Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," where we don't comfort the afflicted ... we afflict the comfortable. Today's comfortable person is Mackenzie Scott, formerly Mrs. Jeff Bezos.
I found out about this by seeing a Facebook page called "YOU Are Now RBG." This article was posted, followed by dozens of ordinary women, applauding dear Mackenzie's generosity.
When I dared to suggest that someone who has $60 billion giving away $4 billion is laughable, insulting, and grounds to be chopped up for soup, I got scolded. I was (in no specific order):
*anti-feminist
*hard-hearted
* cynical
* a danger to woke society
Several clearly intelligent women seemed to have a complete inability to grasp the fact that giving four dollars away when you have 60 dollars is nice, but giving $4 billion away when you have $60 billion is LAUGHABLE.
"But she has plans to give away half her fortune!" one Karen exclaimed.
Half of 60 dollars is a lot. Half of $60 billion is NOTHING.
This person could give away 99.9 percent of her wealth and still live large. She would still have millions!
Next question: How much did she pay last year in taxes to the government of her native land? The answer is not available, but my guess is, not much. Certainly nowhere near the percentage we common middle class scum pay. And why give money to the U.S. government when you can fund theater projects and colleges? Well, let's start with public fucking schools. And go from there. Did you know that America's senior citizens have to pay the entire cost of hearing aids? And there sits Mackenzie, on a fortune that would buy hearing aids for every damn senior citizen in America.
Final question: How did Mackenzie Scott acquire $60 billion (with a b) dollars? Well, for those of you who do your shopping in stores, there's a company called Amazon that has practically monopolized the purchase and delivery of every item you could ever want. Amazon has done that by creating inhumane conditions for their workforce and by strenuously blocking efforts at unionization of said workforce. It's basically the 21st century's answer to coal mines and shirtwaist factories.
So, to the dear feminists at "YOU are now RBG," I've got to say: This is not about a woman. It's about an owner who exploits workers. Who does Mackenzie Scott think she is? To me she seems like some emperor of old, flinging ducats into the crowds of starving subjects on Festival Day.
EXHIBIT A: FEED HER TO GRITTY
Speaking of Festival Day, this is Juneteenth! Now a federal holiday! I had 12 years of public schooling, then four years of college, then a lifetime of reading and watching the news, and I never heard of Juneteenth until last year. So please allow me to catch up and learn how to celebrate this holiday before I begin to comment on it.
This sermon will end with that rarest of recommendations from "The Gods Are Bored." Mackenzie Scott should read Jesus Christ's advice to the rich man, and then follow it. Same goes for anyone who has more money than they could spend in 100 lifetimes.
10 comments:
Yes, the problem with private philanthropy is that it is entirely discretionary, both as to amount and recipients, whereas a fair tax system brings the money into the public purse for redistribution in an at-least-theoretical democratic way.
Well, maybe she plans to live into the next century and will need those many billions for parts replacements and upkeep. Personally, I'd be more impressed if the donations were done without press fanfare and public adulation. Like you -big whooping deal. Give away 55 billion anonymously - that would be impressive. Surely someone could live a good long time with 1 measly billion.
With that kind of wealth she could send a mighty check to every household in this country. What a difference that would make...
Thank you for calling my attention to this issue. I didn't know her name before, but I knew she ended up with a lot of blood money. I've never understood why the wealthy, including the Walton family, don't use some of their big bucks to pay their employees a living wage and provide them with healthcare.
Love,
Janie
I'd rather she, Jeff and all the other Trillionaires, Billionaires, and Millionaires just pay their Fair Share of Taxes and at least get a slight chance of some even distribution of the Funds in a Democratic way. Yes, whoever is the recipient of her chosen 'generosity' is fortunate, better than receiving nothing... but sometimes people applaud things which aren't really the least bit sacrificial to whoever receives the applause. Personally I think she's just giving it away to piss the Ex off... that would be spite, not charitable motivation... Look Jeff, I'm giving half your Money away!
BTW, I honoured Gritty with one of my own personal Hockey Awards on my blog recently. "Best Mascot!"
Somehow i trust the billionaires who are giving money away more than many or maybe most of the elected Republicans , who support Trump and the Big Lie and Q anon supporters . Sadly , we need to educate the voters .
Ooh, they could put their money into educating the voters! Say, by restoring the funding of our public schools, which have been steadily starved by the federal and most state governments.
Or Ms. Scott could give $60,000 to every single public school in the United States, and still have a million dollars left. That should be enough for her to live off for the rest of her life, not only necessities but luxuries like travel, if she invests it. Or she could invest the whole $60 billion and give the earnings to the schools every year in perpetuity (again, deducting a reasonable allowance for her needs). What a way to give back to a country whose crazy effed-up priorities have made her rich!
I wasn't impressed with her generosity at all
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