1984May 10, 2025

Bill Gates to give away 99% of his wealth in the next 20 years

https://lemmy.today/post/29141260

Bill Gates to give away 99% of his wealth in the next 20 years - Lemmy Today

> One of the best things I read was an 1889 essay by Andrew Carnegie called The Gospel of Wealth. It makes the case that the wealthy have a responsibility to return their resources to society, a radical idea at the time that laid the groundwork for philanthropy as we know it today. > In the essay’s most famous line, Carnegie argues that “the man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.” I have spent a lot of time thinking about that quote lately. People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that “he died rich” will not be one of them.

Show threadLibra00May 11, 2025

but I am determined that “he died rich” will not be one of them.

Bill Gates has a net worth of ~$168 billion. Even if this isn’t just PR intended to launder his image, even if he does in fact give away 99% of that, it will still leave him with $1.68 billion dollars. Even if he ups that to 99.99% that’ll still leave him with $16.8 million, which is still rich by anyone’s measure. Bill Gates’ idea of ‘not dying rich’ is radically different than yours or mine; he was never not going to die rich by most peoples’ standards.

Show threadWeirdGoesProMay 11, 2025
That’s true, but to be fair, if he pulls it off it will be one hell of an example to set.
Show threadLibra00May 11, 2025
A better example to set would be to not exploit people to accumulate wealth in the first place. It takes a whole lot of people like you and me staying poor to make Bill Gates that rich.
Show threadEcho DotMay 12, 2025

A better example to set would be to not exploit people to accumulate wealth in the first place.

I do that everyday. Everyone feel free to thank me.

Show threadLibra00May 12, 2025
No one gets thanks for being a decent human being, it’s sort of the standard that everyone is expected to hold to.
Show threadEcho DotMay 12, 2025
I would totally exploit people if I actually got the opportunity to do so, it’s just no one will let me do it.
Show threadLibra00
Then you are not a decent human being? :P
May 13, 2025 at 2:06amWeb