Bill Gates: capitalism means male baldness research gets more funding than malaria

[mehdi84]

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/...tes-capitalism

"Our priorities are tilted by marketplace imperatives," he said. "The malaria vaccine in humanist terms is the biggest need. But it gets virtually no funding. But if you are working on male baldness or other things you get an order of magnitude more research funding because of the voice in the marketplace than something like malaria."

Bravo

[JoshSP1985]

It's called 1st world problems

If malaria was a problem in the US it would get all kinds of funding.

[CuriousGM]

Well that's what the free market is, things that won't return a profit depend on altruists like Bill Gates for funding.

[905brah]

and all it took for him to say that was having earned 50+ (not sure exact number...but at least 25 im sure) billion in such a market

[TH3SHR3DD3R]

and all it took for him to say that was having earned 50+ (not sure exact number...but at least 25 im sure) billion in such a market

The hypocrisy of a person making a statement does not affect the validity of the statement being made.

We're all slaves. That we are all slaves does not mean that we are wrong in criticizing our slavery.

[Soonerjohn]

Break out the DDT, problem solved. Oh wait, that would upset environmentalist.

[amtharin]

How did Bill Gates make his money? The free market

How much money has Bill Gates given to Africa? A billion

How much money has Bill Gates given to baldness? None that I know of.

[trollspooge]

Did anyone else notice that Bill Gates has a full head of hair? No wonder he cares more about malaria.

[DizzySmalls]

****ing hate Bill Gates so much. Everything about him. "Altruist" attention whore progressive pussy humanist who probably burns his own feces as incense.

[wings_unhinged]

I'm all for MPB research.

We can grow bacon strips from stem cells but we can't re-grow hair?!

[Lendogg]

****ing hate Bill Gates so much. Everything about him. "Altruist" attention whore progressive pussy humanist who probably burns his own feces as incense.

U mad brah? yea u mad

[CuriousGM]

****ing hate Bill Gates so much. Everything about him. "Altruist" attention whore progressive pussy humanist who probably burns his own feces as incense.

[JUSA]

It's called 1st world problems

If malaria was a problem in the US it would get all kinds of funding.

Maybe if some of the countries plagued by malaria adopted more Capitalistic approaches, they'd prosper and be able to fund their own research? Last time I checked, malaria wasn't a problem here. Why should prosperous capitalist countries solve the problems of the world again?

[amtharin]

Maybe if some of the countries plagued by malaria adopted more Capitalistic approaches, they'd prosper and be able to fund their own research? Last time I checked, malaria wasn't a problem here. Why should prosperous capitalist countries solve the problems of the world again?

Good point, malaria is not really a problem in capitalist countries, so how is capitalism the problem again? The reason capitalist countries can dedicate their time and money to things like baldness is because they don't have to worry about **** like malaria.

[Tamorlane]

Maybe if some of the countries plagued by malaria adopted more Capitalistic approaches, they'd prosper and be able to fund their own research? Last time I checked, malaria wasn't a problem here. Why should prosperous capitalist countries solve the problems of the world again?

Because the advanced, prosperous, capitalist countries are known to exploit the developing countries. It's nothing personal against the US, it's a systematic problem.

The unplanned nature of capitalism inevitably overproduces commodities and overuses resources, which leads the capitalist class to expand its markets into, and drain the resources of, less-developed nations. The wealthy nations, must maintain cheap access to third world natural resources and unfree labor, by force if necessary. They argue that the capitalist countries like England initially were helped by the primitive accumulation of capital through the "theft" of natural resources and exploitation of slave labor from large parts of Asia, Africa and the Americas, which spurred the industrial revolution. They see what they characterize as unjust exploitation, militarily (such as India in 19th century) or economically (e.g., through International Monetary Fund structural adjustment programs during the 1980s), as part of the nature of capitalism. The constant, capitalist drive to expand markets is viewed by many as the primary cause of globalization.

It's ironic, our governments exploit them, and then we the people get mad and bitter at their people, who are at the mercy of their government as much as we are, if not more.

[TH3SHR3DD3R]

Maybe if some of the countries plagued by malaria adopted more Capitalistic approaches, they'd prosper and be able to fund their own research? Last time I checked, malaria wasn't a problem here. Why should prosperous capitalist countries solve the problems of the world again?

Time to mention Guns, Germs & Steel.

http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/va...s/malaria.html

It goes without saying that in places where malaria is prevalent people are held back by tyrants that keep money to themselves. Ironically, one might argue that those tyrants are themselves operating under capitalist incentives, but it also goes to show that a capitalist approach to malaria can lead to benefits.

[repsDTGdaily]

Would he fund it as much if the gov't's actions resulted in malaria being funded?

[VVolfgang]

I do not have malaria. I may, however, be balding. I am OK with this.

[mehdi84]

Good point, malaria is not really a problem in capitalist countries, so how is capitalism the problem again? The reason capitalist countries can dedicate their time and money to things like baldness is because they don't have to worry about **** like malaria.

Gates is making an argument against pure capitalism, not capitalism, and it's relationship to what Gates believes to be humanist and philanthropic ordeals. Of course, if your views don't align with him in regards to these ordeals, then you're not going to buy into his argument no matter which way it is puts it.

[Rockchalk0420]

It's called 1st world problems

If malaria was a problem in the US it would get all kinds of funding.

Pretty much. The marketplace is dictated by necessity. If Bill Gates and some of his other friends would like to set up a foundation to combat Malaria, by all means, put up or shut up.

[CuriousGM]

Time to mention Guns, Germs & Steel.

http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/va...s/malaria.html

It goes without saying that in places where malaria is prevalent people are held back by tyrants that keep money to themselves. Ironically, one might argue that those tyrants are themselves operating under capitalist incentives, but it also goes to show that a capitalist approach to malaria can lead to benefits.

So what you're saying is...these places need a heaping dose of Freedom �.

[mehdi84]

Pretty much. The marketplace is dictated by necessity. If Bill Gates and some of his other friends would like to set up a foundation to combat Malaria, by all means, put up or shut up.

You mean like the largest private foundation in the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%2...tes_Foundation ?

[amtharin]

Gates is making an argument against pure capitalism, not capitalism, and it's relationship to what Gates believes to be humanist and philanthropic ordeals. Of course, if your views don't align with him in regards to these ordeals, then you're not going to buy into his argument no matter which way it is puts it.

sounds like you're putting words in his mouth. Again capitalism sounds like the solution, and not the problem to me.

[cavymeister]

So what you're saying is...these places need a heaping dose of Freedom �.

and a little democracy

[mehdi84]

sounds like you're putting words in his mouth. Again capitalism sounds like the solution, and not the problem to me.

I'd argue that's what you're doing. Did you read the article? What part of my statement am I fabricating on his behalf, as opposed to your interpretation?

The second and third paragraph from the article:

"Our priorities are tilted by marketplace imperatives," he said. "The malaria vaccine in humanist terms is the biggest need. But it gets virtually no funding. But if you are working on male baldness or other things you get an order of magnitude more research funding because of the voice in the marketplace than something like malaria."

As a result, governments and philanthropic organisations have to step in to offset this "flaw in the pure capitalistic approach". The Gates Foundation focuses on finding under invested areas of basic science and focusing an innovation agenda on the needs of the poor, specifically looking at education and health.

[bigkarl]

another rich white liberal trashes capitalism...yawn

[Tamorlane]

another rich white liberal trashes capitalism...yawn

He's not trashing capitalism. He's just explaining one of it's shortcomings in regards to humanity. If it was Jesus helping the poor in a story everyone would be awestruck but when it's real life people are typical - haters.

[JasperBedford]

another rich white liberal trashes capitalism...yawn

Another internet addict takes someone's thoughts and pigeon holes them into a neat little package that can be dismissed with one sentence.

[amtharin]

I'd argue that's what you're doing. Did you read the article? What part of my statement am I fabricating on his behalf, as opposed to your interpretation?

The second and third paragraph from the article:

That he is actually distinguishing between the two, and not lumping them together. Can you show me where he credits capitalism, and not just government and philanthropy for being an effective means to combat malaria?

[DizzySmalls]

U mad brah? yea u mad

Yeah I'm frothing at the mouth enraged because some uber wealthy capitalist success story feels the need to **** on a system that gave him his wealth because other people may not spend their money the way he wants them to. He's probably rich beyond having a profit motive and needs to give himself purpose through his public role as savior.

People have no responsibility to treat malaria in foreign lands, and if your morals lead you to want to help, then donate money. Otherwise the preferences of people with resources and wealth dictate the direction of product development and distribution. Separation of church and state and such.

Humanists always presume their utilitarian ethics are valid or universally justified.