• Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    31
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    1 day ago

    Let’s compare two of the richest men in history

    Rockefeller’s charitable giving began with his first job as a clerk at age 16, when he gave six percent of his earnings to charity, as recorded in his personal ledger. By the time he was twenty, his charity exceeded ten percent of his income.

    Vs

    Elon Musk and the Musk Foundation have disbursed over $1.1 billion since 2010. However, the vast majority of his recent philanthropy—including a record $474 million in 2024—primarily funded his own personal entities, specifically schools and donor-advised funds closely linked to his business and personal interests

    • Rcklsabndn@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      1 day ago

      Rockefeller recorded it in his own personal ledger?

      I’m sure it was all on the up and up. Just like I paid taxes on all of my tips when I was getting paid cash for waiting tables.

      (A joke, I realize Rockefeller did contribute quite a bit to the common good, at least once he was mind bendingly wealthy.)

      • calcopiritus@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        16
        ·
        1 day ago

        10% is the VAT of food in my country.

        Your average citizen pays more than 10% of their food budget in taxes. This nazi’s wealth is bigger than the yearly production of most countries. 10% is nothing.

        EDIT: he’s a nazi, not a dude.

      • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 day ago

        I’m not saying Rockefeller is the benchmark, but being a historically rich man (600bn in today’s money) he is a benchmark. One which Musk is not meeting.

        • meowcar42O@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          1 day ago

          a benchmark in what way? you should just not be able to be that rich. he isn’t a benchmark, he didn’t work for his own money.

          • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            8
            ·
            1 day ago

            I’ve just compared Musk to Rockefeller. He’s a benchmark whether you like it or not.

            you should just not be able to be that rich

            That’s a problem for society. Nothing to do with benchmarking.

            he didn’t work for his own money

            No capitalist does. Even people earning interest on their 401k.

            • billwashere@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              1 day ago

              This much wealth concentrated into one person is very wrong. Wealth leads to power and no one person should have that much power.

              • ricecake@sh.itjust.works
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                4
                ·
                21 hours ago

                Sure. But that doesn’t mean you can’t compare musk to Rockefeller or use him as a benchmark.

                Using someone as a known benchmark doesn’t mean they were good or bad, just that they’re an established quantity. Rockefeller was wealthy beyond normal levels of wealth. It makes sense to use him as a comparison.

              • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                3
                ·
                24 hours ago

                Totally agree. But that’s the corporate sponsored capitalism that the US has voted for.

                Karl Marx predicted that free-market competition would inevitably result in monopolies and the concentration of massive productive forces under a single capitalist.