Take a stand on something you see as wrong, and walk the talk. Today, not tomorrow. No excuses.
The world remained unmoved. And I... I gained in wisdom.
Speaking out with integrity and principle has impact to the extent that you have the ability to translate your beliefs into realty. The world has no lack of people with principles and integrity who don't agree with you. They are all also attempting to make impacts. The ones most likely to be successful and get the impact they want are the ones with the resources to back it up.
Remember - people who disagree with you are often loud, brave, and principled people willing to sacrifice who believe they are doing the right thing.
If I could sacrifice the screaming passions of every marcher in Berkeley, every Black Panther in Oakland, and every OWS camper for another Gates Foundation... I would do so in a heartbeat. Because the result would be dramatically improved lives for a great many people as resources are expended less on principled posturing by people with integrity and more towards actually doing things.
So, friend, let us dispense with the Naming of Names and Taking of Stands. Let us get on with the bit where we actually do things that help people. That is, after all, what matters.
And I the opposite. The Gates Foundation is built on ill-gotten gains, the kind of abuse of power that makes the world the bad place it is. The marchers in Berkeley (my alma mater), the Black Panthers and OWS all had profound impacts on the social conversation and psyche. Would you trade Selma for The Gates Foundation too?
That you felt the world remained unmoved by your earlier efforts hints at the kind of arrogance or desire to play god that the current internet tech world is criticized for. Doing the right thing must be done because it is right, not because you get personal satisfaction or glory (or profit). Doesn't sound like you gained the wisdom that you believe you did. You probably don't get my points about integrity and walking the talk, that those "most people" you refer to aren't actually waling it. Certainly not Bill Gates.
Maybe you'll not get anything I'm saying.
Whatever helps you sleep better at night.
(I had a paragraph here remarking on the differences in accomplishment between OWS and the Gates Foundation as I see them. I have removed it, because it is distinctly unkind.)
Consider, friend, the possibility that I understand every single one of your points. Consider the possibility that I understand your criticisms. Consider that I understand the accusations of arrogance, moral duplicity, corruption. Consider that perhaps I do understand what you mean about integrity and walking the talk.
Consider, then, the possibility that I might understand you, your points, and your positions. And still honestly disagree.
Please. Just consider the mere possibility.
You continue to assume that Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation together (you cannot separate one from the other) have a net impact on the world that is positive and that is greater than OWS.
"Lives saved" is not the only metric, and is not even the best metric. What good is saving a life if that life is consigned to suffering, or worse, effective slavery at the hands of capitalist-fuedalism? Most people who have tasted freedom would rather die fighting than live long as a slave. And even if a good metric, what if the greed and relentlessly accumulating power of the capitalist system that both produced and is produced by Microsoft is the reason Africa, India and the rest of the third world is in the sorry state it is in, and so the underlying reason for the deaths?
Please, can you consider the mere possibility that your assumptions are wrong, and the truth that your arguments are logically fallacious, relying on straw men, circular reasoning and begging the question. You have failed to answer any of my specific critiques of your claims, and present opinion as incontrovertible fact.
No. I assert that looking at results delivered to date, the Gates Foundation has delivered more than OWS has. If history and logic cannot be used as meaningful predictors, then this whole discussion is pointless.
> Please, can you consider the mere possibility that your assumptions are wrong, and the truth that your arguments are logically fallacious, relying on straw men, circular reasoning and begging the question. You have failed to answer any of my specific critiques of your claims, and present opinion as incontrovertible fact.
I have. In fact, I lived as you urge. You dismiss this, as it did not produce the results you anticipate, so therefore I clearly did it wrong.
A clear pattern has emerged. I have seen this sort of reasoning before. I wish you good luck with your new religious avocation. Good day.
It seems to be that the world is already overfull with the principled, loud, and ineffectual. I see many people who adhere to Mr. Chapman's advice, and all their efforts amount to naught.