Posted on 10/26/2011 4:51:10 PM PDT by Starman417
Steve Jobs passed away earlier this month with an estimated fortune of $8 billion. I have yet to see a single report about one single dollar that he gave away to charity. How is it possible that a person who was lucky enough to be born and grow up in the United States and take advantage of our laws, schools, infrastructure and patent protections could be so selfish? Compare his lack of philanthropic giving with that of other similarly rich types, past and present. Andrew Carnegie gave away virtually his entire fortune, over $350 million dollars during his lifetime – $5 billion in today’s dollars. John D. Rockefeller gave away over half a billion dollars over his lifetime – $8 billion in today’s dollars. Bill Gates has given away over $30 billion dollars and promised to give away most of the rest of his fortune while his friend Warren Buffett has promised to donate 99% of his wealth. The pair has created The Giving Pledge where billionaires pledge to donate a significant amount of their fortunes to charity. If all of these people can give this amount away, what was wrong with Jobs?
Charity and private giving has been a great force in America since its founding. Through churches and local organizations for those of modest means to building libraries, museums, or foundations for the wealthy, America has been a country where the successful and struggling alike look to support their communities as well as support the less fortunate around the world.
Apparently not so for Steve Jobs however… and charity’s not the only place he was tight. When he was alive he did everything he could to reduce his taxes. He used tax shelters to lower his tax rate from 35% to around 15% on millions. He put his real estate and other assets in trusts so they would escape the death tax.
Everywhere you look Steve Jobs was doing what he could to keep his own money. Not giving it away. Avoiding paying taxes. All while he’s taking advantage of everything America has to offer.
What’s wrong with a person who sees the misery going on around the world, from hunger in Africa to millions of poor here and does nothing to lend a hand? What kind of legacy is that?
When the robber baron Andrew Carnegie died his legacy was obvious. He had built thousands of libraries around the world, founded a university and built Carnegie Hall. By the time he died, JD Rockefeller had remade the face of modern medicine and created what was for years the largest charitable foundation in the world. Bill Gates is still very much alive, and he is remaking the face of charity. What kind of legacy is Steve Jobs leaving?
In 1977 he and Steve Wozniak introduced the Apple II, the first fully assembled personal computer. At the time the notion of a personal computer was an utterly foreign concept to 99.9% of the people on the planet. Term papers were still being written on typewriters. Math was still being done on calculators. Research was still done at the library.
In 1984 Apple introduced the Mac, the first personal computer to feature a mouse and graphic user interface. At the time most others still used the C: prompt.
In 1986 when he purchased Pixar, it was primarily a high-end computer hardware company with graphics as a side note.
In 2001 when Apple introduced the iPod, digital music was just becoming popular but most digital players were “big and clunky or small and useless”.
In 2003 when Apple introduced the iTunes Store the music industry was imploding and college students were being sued in their dorms.
In 2007 when Apple introduced the iPhone few people were able to surf the Internet on their phone and most competitors’ products were poorly designed and performed similarly.
In 2010 when Apple introduced the iPad, it essentially created the market, selling 5 times more than the rest of the devices combined.
Looking at all of this, the question to ask is, is Steve Job’s legacy going to be that he didn’t care about other people because he didn’t give his money away or let the government take it? Or is it going to be the fact that he changed the world and gave people something that is far more precious than money… more of their own time.
(Excerpt) Read more at floppingaces.net...
Um.. it’s his money (or was)to do with as he pleases.
Does the Pope wear a big hat ? and....so what...
He was a very private person, so we won’t probably know about any charities he gave to for a while, if ever. Besides it was his money and he provided employment to many.
the man who wrote the All Creatures Great and Small series James Herriot came in for the same sort of whining by the leftist snivelers in Britian.
Who cares? The man’s dead, and everyone who wants an iThingie can buy one, with a little effort. Everyone should stop using him as an excuse for their private agenda screeds.
Don’t think for a minute that Bill Gates is not a selfish sob as well. When he gives away ALL his money he can lay claim to being charitable.
But, don’t miscontrue me here; he’s under NO obligation to do so. But let’s not be duped by liberal hypocrisy. It’s bad enough we’re saddled with that bum Obama.
As my Dad used to say, a Kennedy is somebody who wants to give YOUR money to the poor and be called generous for doing it.
Where’d it all go? Maybe his wife? Maybe she’ll donate something.
Really? They were upset that he didn’t donate all his earnings to animal-rights lunacy or something? FReep ‘em, bunch of losers.
How about we wait until his estate goes thou probate and his will is made public...
OTOH, he is a liberal and they are notorious cheapsakes
Was he selfish? No. Steve Jobs gave more than he got.
Total non sequitur follows. I’m about his age, and I’ve given some thought to his question: Would I have traded places with him at birth, knowing what I know now?
My answer is “no”.
Let him rest in peace, though. He lived a full and very productive life.
He was probably too busy investing the money and creating wealth to give it away. Praise for sane capitalists like Jobs.
He was a lib, who got substantial government bennies from the government selling his computers in their classes.
I would be surprised if he did give anything.
Absolutely. It's beyond Ipod and Ipad - there are entire industries that were built out of what came out of his brain, employing many thousands who, because of Jobs can make their way in the world with no need for charity.
To which liberals reply, "d@mnit!"
Because he was generally a lefty, Jobs seems to have been a bit of mixed bag. But the fact that he didn’t go out and create a look-at-me-aint-i-grand charity actually makes me have more respect for him.
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