Anand Giridharadas on the fallacy of billionaire philanthropy

If the root of his theory is that people should be supporting and turning to the government more, to empower their rights, then I agree.

Especially when we consider the strong Anerican narrative on how tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook etc. are "fighting" the US government against weakening encryption (for example) or for more data privacy. Or how Apple is so great for not harvesting our personal data. Where as the truth is that they are all slowly squeezing out more and more of our personal data (yes, even Apple).

EU has set the right tone with their data privacy laws and India too is deliberating on how to frame these laws. More of us need to contact our legislators and voice our concerns regarding the things that we don't like rather than doing nothing with the delusion that some corporate will be our saviour.

i fail to be impressed. he doesn’t sound any different than any other progressive person.

Paywalled!

I wouldn't find the the Gates' Foundation so morally bankrupt, if they used the money to make some attempt at political change...like term limits, or corporate accountability or anything that wasn't a veiled statement of "I got rich monopolizing and strong arming, so I could choose who should benefit afterward".