Post by account_disabled on Mar 4, 2024 23:57:10 GMT -5
Being a millionaire sounds like a utopia that many of us have dreamed of, however, becoming one hardly happens overnight. Many of the wealthy people we know today dedicated themselves to the relentless pursuit of wealth.
It is true that being one of these lucky ones brings with it a great lifestyle, luxuries and a number of things that most of us do not even imagine, but it also brings with it a great commitment. Below we show you what your really responsible task is.
Jeff Bezos's actions
In November, Jeff Bezos, the world's richest person, announced via Instagram that he would give 16 organizations a total of about $800 million for a wide range of climate protection work.
This money will help:
Pay to restore and protect ecosystems in Colombia, Fiji, Madagascar and Mexico.
Launch a satellite to detect methane pollution, build carbon trading markets.
Accelerate the replacement of the country's fossil fuel commercial trucks with electric vehicles.
Upgrade the US power grid so it can rely more on renewable energy.
That was just the first installment of the $10 billion that Amazon's founder and CEO promised in February 2020 he would give to combat climate change.
For now, that sum would make up about 5% of his $203 billion net worth. According to Fast Company this type of gift is emblematic of the broader issue of money and the ways it clouds our society's ability to address the fundamental challenges we face.
Our biggest problem
Rather than raving about Bezos for his generosity in addressing what he and many scientists consider an existential threat, it is more appropriate to ask what kind of political model his actions support and perpetuate, and how that model allows him to make a donation.
Recently, corporate influence and the money of extremely wealthy people have overwhelmed the nation's political process, and we need a corrective:
Future business leaders must learn to approach political influence as a public service and not as an individual game.
The largest oil and gas companies spend nearly $200 million annually on lobbying to delay, monitor or block policies to address climate change.
This type of spending puts sand in the wheels Chile Mobile Number List of our political process, making it so weak and unruly that it can no longer function as a serious arbiter of the public interest. Because Bezos is pumping some of his fortune into a broken system, his donations, while admirable, will not solve this overall problem.
Of course, it's a good thing that Bezos, like many other billionaires, wants to use his excess wealth to address climate change and other big challenges facing our society.
What these major donors should do if they truly believe in those goals, ironically, is use their economic and political power to insulate politics and policymaking from the influence of people like them.
What is the role of companies in a democracy?
Business has been invading American political institutions and public debates for years.
Salesforce , a $17 billion software company, entered the debate over gay marriage debate legislation by lobbying the Indiana legislature to change proposed LGBTQ policies. Delta Airlines entered the gun control debate by reducing flight discounts to members of the National Rifle Association in the wake of mass shootings.
While the financial firms BlackRock and JPMorgan Chase spoke out about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, canceling their participation in important meetings in Saudi Arabia, at least for a time.
For its part, Hobby Lobby , a chain of crafts and decoration stores, entered the debate over reproductive rights by challenging the Affordable Care Act on the grounds that having to contribute to health insurance for its employees who covering birth control violated the religious beliefs of company leaders.
It is true that being one of these lucky ones brings with it a great lifestyle, luxuries and a number of things that most of us do not even imagine, but it also brings with it a great commitment. Below we show you what your really responsible task is.
Jeff Bezos's actions
In November, Jeff Bezos, the world's richest person, announced via Instagram that he would give 16 organizations a total of about $800 million for a wide range of climate protection work.
This money will help:
Pay to restore and protect ecosystems in Colombia, Fiji, Madagascar and Mexico.
Launch a satellite to detect methane pollution, build carbon trading markets.
Accelerate the replacement of the country's fossil fuel commercial trucks with electric vehicles.
Upgrade the US power grid so it can rely more on renewable energy.
That was just the first installment of the $10 billion that Amazon's founder and CEO promised in February 2020 he would give to combat climate change.
For now, that sum would make up about 5% of his $203 billion net worth. According to Fast Company this type of gift is emblematic of the broader issue of money and the ways it clouds our society's ability to address the fundamental challenges we face.
Our biggest problem
Rather than raving about Bezos for his generosity in addressing what he and many scientists consider an existential threat, it is more appropriate to ask what kind of political model his actions support and perpetuate, and how that model allows him to make a donation.
Recently, corporate influence and the money of extremely wealthy people have overwhelmed the nation's political process, and we need a corrective:
Future business leaders must learn to approach political influence as a public service and not as an individual game.
The largest oil and gas companies spend nearly $200 million annually on lobbying to delay, monitor or block policies to address climate change.
This type of spending puts sand in the wheels Chile Mobile Number List of our political process, making it so weak and unruly that it can no longer function as a serious arbiter of the public interest. Because Bezos is pumping some of his fortune into a broken system, his donations, while admirable, will not solve this overall problem.
Of course, it's a good thing that Bezos, like many other billionaires, wants to use his excess wealth to address climate change and other big challenges facing our society.
What these major donors should do if they truly believe in those goals, ironically, is use their economic and political power to insulate politics and policymaking from the influence of people like them.
What is the role of companies in a democracy?
Business has been invading American political institutions and public debates for years.
Salesforce , a $17 billion software company, entered the debate over gay marriage debate legislation by lobbying the Indiana legislature to change proposed LGBTQ policies. Delta Airlines entered the gun control debate by reducing flight discounts to members of the National Rifle Association in the wake of mass shootings.
While the financial firms BlackRock and JPMorgan Chase spoke out about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, canceling their participation in important meetings in Saudi Arabia, at least for a time.
For its part, Hobby Lobby , a chain of crafts and decoration stores, entered the debate over reproductive rights by challenging the Affordable Care Act on the grounds that having to contribute to health insurance for its employees who covering birth control violated the religious beliefs of company leaders.