuals with remarkable achievements I would even go out and say that his mother likely was more accomplished than his father considering the time and circumstances. So at least in this case I wholly stand behind my assertion that how his parents lived had much more impact on Bill than their bank account. P.S. I'm pretty sure that both Gates agree with you here is Sr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_JjmBhsk64 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_JjmBhsk64 (short) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcE0L4tG3o4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcE0L4tG3o4 (long). And this isn't new he's been advocating for higher taxation, more accessible education health care etc. for as long I can find speeches or opinion/editorial pieces by him.