Saint Bill Gates

I read where Bill Gates is retiring from Microsoft in two years to devote himself full time to saving the world.

Good for him.

Bad for me.

Now I’ve no longer got the moral high ground on him.

If I ever did.

I’ve always consoled myself with the belief that even though Bill Gates is way richer and more successful than I could ever hope to be, I’m still a better person than he is. I don’t engage in hyper-competitive business practices that commodify human beings and cultural traditions; I don’t use people as economic objects; My PC is a Mac, and I dress somewhat more stylishly.

Sure, I suppose it was hard enough to sustain the illusion after seeing the millions and millions of dollars the Gates Foundation has given to fight disease all over the world when I’m satisfied with myself for just sponsoring one kid in Save the Children. But I managed to do so by pointing out to myself that my $28.00 a month is a greater percentage of my net worth than his contribution. At least, I think so.

And I guess if I were to be fair about it, I’d have to admit that providing jobs to hundreds of thousands of people and helping to create an industry that makes possible many things, including this blog, is way more admirable than anything I’ve ever done, either. But see, I always said, I’m a teacher, and he’s just a businessman

I kept hoping he would run away and leave his wife but he hasn’t and I hear he’s a fine, dad, too. I don’t have a nanny, though.

But this one is going to be tough to rationalize. I mean if Gates is as successful a philanthropist as he has been a businessman, then he might make a real difference in the world. Meanwhile, I’ve got this blog.

At least I’m a fulltime bike commuter. He’d better not start walking to work.