I found this very interesting article criticizing Steve Jobs for pursuing his own self-interest and producing an awesome product. At the same time, it lauds Bill Gates for his philanthropy and his disassociation with his company in 2006 to better achieve his philanthropic goals.
The article is clear evidence of the difference between Objectivist ethics and the prevailing philosophy today. Enjoy!
It’s a classic example of demonizing the good for being the good and failing to recognize real virtue. Rarely do I find such a shining example, but this one is one of the greatest examples I’ve seen.
"Gates is making the world ideal, and the billions of us with no voice will be forever impacted.
"Yesterday, I read a note Gates wrote to members of the Harvard community. It speaks for itself:
"I hope you will reflect on what you’ve done with your talent and energy. I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you work to address the world’s deepest inequities, on how well you treat people a world away who have nothing in common with you but their humanity.
"Those are not the words of a leader of business. Those are the words of a leader of people. Those are the words of an idol.
“As much as I love Apple, Inc, I would happily give up my iPhone to put food on the plates of starving children. Steve Jobs turned his company into a decade long leader in the truly new space of mobile computing. Bill Gates decided to eliminate malaria. Who do you think we should be putting up on a pedestal for our children to emulate?”
What ideal? (And what’s keeping the guy from giving up his iPhone to put food on the plates of starving children? Hypocrisy?)
Interesting question. I’ve thought on this a lot in fact… I think that neither are. They both knew they needed Chinese slave labor to grow, as did everyone that need to compete in our fascist US of A. On the other hand, they were great visionaries and innovators. I think both of these men, however possibly in greatly equal degrees, cut corners, lied cheated and stole as much as the next man, in that they let the ends justify the means.
-Neal Cormier
Artist - Novelist - Philosopher
IMAGE TEXT: ((((((("Somewhere in the distance of the French City,
was Mrs. Damiand, Johanna, ruminating lightly in
her waking hours."
“I remember when skyscrapers used to stand high…"
-Byebye Oh My, Chapter 28
© Copyright Vesper Heliotropic 2011 All Rights Reserved
Vesper Heliotropic Book I. CRYSTAL TURBINES by
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I think that neither are. They both knew they needed Chinese slave labor to grow[…]
Please explain how the Chinese were “enslaved” by the production of American products.
I think both of these men, however possibly in greatly equal degrees, cut corners, lied cheated and stole as much as the next man, in that they let the ends justify the means.
Can you give examples?
The top comment was hilarious: “So did you give up your iphone?”
