"As for me, I always had the idea that philanthropy was important today, but would be equally important in one year, ten years, 20 years, and the future generally.
And someone who was compounding money at a high rate, I thought, was the better party to be taking care of the philanthropy that was to be done 20 years out, while the people compounding at a lower rate should logically take care of the current philanthropy."
Interview
Basically, I like reading anything about this because I think it's really incredible. And heartwarming. The link is an interview with Buffet, but as I'm pretty sure most of everyone has heard about this...I'm just fishing for comments with links to cool articles / interviews on the subject.
Edit: I just found this link. Get the kleenex out...it's a tear jerker.
2 comments:
the interview you linked to in your post was the 'newsmaker' that broke the story. i don't know much beyond this myself.
but even at that, i think the events of the last week (gates's plan to go full time at the foundation, and buffett's subsequent donation) are enough for me to guess that this is going to be one of the most inspiring and awesome things we'll see in our lifetimes.
in terms of resources, this is undoubtedly the single largest mobilized force of good the world has ever seen. i think it's hard to overstate what an incredible thing this is.. and to have two of the world's most focused, efficiency-driven, un-vain people at the helm is nothing short of perfect. (sorry steve jobs, you look pretty petty next to gates right now :) )
this is totally another lesson about the power and signifigance of the individual. when the world seems to be steered by greed and groupthinks and and spin and fear, two individuals with huge balls and a sense of the big picture make two bold decisions that will not only bring positive change for countless people, but inspire others to follow suit.
sarah reminded me of the relevance of this quote to what's happening:
"...take all that money that we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would many times over. not one human being excluded, and we could explore space. together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace."
- william melvin hicks
imagine telling hicks that in the year 2006, when the richest people in the world are exponentially richer than they were 15 years ago, the #1 and #2 people in the world would pledge to work together to do the very thing he dreamed of. i think billy boy has stopped turning in his grave.
Well put.
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