Today in class (the one I went to only half of and should still be in right now) Bill Gates came up in conversation. This is not surprising. I'm doing a business and computing degree. Never mind. The conversation went something like this: Trademe getting site of the year last night, it's not a nz site anymore, moan moan moan cos apparently that makes it not as good (another sore spot), Sam Morgan selling it for $700 million, Gareth Morgan giving away $47 million, Great guy, Bill Gates gave away $4.4 billion (or something similar, do we really need to argue details when we're talking billions??). Anyhow, the guy next to me goes something along the lines of: yeah but how many billion does he have, that will be nothing to him so what's the big deal.
Is he serious? Why is he critisising a guy who has given away $4.4 billion?? Do you think the people who recieved that money are complaining? Did anyone else see that Bill and his wife got joint person of the year with Bono in Time Magazine? If Bono gave away $4.4 billion would you think he was a bad person just cos he kept some of his hard earned cash to himself? Is it because Bill made his money in business and not by entertaining people? Is it cos he's a computer geek and not an (to some people) attractive musician who wants to save the world? Cos he's not loud and out about his trying to save africa that it makes what he does less? Cos he donates quietly and doesn't get heaps of press for it does that make him bad?
I'm not sure I'm getting across how fustrated I am. It took all my strength not to just shake the guy! In the end I said "lets just remember he gave away $4.4 billion and that makes him a great guy and when (I wanted to say until instead of when) you can give away $4.4 billion I'll consider you a great guy".
I want to know how on earth this guy made Bill Gates giving away $4.4 billion a bad thing?
And while we're at it why do so many people on my course say "Microsoft is just out to make money" like it's a bad thing? Seriously! What business isn't out to make money? If it's not making money it's not such a good business. Good on them for doing it so well!
3 comments:
one of my latest blog entries is actually about how much i don't hate microsoft as much as i used to.
i can see where the other guy came from, but i certainly don't agree with him. what a cocksucker for saying that
ask him if he's even given away 4% of his earnings? i bet he hasn't...
Ummm, he didn't seem to say it was a bad thing he seemed to say that he could afford to do that ~ or did I pick you up wrongly?
Personally giving any money over $20 away seems to me to to be a big deal. Way to go Bill!!!!
You are right DA in that what he said wasn't necessarily bad but it was how he said it. I was left in no doubt that he thought giving away that money was not good enough.
And Andrew I highly doubt he would give away any of his money even if it was just 4%! But then I could be wrong. :)
Post a Comment