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Gates described his private jet as "his guilty pleasure"[0], how buying a Porsche and a jet were his "biggest indulgences"[1]. He also said "I don't have that

Gates described his private jet as "his guilty pleasure"[0], how buying a Porsche and a jet were his "biggest indulgences"[1]. He also said "I don't have that many things that are extravagant taste". Am I the only one who thinks the super wealthy might be much more convincing (and less annoying) if they walked the walk as well as talking the talk? [0] https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-enjoying-his-guilty-pleasure-2015-4 https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-enjoying-his-guil... [1] https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-spending-biggest-indulgences-2018-2 https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-spending-biggest-...

WhompingWindows 6y ago
In one respect, it's all relative. My guilty pleasure would be having bonfires or driving unnecessarily. Relative to my influence and impact on the world, these are fossil-fuel heavy activities. Bill Gates, on the other hand, might use that jet to attend conferences which lead to further clean tech transition. It may be a guilty pleasure or indulgence, but he might "atone" slightly by changing society on a massive scale. That said, it's not necessary to have a private jet or Porsche. Those are temporary pleasures that a true Stoic, someone truly in control of their urges and desires, does not need. Do we require our most influential and innovative thinkers and actors to also be the most Stoic individuals? Look at the US founding fathers, they created a nation of liberty and small farmers, and yet loved expensive french wine and the pecuniary benefits of owning slaves and indentured servants. They also held back women of their own caste and race, for no good reason except sexism. And yet, these founding fathers perpetuated a nation that aided democracy in many ways, and that became an instructive example and lesson in democracy for future nations. All this to say, most famous people have mixed legacies and mixed personal lives.

WhompingWindows 6y ago

In one respect, it's all relative. My guilty pleasure would be having bonfires or driving unnecessarily. Relative to my influence and impact on the world, these are fossil-fuel heavy activities. Bill Gates, on the other hand, might use that jet to attend conferences which lead to further clean tech transition. It may be a guilty pleasure or indulgence, but he might "atone" slightly by changing society on a massive scale. That said, it's not necessary to have a private jet or Porsche. Those are temporary pleasures that a true Stoic, someone truly in control of their urges and desires, does not need. Do we require our most influential and innovative thinkers and actors to also be the most Stoic individuals? Look at the US founding fathers, they created a nation of liberty and small farmers, and yet loved expensive french wine and the pecuniary benefits of owning slaves and indentured servants. They also held back women of their own caste and race, for no good reason except sexism. And yet, these founding fathers perpetuated a nation that aided democracy in many ways, and that became an instructive example and lesson in democracy for future nations. All this to say, most famous people have mixed legacies and mixed personal lives.