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What's up with HN lately? It seems like being contrary to contrarian is the new thing these days. Bill Gates is someone I admired at first, because he built so
by dwc 13y ago
What's up with HN lately? It seems like being contrary to contrarian is the new thing these days.
Bill Gates is someone I admired at first, because he built something huge from humble beginnings. Then I reviled him for the damage I saw him cause to the industry. Then I admired him again for the global effect he managed. He is a single person trying to do the best he knows how for humanity at large.
If anyone thinks resources would better be spent in, say, LA, please earn huge loads of cash and make it happen. Much to your chagrin it might benefit someone in India as well.
Bill Gates seems genuinely concerned with elevating the level of humanity as a whole, and if you oppose that? Is this a zero sum game? No, it's not.
- cinquemb 13y agoI wonder if people would be as vocal if he decided to buy a private island… Buy a private island, few care and those who might, will most likely fawn in amazement. Decide to take an interest in helping human beings you might not identify/associate with, welcome to the "The White-Savior Industrial Complex"[0]. [0]: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/the-white-savior-industrial-complex/254843/ http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/the...
- jlgreco 13y agoIf he bought a private island instead of doing the charity stuff, then I imagine people would be less vocal just because he would be in the news far less often. Were he to do both, I doubt people would be less vocal. I mean, the guy has got plenty of yachts right? I don't see why an island would be much different. Dean Kamen bought an island. Few know, even fewer care, and I would say that even fewer fawn in amazement. And he acts outlandish with it! People would care even less about more dull island owners.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- adamdavis 13y agoHave you considered that perhaps he spent his career as ruthless business man as a means to an end? It's hard to make any serious change when you're at the bottom of the totem pole, or even halfway up for that matter.
- jacquesm 13y agoAh, that makes it ok then. A bit like the mafiosi that give a lot of money to the church on their death bed, it's just a means to an end, so sorry if you're in the way. Really, Bill Gates has done some good things in recent memory but if you're going to whitewash his crimes because of that then your moral compass is totally out of whack. I'm happy he's chosen to do good later in life rather than to continue on the road that he was on, at the same time I find it impossible to forget how he got to where he is today.
- dwc 13y agoI don't personally know Gates, and I doubt I ever will. If all I have to go by are his deeds (and that's the case), then he's done a lot of good. He could have bought himself huge truckloads of goodwill, much easier than some of the things he's chosen to focus on.
- Retric 13y agoHe had a large enough trust fund to never need to work a day in his life, so I don't see where you get humble beginnings.
- yareally 13y agoI think he was implying Gates building a large, successful corporation from humble beginnings (not his fortune/career/comfy life), which is something hard to do even with lots of disposable income and investors.
- jussij 13y ago> I don't see where you get humble beginnings He is the son of a lawyer and a college drop out.
- jussij 13y agoI guess the HN reality is he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and never had any impact on the IT world.
- kamaal 13y ago>>and if you oppose that? Well there are people who will find problems with anything. I mean no matter what you do. If you were to go out and invent a vaccination to prevent a human a human from ever catching an viral infection. You will likely find people who will criticize you for not solving the hunger problem first. The lesson is not to take that kind of people seriously.