I think from a Utilitarian approach, Bill Gates still falls into a net positive effect on the world. His foundation alone has saved millions of lives by nearly wiping out Polio and Guinea Worm, and severely reducing Polio. And you can try to argue that it isn’t him personally doing these things, but the dedicated people working at his foundation, but it’s his name on it, it’s his money funding it, and if he didn’t exist the foundation wouldn’t exist.
But I get it. Not everyone is a Utilitarian, and he’s done a lot of shitty things that are hard to overlook.
But he did make the turn and has followed up and lived it. I think it’s perfectly fine to give the man some credit.
He certainly stole intellectual property and made substandard software to build his fortune, but when I compare this to someone like Andrew Carnegie these look like pretty minor crimes.
I think from a Utilitarian approach, Bill Gates still falls into a net positive effect on the world. His foundation alone has saved millions of lives by nearly wiping out Polio and Guinea Worm, and severely reducing Polio. And you can try to argue that it isn’t him personally doing these things, but the dedicated people working at his foundation, but it’s his name on it, it’s his money funding it, and if he didn’t exist the foundation wouldn’t exist.
But I get it. Not everyone is a Utilitarian, and he’s done a lot of shitty things that are hard to overlook.
Melinda pretty much made him do it and he’s making sure to profit off his charitable efforts too.
Plus he’s got the whole Epstein friendship to whitewash.
Also his father steered him into philanthropy.
But he did make the turn and has followed up and lived it. I think it’s perfectly fine to give the man some credit.
He certainly stole intellectual property and made substandard software to build his fortune, but when I compare this to someone like Andrew Carnegie these look like pretty minor crimes.