• Cossty@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    5 months ago

    Are there any billionaires who actively use their wealth for good? I only know about 2 and even those idk if I should count. One was some guy that gave all his billions to charity and kept for himself only one million. Other is bezos’s ex wife, as far as I know she periodically sends very large sums of money to charity.

    Idk I feel like writing a check for charity is not good enough, they could be so much more active and done lot more if they idk… build hospital, shool… cheap housing etc.

    • fellowmortal@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      5 months ago

      An individual giving money to good causes will always be limited by the fact that it is based on the whims/biases of that individual. So, it is possible to see that some billionaires like Bill Gates and (dare I say it…) J K Rowling give substantial amounts to charities - we can also see that they are donating to personal pet causes. Society already has a way for rich people to give to a structured system that (attempts to) give(s) out the money to a wide variety of causes - its called tax and the system is government! If these people who society has allowed to become so wealthy just paid taxes and supported a proper, fair government then they wouldn’t need charities… but then they wouldn’t get to name buildings after themselves.

      • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        0
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        5 months ago

        Taxes typically go to the country you pay the taxes in though, and the poor in America, for example, are probably in a far better position than, say, sub Saharan Africa.

    • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      5 months ago

      Bill Gates has given huge amounts to charity, as in a massive chunk of his net worth, he eventually plans to give away the vast majority of it.