Posted on 01/18/2025 12:32:02 AM PST by thecodont
Unfair. Astonishing. Un-American.
That is how tech entrepreneur Jeff Atwood sees the staggering wealth inequality in the U.S. today. In response, he and his family have pledged to give away half their wealth within five years, starting with $1 million gifts to eight nonprofits this month.
His warning about the dangers of growing inequity was echoed by outgoing President Joe Biden in his final primetime speech Wednesday.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said.
Atwood, who co-founded Stack Overflow, a popular forum for software developers, made the pledge Jan. 7 in a blog post.
“The American dream isn’t about just getting rich. It’s about everyone succeeding,” said Atwood, in an interview with The Associated Press from his home in the Bay Area.
Atwood said the inequity reduces hope in the American dream, which he sees as the possibility of being “rewarded handsomely for a combination of hard work and good luck.”
Atwood's initial gifts support a range of nonprofits, from PEN America, which advocates for free speech, to reproductive health organization Planned Parenthood to Team Rubicon, a disaster response organization.
“What’s unique about his donation is, it’s essentially built on trust,” said Art delaCruz, CEO of Team Rubicon, saying the gift had come out of the blue.
The commitment to give away half of his family's wealth is unusual even among the richest people. And beyond giving his own money away, Atwood sincerely hopes to move others to action.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Sounds like a rat offensive against Elon.
Yeah, that’ll do it.
Virtue signaling clown.
Who gave this guy the right to tell us what our dreams should be?
Yeah. My American Dream is:
>> “The American dream isn’t about just getting rich. It’s about everyone succeeding,” said Atwood
Then why do you support nihilist causes? I thought you were a smart guy, Atwood...
So, the ‘Fair Share’ is 50% plus original income tax paid’.
It really isn’t enough you cheapskate.
"Hard work and good luck" just means you get to go home and enjoy the food it took you two hours to buy at WalMart, without getting mugged. That doesn't entitle you to great wealth. He forgot the most important ingredient for that one, it's called "innovation".
What does he pay people who work for him?
Giving to non profit isn’t most times actually helping people, except maybe a few, like head of non profit
Your exactly right.
Planned Parenthood? I don’t think killing babies is a part of the American dream.
In Rupees?
There is a long tradition of America’s greatest wealth creators giving away some or all of their fortunes. Andrew Carnegie established and funded a foundation that built public libraries across America. A number of great fortunes have been benefactors of great universities. The historic structures of colonial Williamsburg were saved by Rockefeller money. Numerous research institutions, museums, and charities have benefited from gifts by America’s wealthiest citizens. Many of our nation’s national parks were made possible by investments by the Rockefeller family and other wealthy philanthropists.
One of the privileges of earning, accumulating, and inheriting great wealth is the ability to choose how to spend or invest it. You can fritter it away, leave it to heirs, indulge in philanthropy and/or invest in new business ventures. You choose to use for good or for evil.
While Atwood’s words claim the moral high ground for his crusade against inequity, like most liberals his devotion to social justice betrays his innate hypocrisy. He claims he “will” give away half of his family wealth. This promise of future sacrifice brings immediate ego gratification in the form of public praise and adoration by the progressive community for the announcement, not the actual act. Like Obama’s Nobel Prize, he receives a meaningless participation trophy (empty words of praise) for doing nothing, and in reality committing himself to nothing. He, like so many others making bold promises, can fail to perform with no penalty.
Secondly, even if he follows through, with some or all of his pledge, he is only giving away half the wealth. He will still have more assets than 99% of the people and his lifestyle will continue to be lavish. There is no meaningful self depravation or sacrifice. If he were truly committed to attaining some moral and spiritual high ground, he would have made the announcement after he had given his entire fortune away and was effectively penniless.
Atwood’s pronouncement is morally equivalent to Bill Gates standing in the doorway of his private jet demanding the masses sacrifice their meager modern comforts to combat climate change.
In Matthew 19:23-24 Jesus spoke about how hard it is for a rich man to enter heaven. The point of the scripture is wealthy people will not sacrifice their earthly riches to achieve eternal spiritual salvation.
Giving $1 million to many non-profits would be a futile gesture, not much of it will end up helping the needy.
Think about how the million in the hands of BLM has done little to help needy blacks but has made those at the top multi-millionaires.
Think about the Clintons non-profit: most of the money is used as the Clintons private slush fund. only a very small amount goes to others and that is limited to people or causes who somehow aid the Clintons or advance their interests.
This man would accomplish more by giving smaller amounts to individuals or to small Self-help organizations.
I don’t think Planned Parenthood needs his money. Their business of killing babies, and then selling their parts, is bringing a pretty good revenue.
A fool and his money.....
If he wanted to do good, he needs to set jup and run his own foundation - donating to non-profits enriches those who run them (remember the Clintons and Haiti) but does little towards their stated “goals”...
Yeah.
Keep your eye in the ball.
Fool.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.