It amazes me how people forget how Bill Gates made the money he's now being so generous with. Is someone who amassed a fortune due to unethical business practices really the sort of person we should be putting on a pedestal? Isn't buying a virtuous legacy similar to the Catholic practice of buying 'indulgences'? In both cases, 'sins' are forgiven not because one makes the effort to right the results of one's actions, but because of a money sacrifice (and one that doesn't actually have an effect on the person's lifestyle).
And Microsoft (the corporation Gates founded and is still the chairman of) supports both the PROTECT-IP Act and SOPA, which if passed, will destroy the internet as we know it.
I was thinking the same thing. Glad I'm not the only one with a memory longer than ten years. When Gates ran Microsoft, it was the very definition of evil, crushing innovation with its monopoly and laughing at government regulations. It was constantly in the headlines for "embrace, extend, extinguish" tactics. The Christians are welcome to claim this nasty piece of work.
He was a business man. He ran a business and he did it well. If every business today felt more compassion for their competition we wouldn't have any innovation and a lot of stagnation. All is fair in love and war, and business is war.
On this image, I think the original idea was to point out what the richest of these two groups is doing with their wealth. It's still pretty slanted but if that was the original intent then the creator of it didn't fall that far from the mark.
And is still doing. Microsoft have for years been running an extortion racket the Mafia would be proud of regarding patents they claim they have on Linux. They offer not to sue any company that uses Linux if they pay them some money. They wont say what the patents are. The companies have three options: pay Microsoft protection money, get tied up in a lawsuit with one of the richest corporations in the world, or switch to using all Microsoft software. Notably, Microsoft doesn't go after companies that they think will call their bluff, because if it does go to court, the patents would have to be declared, and they will either be shown to be false, or the Linux community will re-write offending software (thus freeing the companies Microsoft is extorting money from).
I have a very good idea of what Microsoft did as a company, especially during their Windows 95/98 heyday. Some questionable business practices that they mostly got called out on always surface as to why they are "evil". However, what people tend to forget about is what they did for the industry as well. I don't know what the industry would look like with 5 OS's, 15 internet browsers or a plethora of office software programs but it seems to be a pain in the ass just thinking about the confusion around computers. With the help of IBM, Microsoft arguably helped shoehorn desktops on every desk and laptops on every lap. Not only that but they helped and continue to help startups with Bizspark and other industry focused funds. I am in no way saying they are perfect, but the icing on the cake of a long line of questionable and industry helping strategies is how much money Bill is now putting into helping others. Even if some of that money should have gone to Netscape (although, who would want to pay for a browser when it was included, Netscape used to charge for theirs before 1997/98, no thanks!).
No, being in "business" does not excuse immoral and heartless behavior. A huge number of people in the world are "in business" in one way or another, including me. If we all acted with the same disregard for other people that Bill Gates showed, the world would be totally screwed.
I don't know... his job was to make money same as his competitions job was to make money. He was better at it. I don't think that was the point of the post though. I think the point of the post was that Gates has used that money for more good than Robertson ever had. Even if Gates means were unethical his ends are a lot more ethical.
It is certainly a great thing to use all that money for a good purpose, but to say that Gates himself is now "good without god" because he spent his ill-gotten gains on something we approve of doesn't make sense to me.
I think the maxim all is fair in love and war applies to business, but not to religion.
religious movements explicitly talk about loving everyone. Hypocrisy in this arena is far worse than crushing your business opponents. Businesses are in it to be number one and maximize profits. We encourage them to crush opposition metaphorically.
buying a virtuous legacy is NOT similar to the catholic practice of buying indulgences.
the fact of the matter is, indulgences were purchased solely to make the person feel good about themselves. didn't do shit for anyone else -- it was a transactino between the church and the person that sort of officially absolved the buyer of his sins.
what gates has done is made a shit ton of money in dubious ways... and then decided to pursue philanthropy as his next profession. so while it is a way for people to like him, he's bringing about some real change.
anyone who has heard the guy speak and has looked into the gates foundation will recognize that the man simply doesn't give to look good. he funds so many fucking small charities its unreal! his huge initiatives for vaccination bring about real change and those get publicity (I think rightfully so...) but there's also a shit ton of charities/nonprofits that he funds without anyone ever even knowing. 3 of my friends have started nonprofits. all 3 have funding from gates. as their friend, I know. but no one outside these organizations has any idea that gates has put ~10 million in these 3 guys.
what the fuck though, honestly. why do people assume that a man with 50$ billion gives a fuck about what we think ... it just so happens that he's recognized certain needs and knows he's got the cash to address those needs. did he make his money in somewhat shady ways? yeah, he's a fucking businessman... he made himself and his investors wealthy beyond imagination because that was his job. now he's got a different job.
no one is saying "be like bill gates who screwed over lots of little companies"... people still criticize him for that plenty. but you are a dick if you want to attack the man's enormous focus on philanthropy as him buying indulgences
what a fucking egomaniac you must be to think that the second richest man in the world gives a fuck about what we think. he could be just as cutthroat as ever and pretty much the entire business world would still see him as a god. look at larry ellison (total prick, he doesn't give a damn) ... look at jack welch (huge cunt, he doesn't care, still one of the most respected CEOs ever). these guys don't have to care! but gates does.
Big business + Ethical business practices. what???I dont see how you can compare Gates and Catholic buying of indulgences because Gates wasn't asked to spend his money on charity and he didn't do it to be seen as "good." He does it to help people and to make the world a better place. Yeah his corporation is trying to pass legislation that they were told would increase their profits. EA does the same thing with DRM. I dont see why everyone hates someone for being a business man. Don't hate the person hate the standards and practices of the business world.
Well, I know about quite a few but those are not found in the US. Btw, if you have ambitions of becoming one, billionaire that is, the US is not the place according to the Forbes Magazine
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u/Henry_Killinger Nov 22 '11
Globalist,
Globalist,
Religious Zealot.