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Leading one of the most exciting tech companies on the planet is the incentive. But I really do wonder how much additional incentive all that money can offer.

by ugh 15y ago

Leading one of the most exciting tech companies on the planet is the incentive. But I really do wonder how much additional incentive all that money can offer. At a certain point it gets impossible to spend any of the additional money.

blantonl 15y ago
Don't discount philanthropy and how that factors in to someone's sense of gratification. Take Bill Gates for example. He has accumulated far more money then he could ever spend on himself, so he went a different route and pledged to give much of his fortune away to causes he feels are worthy to give to. Remember, the process of Bill Gates giving away his money has spawned an entire business around that process: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx
- ugh 15y ago
  I’m really not sure whether that’s an incentive. It’s just all you can do if you have more money than you can spend.
  - felipemnoa 15y ago
    You'll be remembered far longer. That is an incentive. Think Andrew Carnegie.
    - sunchild 15y ago
      My personal view is that chasing a legacy is a losing battle. I know some very well-known people who agree with me on that. As for philanthropy, I'm reminded of a billionaire friend who said his fortune was more of an administrative burden than his business ever was.
      - PakG1 15y ago
        Wow, seriously, guys? Is there nobody around anymore who cares about helping the downtrodden of their own good will? Maybe it's naive, but I seriously think there are still some rich people out there who care to use their wealth for purposes other than selfish gratification, and without ulterior motives.
        sunchild 15y ago
        No, no – I didn't mean to suggest that altruism isn't alive and well! My point was that giving is an end unto itself – not a means to establishing a legacy. Also, I just wanted to point out that it takes a LOT of work to manage a big fortune. It's a huge responsibility.
    - jmatt 15y ago
      Think Andrew Carnegie. I know I directly benefited from a Carnegie library as a kid. With philanthropy at this scale there is potential to benefit humanity in a way that may otherwise not happen. Compare this to other paths that wealthy people have taken, such as creating trusts that mostly benefit the family and still exist today (e.g. Rockefellers). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_libraries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_libraries
    - rooshdi 15y ago
      You'll be remembered far longer. That is an incentive. An incentive to the egocentric. I don't think that is ever the primary motivator though. I'd like to believe most people just like helping others.
      - deleted 15y ago
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  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
- brudgers 15y ago
  >"Take Bill Gates for example." Not really a Softie to Softie comparison. The Gates give away more than a $billion per year. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/Pages/foundation-fact-sheet.aspx http://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/Pages/foundation-fact-s...

by ugh 15y ago

blantonl 15y ago

Don't discount philanthropy and how that factors in to someone's sense of gratification. Take Bill Gates for example. He has accumulated far more money then he could ever spend on himself, so he went a different route and pledged to give much of his fortune away to causes he feels are worthy to give to. Remember, the process of Bill Gates giving away his money has spawned an entire business around that process: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

ugh 15y ago
I’m really not sure whether that’s an incentive. It’s just all you can do if you have more money than you can spend.
- felipemnoa 15y ago
  You'll be remembered far longer. That is an incentive. Think Andrew Carnegie.
  - sunchild 15y ago
    My personal view is that chasing a legacy is a losing battle. I know some very well-known people who agree with me on that. As for philanthropy, I'm reminded of a billionaire friend who said his fortune was more of an administrative burden than his business ever was.
    - PakG1 15y ago
      Wow, seriously, guys? Is there nobody around anymore who cares about helping the downtrodden of their own good will? Maybe it's naive, but I seriously think there are still some rich people out there who care to use their wealth for purposes other than selfish gratification, and without ulterior motives.
      - sunchild 15y ago
        No, no – I didn't mean to suggest that altruism isn't alive and well! My point was that giving is an end unto itself – not a means to establishing a legacy. Also, I just wanted to point out that it takes a LOT of work to manage a big fortune. It's a huge responsibility.
  - jmatt 15y ago
    Think Andrew Carnegie. I know I directly benefited from a Carnegie library as a kid. With philanthropy at this scale there is potential to benefit humanity in a way that may otherwise not happen. Compare this to other paths that wealthy people have taken, such as creating trusts that mostly benefit the family and still exist today (e.g. Rockefellers). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_libraries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_libraries
  - rooshdi 15y ago
    You'll be remembered far longer. That is an incentive. An incentive to the egocentric. I don't think that is ever the primary motivator though. I'd like to believe most people just like helping others.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
brudgers 15y ago
>"Take Bill Gates for example." Not really a Softie to Softie comparison. The Gates give away more than a $billion per year. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/Pages/foundation-fact-sheet.aspx http://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/Pages/foundation-fact-s...