I wonder at what point will we stop thinking of Bill Gates as Robin Hood in the flesh.

What is the difference between Bill Gates “philanthropy” and a corporate PR campaign? For example, why is “philanthropy” promoting MasterCard across Africa a great way to address inequality? It appears to have had opposite effects in the US. But even if it were effective: philanthropy?

I appreciate the skepticism and perhaps credit belongs more with Melinda than Bill but it is hard to overstated the impact of the Gates Foundation in the world of aid. Seriously, I work in that world and their influence is both good and pervasive. It doesn't excuse previous behavior, but judged independently their impact has been absolutely enormous.

"Charity Is The Opiate Of Capitalism" - Nellie McKay

Bezos has spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to advance humanity... See blue origin and organizations like Mary's Place

Mary's Place is laudable, but it's a relatively small series of donations to a local charity. It's not something on the scale of the Gates Foundation.

Blue Origin is not philanthropy.

For some people they would consider it as such.

Those people are wrong.

It's maybe early yet to talk about what Bezos is going to do with his fortune; Amazon isn't all-grown-up yet. It's still possible he's going to go in the Gates direction, and I think it's much to early to say he's going in Ellison's direction.

But that doesn't make everything we like him doing an act of philanthropy.

Not every business venture that benefits the world (if it works out) gets to be called "philanthropy."

It really is a worthwile endevor to move humanity forward, invest is space, etc., At the same time, with his wealth he could single handedly eradicate world hunger and still hang out with the world's richest.

At a bare minimum he could pay the people who have generated his wealth for him a little better.