3 ms·

It's a sad day when choosing to donate billions of dollars to charity makes you a target for critics.

readme 12y ago
Everyone's a target for critics. Especially anyone with an ounce of success. The critic is jealous of the success and wants to validate himself by arguing against the actions or views of the successful person.
- seanmcdirmid 12y ago
  Anyone visible is subject to criticism. Many critics are just doing critique, they aren't jealous or have some dishonest motive.
  - hueving 12y ago
    Very few are critiquing just for the sake of it. Most do it in some feeble attempt to put themselves on the same level of the person they are critiquing. It's much easier to form an argument about why some high profile person is wrong about something to get some attention rather than actually doing something better.
    - seanmcdirmid 12y ago
      The Chinese communist party (high profile persons) has basically said this about the dissidents (aka social critics) it throws in jail. It is probably better to focus on the specific failings of the critique rather than the perceived mental state of the criticizer.
Ar-Curunir 12y ago
Spending money on charity is good, and people should be free to spend it as they please, but if the aim is to help as many people as possible, perhaps consulting experts so that the money can be spent fro maximal effectiveness would be better.
- morgante 12y ago
  Agreed. In fact, that's actually one of the things these critics are attacking: that the Gates foundation employs extensive effectiveness analysis and channels the majority of funds towards treatments which save the largest number of lives.
- rixon 12y ago
  The Gates certainly have done their homework, and I believe that this is an understood issue, but they only have so many resources, and want to work on a particular set of goals. I used to really dislike Bill Gates, Microsoft, and all that he stood for. I heard of his charity, thought "hey that's nice" but that was about it. Then, I saw him on Charlie Rose, and everything changed. He answers a lot of questions about the health care issue of impoverished nations, and shows a great deal of understanding of the problems they're dealing with, and what will happen when they do what they can. http://charlierose.com/watch/60331104 http://charlierose.com/watch/60331104

Everyone's a target for critics. Especially anyone with an ounce of success. The critic is jealous of the success and wants to validate himself by arguing against the actions or views of the successful person.

seanmcdirmid 12y ago
Anyone visible is subject to criticism. Many critics are just doing critique, they aren't jealous or have some dishonest motive.
- hueving 12y ago
  Very few are critiquing just for the sake of it. Most do it in some feeble attempt to put themselves on the same level of the person they are critiquing. It's much easier to form an argument about why some high profile person is wrong about something to get some attention rather than actually doing something better.
  - seanmcdirmid 12y ago
    The Chinese communist party (high profile persons) has basically said this about the dissidents (aka social critics) it throws in jail. It is probably better to focus on the specific failings of the critique rather than the perceived mental state of the criticizer.

Ar-Curunir 12y ago

Spending money on charity is good, and people should be free to spend it as they please, but if the aim is to help as many people as possible, perhaps consulting experts so that the money can be spent fro maximal effectiveness would be better.

morgante 12y ago
Agreed. In fact, that's actually one of the things these critics are attacking: that the Gates foundation employs extensive effectiveness analysis and channels the majority of funds towards treatments which save the largest number of lives.
rixon 12y ago
The Gates certainly have done their homework, and I believe that this is an understood issue, but they only have so many resources, and want to work on a particular set of goals. I used to really dislike Bill Gates, Microsoft, and all that he stood for. I heard of his charity, thought "hey that's nice" but that was about it. Then, I saw him on Charlie Rose, and everything changed. He answers a lot of questions about the health care issue of impoverished nations, and shows a great deal of understanding of the problems they're dealing with, and what will happen when they do what they can. http://charlierose.com/watch/60331104 http://charlierose.com/watch/60331104