Bill and Warren yakking

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Sat Aug 8 19:35:29 PDT 1998


[from a conversation between Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, Fortune, July 20, 1998, p. 62]

CHARITY BEGINS WHEN I'M READY Bill and Warren explain why they'll give away 99% of their wealth . . . someday.

As two of the world's most successful business people, what role do you see for yourselves in giving back to your communities? And how do you use your influence to get others to give back as well?

BUFFETT: We both have a similar philosophy on that. I know in my own case that 99%-plus will go back to society, just because we've been treated extraordinarily well by society.

I'm lucky. I don't run very fast, but I'm wired in a particular way that I thrive in a big capitalist economy with a lot of action. I'm not adapted for football, I'm not adapted for violin playing.

I happen to be in something that pays off huge in this society. As Bill says, if I had been born some time ago I would've been some animal's lunch.

I do not believe in the divine right of the womb. Frankly, I don't think it's right that the quarterback of the Nebraska football team next year should be the eldest son of the quarterback of the Nebraska football team of 22 years ago. Nor do I think that our Olympic team in 2000 should be chosen from the same family that was on the Olympic team in the various respective sports in 1976.

We believe in a meritocracy when it comes to athletics and all sorts of things. Now, why not have a meritocracy in terms of what you go out into the world with in terms of the productive goods? Let the resources flow to those who use them best, and then I believe they should give them back to society when they get through.

GATES: That's a great philosophy, not to mention that passing along a lot of money can be bad for the people who receive it.

BUFFETT: You'd better not put it to a vote.



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