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Bill Gates' inspiration was John D Rockefeller, who lived a similar life : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Rockefeller http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D
by simula67 13y ago
Bill Gates' inspiration was John D Rockefeller, who lived a similar life :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Rockefeller http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Rockefeller
- pionar 13y agoNot to nitpick, but he has said numerous times that his inspiration for his charitable work is Warren Buffett.
- adventured 13y agoAnd Buffett's was Carnegie, Rockefeller and other titans of the industrial revolution that gave away a huge portion of their wealth, setting the standard.
- pjmorris 13y agoI can't place the reference now, but I've read that Gates studied the lives of the big industrial titans - Carnegie, Rockefeller, Alfred Sloan at GM. He clearly found advice on building empires... but he also, I believe consciously, emulated the charitable aspects of their lives. I think he's a Buffett fan because they share an admiration of the earlier generation of American titans.
- sliverstorm 13y agoWhy can't it be both?
- scholia 13y agoBill Gates' original inspiration was his mother, Mary Gates, who did an enormous amount for United Way and other charities. Mary Gates -- She's Much More Than Just The Mother Of Billionaire Bill; This Former UW Regent Has Made A Career Of Community Service http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19940109&slug=1888770 http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=199... Not saying other philanthropists had no influence, but the idea of giving back was part of Bill's (privileged) background from birth....