By Jake Shiner –
Ever get that feeling that you have too much money? Well Bill Gates does.
Gates has led the wealthy as the world’s richest man for 13 years straight (1995-2008), but has just recently given the title to Mexican business tycoon Carlos Slim.
Given, not lost however because in the past three years Gates has donated $30 billion and plans to donate more to his wife Melinda’s charity organization that helps to fight leading causes of death such as AIDS, malaria and the causes of mother/children deaths.
It’s not everyday that a billionaire decides to give away most of his or her wealth, but for Gates, it was an easy decision. According to a CBS news report, he and his wife agree that all lives are equally valuable, no matter where you live on the globe, and that these problems they’re combating aren’t as prominent at home. They have so much money that they can’t even fathom an idea of how to spend it on themselves, so they decided to help the less fortunate.
While Gates said it was a relatively easy choice, how would Penn Manor students handle the donation of 60 billion dollars?
Seniors Josh Carle and Tyler Wilson both agreed that they would donate their money to research.
“I’d give all my money to cancer research,” said Wilson, “I care.”
Jesse Graham had similar ideas and said “I would give my money to some kind of world hunger organization and green initiatives.”
Cody Welch on the other hand was having more selfish thoughts. “Is there an option of just not giving it away,” he asked.
Since the Gates family is giving away most of their fortune, that means there is less for their kids to inherit. How would you feel as one of the Gates kids?
“I might be disappointed, but it’s no big deal,” said Carle.
Graham noted the fact that he would still be inheriting at a good amount of money anyways. “I’d be cool having just a billion dollars, I’d be set forever.
Welch on the other hand had different feelings. “I’d be extremely angry and upset with my father, I would have nothing but bad things to say about him… if my father is Bill Gates, I should be inheriting $20 billion,” said Welch.
As it turns out Bill and his wife don’t plan on giving too much money to their kids (for their standards). He and his wife agreed that they didn’t want money to shape their three kids’ lives.
The Gates have challenged other wealthy persons to give away at least half of their fortune in their lifetime, and investor Warren Buffet, the third richest man in the world, has already followed suit. Maybe if other billion and millionaires join in they can help to save and better lives all over the globe.
If I was in Bill Gates shoes I would pic someone at randome and make there life just a little better. I wouldn’t make them rich but I would do just enough to make their life a little better. I think that i do well enough for myself and my family. What i would do is make a few morgage payments for someone or something like that.Just enough to give a person a little edge on life. I would do that for people that i saw needed it.