this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2024
258 points (100.0% liked)

News

27975 readers
4075 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil


Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.


2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.


Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.


Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.


5. Only recent news is allowed.


Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.


6. All posts must be news articles.


No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.


7. No duplicate posts.


If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.


8. Misinformation is prohibited.


Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.


9. No link shorteners.


The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.


10. Don't copy entire article in your post body


For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Summary

Warren Buffett gave $1.1 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to family foundations and detailed plans for distributing his $147 billion fortune after his death.

His three children will oversee giving the remainder within 10 years, with designated successors in case they predecease him.

Buffett, 94, reaffirmed his belief in avoiding dynastic wealth, favoring philanthropy instead.

Over the years, he has donated $55 billion to the Gates Foundation but plans to shift focus to his family’s foundations.

Buffett continues leading Berkshire Hathaway while preparing Greg Abel as his successor.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] nanami@lemmy.world 134 points 4 months ago (3 children)

I once met a wealth manager for a billionaire whose entire job was to donate money as effectively as possible, focusing on infrastructure and education projects in Central and South America. She explained that the challenges are often unexpected.

For example, most smaller local organizations struggle to absorb large sums of money efficiently. Take, for instance, a group that builds homes for those in need. A sudden donation of millions of dollars can be too difficult to manage efficiently. So they try to be mindful of local needs, build trust, and build long-term partnerships.

So, why not just support many small communities? Well, a billion dollars could fund a thousand 1 million$ projects. That’s why this billionaire hired multiple wealth managers just to handle donations. That chat changed my perspective on how difficult it can be to give away large amounts of money.

Still, I’d rather them pay fair taxes.

[–] Crackhappy@lemmy.world 64 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I was about to say, they should just pay taxes, after all this is what government is for.

[–] DeadWorldWalking@lemmy.world 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

But if they donate enough then we will never force them to give up all their excess wealth.

And they like having excess wealth, a lot, like most rich people have hoarding mental disorders.

None of them really want to better society, they just want us to not rip all their skin off and redistribute their wealth so our economies benefit everyone again.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Nah, I don't like that. That's bad. Everybody should have to pay a share to fund public available necessities and uplift people as equals. It's not optional, it being optional demonstrably does not work, and even if it did we shouldn't rely on faith and goodwill.

[–] Crackhappy@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

Billionaires should be illegal.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Yeah, I was very disappointed in Bill Gates for being pro-philanthropy but against higher taxation. That said, Gates and Buffet don't get the final say. The American people just elected an anti-tax fraudulent billionaire.

[–] trustnoone@lemmy.sdf.org 14 points 4 months ago

It reminds me of this thing I read where countries would give all these donated designer clothes to some country, only for it to collapse their economy because making clothes was one of the only jobs available there.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] minimalfootprint@discuss.tchncs.de 80 points 4 months ago (2 children)

"Dragon gives away hoard after death. That will fix all the lives he ruined, right?"

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 16 points 4 months ago (1 children)

How did he ruin lives? Didn't he mostly make his money playing stocks and investing in stuff?

[–] walden@sub.wetshaving.social 11 points 4 months ago (3 children)

Lemmy, in general, thinks anyone with money is evil, and their money was sucked from the teets of the poor. It's sort of annoying. Not just super wealthy people, either. If you have any sort of investment that increases in value over time, you're a bad person. That money should have gone to poor people, somehow.

[–] killingspark@feddit.org 11 points 4 months ago (2 children)

The money investors get, just by owning the stock, is produced by people working with the stuff the investors money bought. The money isn't supposed to go to "poor people somehow" it's supposed to go to the people doing the work.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] ABCDE@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

He's given billions already.

[–] drkt@scribe.disroot.org 46 points 4 months ago (1 children)

if I take 100 dollars from you and give back 10 to random people, does that seem fair?

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 4 months ago (3 children)

How did he take 100 from me, though? If I bought shares of Intel and made $100, how is it that I took it from you?

[–] drkt@scribe.disroot.org 17 points 4 months ago (2 children)

You pay taxes, they don't. Their risks and lifestyle are subsidized, yours isn't.

You are paying for his lifestyle and if you stop doing it the police come for you.

Also just wage theft generally.

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 4 months ago

Did he use his money to change tax laws? He didn't create the crooked tax system. You aren't going out of your way to pay more, either.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] beansbeansbeans@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago

A good example is wage theft. Employees are not paid the value they produce. Instead of bonuses or fair salaries the company gives out dividends, etc.

[–] PoopSpiderman@lemmy.world 64 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Fuck Warren Buffett. He’s just another scumbag who has soaked up wealth by taking full advantage of neoliberal economics. There are no good billionaires.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] brlemworld@lemmy.world 37 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Why wait? There is functionally no difference between $1b and $147b. He would get to see the fruits of his efforts if he spends it now.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 21 points 4 months ago (3 children)

Because if it takes 10 years to donate that much and the market stays at its 10 year average growth they stand to have something like 190b dollars left when they are done donating that 149b.

[–] DeadWorldWalking@lemmy.world 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (5 children)

With that logic he should give it to Jeff Bezos so he can keep growing it after he's gone.

As long as the promise is on the horizon and they don't ever pay up then poor idiots will keep making excuses for them to not dump their ill gotten gains back into the system they stole it from!

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] randon31415@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I feel like you are inventing the concept of an endowment from first principles.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 29 points 4 months ago

He’s entered the Rockefeller stage of his life. Build a bunch of community shelters or rebuild America’s railroad network or something useful, Warren.

[–] Phineaz@feddit.org 26 points 4 months ago (2 children)

There comes a certain point where wealth ceases to be a blessing, and managing it becomes a full time occupation. I can respect this decision.

All the more reason to level the playing field, eh?

[–] forrgott@lemm.ee 21 points 4 months ago

I would respect it more if I wasn't so jaded, perhaps. But there's been just too many charity foundations involved in scandals of one type or another.

So, yes, let's level the playing field! I'm with you there...

[–] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

He signed the giving pledge with Bill Gates shortly after its creation.

https://givingpledge.org/

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Buffett gives money to Bill Gates to avoid dynastic wealth. Hmm

[–] walden@sub.wetshaving.social 18 points 4 months ago (3 children)

Not Bill Gates, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "The primary stated goals of the foundation are to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the world, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in the U.S.".

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Riiiiight. Like the Clinton foundation!

[–] walden@sub.wetshaving.social 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

What's wrong with the Clinton Foundation?

Beginning in 2015, the foundation was accused of wrongdoing, including a bribery and pay-to-play scheme, but multiple investigations through 2019 found no evidence of malfeasance. The New York Times reported in September 2020 that a federal prosecutor appointed by attorney general Bill Barr to investigate the origins of the 2016 FBI Crossfire Hurricane investigation had also sought documents and interviews regarding how the FBI handled an investigation into the Clinton Foundation.[16] In May 2023, it was revealed that the Justice Department had continued to investigate the Foundation until days before the end of the Trump presidency, when FBI officials insisted the DOJ acknowledge in writing that there was no case to bring.[17]

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Nothing. Just billionaires passing money back and forth under a non-profit label. Nothing to see here.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] whaleross@lemmy.world 11 points 4 months ago (2 children)

No shit. What else would he do with it? Cling on to his fortunes while descending into the particular pits of the underworld?

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 9 points 4 months ago

That is Elon's plan.

[–] Kuragi2 4 points 4 months ago

Bury it with himself. Ironically, that'd probably do more good than whatever redistribution he's planning.

[–] LovingHippieCat@lemmy.world 10 points 4 months ago

Dude could randomly give 147,000 people 1 million dollars but he's more likely to just give it to charities that his buds or family will benefit from.

[–] halfeatenpotato@lonestarlemmy.mooo.com 8 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Everyone hates billionaires for hoarding their money, but then it's also a problem when they're giving it away to charity.

Billionaires suck and shouldn't exist, but they do. I know this is going to get downvoted to hell because it seems a majority of the users here can't stand anything remotely positive being said about billionaires. But guys - it's an isolated good thing when billionaires give away large sums of their money to charitable causes. Doesn't mean that they shouldnt pay more in taxes, or that they're wonderful people, or that they accumulated their wealth in moral ways. All of these things can be true at the same time.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] Sgt_choke_n_stroke@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

This guy seems like a narcissist. "I haven't been in the news in a months because of trump, let me do somthing news worthy"

Edit. He's donating to his own foundation you doughnuts

[–] IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This take would make more sense if it wasn't something he does every year.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] twistypencil@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

So all those articles saying he sold to be in cash because market crash was coming were completely off

[–] pigup@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

He should give it to Bernie

[–] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

Write everyone in the US cheque for ~$400

load more comments