meet mister successful

So the article I was most interested in today (it's yesterday as I'm writing this, if you see what I mean) tells me that big-shot investor Warren Buffett will give 85% of his $44 billion to charity. Most of that sum will go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which spends the bulk of its money ($844 million in 2005) on global health, particularly on unsexy diseases which we've forgotten about in the West — infectious diarrhea, malaria, TB — but which kill millions in the rest of the world, and which, not coincidentally, play a large role in keeping the developing world underdeveloped. (Incidentally, even the Gates Foundation has recognized the Carter Center for their stunning work along these lines.)

Bill, by the way, announced a couple weeks ago that he'll step down from his job at some computer company in order to spend his time at the foundation. Oh, and David Pogue tells me that Bill's planning to give 95% of his money away, too. (Check the comments on Pogue's blog for reactions ranging from cheerfully supportive to batshit-nuts-anti-Bill.)

I have no love for the big capitalists; in fact, it's much closer to disdain. And I didn't miss the fact that Buffett will still have close to $7 billion in pocket after his largess runs its course; Bill, somewhat less. Still, it's something. In fact, it's an awful lot; Gates now spends more on global health in an year than the UN does. There are a lot of rich schmucks out there doing absolutely nothing — for all his charm and dash, what is Richard Branson doing with his dough other than screwing around? And what the hell have the Waltons been up to? And Steve Jobs, I'm looking in your direction. A few million here or there is a shameful pittance; cutting down your own wealth by 90%, now, that's giving. In fact, I reckon that Bill's generosity gave Buffett the nudge, and quite rightly, and I hope it embarrasses all the others into pouring some money where it's needed. (I have to be impressed, too, with Gates' no-nonsense and direct manner, and even with the entrepreneurial methods he's bringing to bear on the vaccine work.)

Some have said that Gates should start focusing on global warming, or any number of other pet causes. I say, bah: Energy research has enough profit motive already, and any action on global warming is primarily a problem of political will, not of funding. Gates Foundation is putting wealth into improving the lives of people alive right now — into obvious steps that just haven't happened due to the West's utter lack of interest in death in Africa and Asia — and it's hard to imagine anything more important, or, indeed, compassionate.

Are Bill and Warren just robber barons? Well, yes and no. There's no doubt that their fortunes were built on others' hard work, and at least occasionally on very slippery business practices. On the plus side, Gates' employees have been treated a hell of a lot better than Carnegie's, and his business has been a lot less horrible. About the worst that you can say of Microsoft is that they make fairly lame products that they've forced upon the world rather strongly. Well, welcome to the bright world of capitalism. And now the money is made, and it's sitting here in a big pile, and it will do a tremendous amount of good for a huge number of people. It's awful hard to retract all those critical thoughts I've had about him over the years, but... right on, Bill, and thank you. I hope your example shames others into following you. And I'm feeling more than a little ashamed, myself.

 

p.s. This is post number one hundred, and I can't tell: is that a lot, or a little, in the last fifteen months? Whatever it is, it's a milestone, and now I can stop... or maybe not. We'll see.

p.p.s. I hope somebody out there is getting my friggin' musical references, or I'm just wasting time that could be spent, you know, eating ice cream or something. sheeesh.