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> If Gates wanted to leave a mark on the world he'd buy back pieces and parts of the behemoth and set them free for the open market I agree with most of your c
by jabr 13y ago
> If Gates wanted to leave a mark on the world he'd buy back pieces and parts of the behemoth and set them free for the open market
I agree with most of your comment, but that line bothered me. In my opinion, the single worthwhile accomplishment of Microsoft was that it led to the formation of the Gates Foundation.
I don't even agree with many of their objectives, but simply providing funding for "unprofitable" medical research alone has already left "a mark on the world".
- zero_intp 13y agoThis is a dangerous thought, imo. Robber Barons turned philanthropists are still evil old men trying to buy social indulgences. I argue that the weight these monopolists tied around their industries had larger negative impact on GDP and innovation than the positive value of the 'works' their charities re-invest in society.
- jabr 13y agoOh, I completely agree. The point I was trying to make was simply that increasing funding for medical research on malaria, tuberculosis, etc. was more significant than anything he did (or could do) with Microsoft. But regardless, I agree that the world would be a much better place if addressing our solvable problems didn't require the support of a retired billionaire first.