General Discussion

LisaM

(29,692 posts)

28. His father was a named partner in a law firm in Seattle, and his mother

Thu Jan 4, 2018, 09:06 PM

Jan 2018

was a University of Washington regent. He was definitely born into privilege, and attended the priciest private school in Seattle.

I like some of the things he's done (vaccinations being the prime example), others, not so much. He needs to take a hard look at the very town he's from and figure out how to prevent everyone who makes less than about $80K a year from being shoved out. Sure, we're not living in mud huts in a war zone - and that's good - but the middle class in Seattle is getting squeezed and the tech companies are part of the problem.

I find him to be a mixed bag (I also wish he'd focus education dollars on the liberal arts, not just STEM), but he was definitely born into a well-to-do family.

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Highlight:

Bill Gates: Trust me, the world is really getting better, not worse [View all] steve2470 Jan 2018 OP

Says a member of the "ownership class." GreenEyedLefty Jan 2018 #1

Kids arent dying, poverty is declining, fewer wars, less violence Cicada Jan 2018 #13

hahaha! PETRUS Jan 2018 #24

Find an online copy of THE. BEST. DECADE. EVER. Shits been much worse than what we have it. TheBlackAdder Jan 2018 #36

All the above are getting worse in the U.S. That's not cool. elehhhhna Jan 2018 #64

Child death rates in US are down more than 50% since 1980 Cicada Jan 2018 #68

He is near the top of the list of one-per-centers True Dough Jan 2018 #52

1% doesn't even begin to describe Gates fescuerescue Jan 2018 #58

Okay True Dough Jan 2018 #60

I wasn't addressing that of your comment fescuerescue Jan 2018 #61

Yeah bill Faux pas Jan 2018 #2

As an old talk show guy from the 1990s used to say Elwood P Dowd Jan 2018 #5

That's Faux pas Jan 2018 #15

One of these days, someone will give us an objective number regarding how poor one needs to be LanternWaste Jan 2018 #41

yah, life is good when you are one of the richest men on earth. nt Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #3

So grateful he could Cha Jan 2018 #19

Elitesplaining for the common man and riffraff. Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #20

"Elitesplaining"! giving us a little Cha Jan 2018 #21

Yep. A man who lives in a $125 million mansion tells us our lives are better than we realize. Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #22

And one of the most generous with his money. Donates billions. nt USALiberal Jan 2018 #25

Yes he does. But lecturing the peons doesn't go over well. nt Irish_Dem Jan 2018 #38

Which stat that he provided was incorrect? n.t USALiberal Jan 2018 #40

I agree with him...in the grand scope of things he's right. n/t Kirk Lover Jan 2018 #4

Worth noting Gates said the "world" is getting better TexasBushwhacker Jan 2018 #7

I agree. In the grand scale things are better. Blue_true Jan 2018 #34

Yeah, from that big house on the hill Bettie Jan 2018 #6

What year would you like to go back to when things were better? snooper2 Jan 2018 #42

I'd like to go back to being a little kid Bettie Jan 2018 #45

3 steps forward 2 back zipplewrath Jan 2018 #8

He's helping to make positive change ColoradoBlue Jan 2018 #9

One minor nitpick but otherwise agree steve2470 Jan 2018 #10

And fairly well to do... BBG Jan 2018 #11

yes exactly nt steve2470 Jan 2018 #12

I stand corrected ColoradoBlue Jan 2018 #14

Most people here whining have no idea how much he has donated. Clueless! nt USALiberal Jan 2018 #26

His father was a named partner in a law firm in Seattle, and his mother LisaM Jan 2018 #28

I used to think that way. Dave Starsky Jan 2018 #46

Life is not getting better in America. Life expectancy, healthcare access, education, Doodley Jan 2018 #16

First, we're 4.4% of the world's population mythology Jan 2018 #17

That's good but things are going downward since Trump became president. Doodley Jan 2018 #31

Last year was the hottest on record NickB79 Jan 2018 #18

Well said. Doodley Jan 2018 #32

The thermodynamic arc of the universe is long but it bends towards reality . . . hatrack Jan 2018 #33

It's like being pumped you just got a great job NickB79 Jan 2018 #35

Far easier for someone sitting on an 11-digit net worth, no doubt. HughBeaumont Jan 2018 #23

+1 On target for much of the way it is here in the USA for so many appalachiablue Jan 2018 #39

He's Right, the Moral Arc of the Universe DOES Bend Toward Justice Skraxx Jan 2018 #27

Some people prefer to see only darkness. Blue_true Jan 2018 #37

We are living in a pocket of time where horrible people... Dave Starsky Jan 2018 #49

Life's been good to "him" so far. CentralMass Jan 2018 #29

There is a really cool Eagle's documentary on netflix nolabels Jan 2018 #44

Thank you I will look for it. I'm a big fan I just listened to an old CentralMass Jan 2018 #65

This is likely along the lines of Steven Pinker's book "The Better Angels of Our Nature" bhikkhu Jan 2018 #30

Says the BILLIONAIRE THIEF nolabels Jan 2018 #43

Easy for him to say. He doesn't have to worry about healthcare, job security, racism, sexism smirkymonkey Jan 2018 #47

Much as I loathe Microsoft and everything it stands for... hunter Jan 2018 #48

I agree, and Gates could be a completely selfish asshole... steve2470 Jan 2018 #69

Oh look it's the Eeyore caucus... Sen. Walter Sobchak Jan 2018 #50

Im not as sure about the world. NCTraveler Jan 2018 #51

rriiiiggghtt . along with his shitty operating system AllaN01Bear Jan 2018 #53

Nobody said you have to use it. hunter Jan 2018 #59

Steve Jobs thought he was a lucky idiot. tavernier Jan 2018 #54

Gates is right. John Fante Jan 2018 #55

Sure...aside from the looming threat to life on Earth. shanny Jan 2018 #56

Yes and no. If the climate trends continue. All his stats are gonna mean dick. nt Guy Whitey Corngood Jan 2018 #57

If you're sitting with billion of dollars in your jrthin Jan 2018 #62

Crime is down, poverty is down. Teen pregnancy is down. Literacy is up. Graduation rates are up. X_Digger Jan 2018 #63

+1000, thank you for being logical. Gates is how I want rich people to act!! n.t. USALiberal Jan 2018 #67

Life always looks good Devil Child Jan 2018 #66