Bono, Bill Gates, and Melinda Gates. (Some might notice the humor created by Time's decision not to use the Oxford comma, which makes it appear as though Bono's last name is 'Gates,' mimicing the infamous and apocryphal book dedication "To my parents, Ayn Rand and God".... but anyway....)
Anyway, under the insipid title "The Good Samaritans," Time celebrates their actions to end world hunger and disease. Which is good, and I applaud them.
And really, their decision to honor Bono, while misguided, isn't too bad. If he ever deserved to win the "Man of the Year" award, it was now, not through his music career.
But to award Bill Gates now??? For giving away his money? What does that mean? Are they really suggesting that it is better, more meaningful, more "manly," to give away one's money than it is to do the work to earn it? I can come up with no other explanation for their actions--if their award meant anything, Bill Gates would have won it every year for the past two decades, for actually improving the economy and the lives of people around the world...not just dropping off boatloads of money to nondeserving people.
Their entire article about the Gateses is downright repulsive in it streatment of capitalism. From its opening line:
Imagine a kinder, humbler Microsoft--one designed to spend money, not make it.to the end, the reader is constantly reminded--sometimes explicitly, oftentimes obliquely--that making money is bad, and giving it away is moral.
I was confused at first why they picked Melinda Gates (Bill's wife) to share the award (I mean, all she did was marry a rich guy; why not give the award to Anna Nicole?), but it makes sense after reading the article. Bill Gates didn't start pursuing his philanthropy seriously until after he met her; that's why she's a "Person of the Year." She deserves this "honor" for convincing a succsessful capitalist to stop focusing on the innovations that made him his money and to start focusing on the redistribution of his income. And that is all it takes to make you a Man of the Year.
Excuse me. Person of the Year.