Nathan Myhrvold, Do-Gooder 109
theodp writes "Perturbed by a GigaOm item which likened him to 'Darth Vader doing some charity work as he completes the Death Star,' Intellectual Ventures CEO Nathan Myhrvold talks about the goals of his 'Global Good' program and fires back at critics in an interview with GeekWire's Todd Bishop. The technology industry is a little too obsessed with 'sending little messages to each other and having fun on a social network' for Myhrvold, who hopes to tackle bigger problems like malaria, polio, and HIV with the help of funding from buddy Bill Gates. 'I don't mean to call Zynga out in a negative way,' says Myhrvold, 'but is Zynga doing God's work? Is Facebook doing God's work? Even setting aside what God's work means, I think it's pretty easy to say, those companies are doing wonderful things, but they are for-profit ventures. It's either tools or toys for the rich.' BTW, if you're ready to do God's work, IV's looking for a Vice President, Global Good."
Re:Or... (Score:5, Informative)
Which god is he talking about, is what I want to know. I mean does he want us to start hitting people with hammers, praying for the undead lord to return from another dimension to cleanse the world of unbelievers with fire, start talking to our ancestors through their severed heads, raise Cthulhu from his watery grave, or what?
One of the crazy ones, anyway. His plan for solving global warming is to pump sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere and hand out uranium to private citizens to build small personal reactors. His hobbies include searching for alien life, barbequing french food, and photographing wildlife. I'm not sure if the last two are related or not...
Doing God's work? Seriously? (Score:5, Informative)
>> is Zynga doing God's work? Is Facebook doing God's work?
Yes, Nathan, you're doing a lot of wonderful work. But that doesn't excuse *how* you're getting your money these days. Your business practices are hurting the entire industry, and putting a big crimp on innovation. The end does not justify the means.
Anyone who has not yet listened to This American Life's episode on Mr. Myhrvold really ought to:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/441/when-patents-attack/ [thisamericanlife.org]
Re:smear campaign (Score:4, Informative)
'Darth Vader doing some charity work as he completes the Death Star',
Slashdot editors need to stop posting what is clearly rebel rhetoric. The first Death Star was used on Alderaan to save lives. The planet was partly hollow and heavily fortified; A great many imperial lives would have been sacrificed to end the war in a conventional ground-based attack. By destroying Alderann with the Death Star instead, billions of lives were saved. After that, the galaxy enjoyed its longest period of peace and prosperity in centuries.
Besides, calling the Deployable Advanced Theatre Defense Station Armament a "Death Star" is highly inflammatory. Only the rebels call it that.
Re:C.S. Lewis on tyrants (Score:4, Informative)
Not directly related, but whenever an evil asshole starts prattling on about "God's work" or anything similar, it brings to mind this C.S. Lewis quote...
I suppose now is a bad time to point out he was an ardent Christian who would take great offense to you misusing his words like that. I believe he might even respond with something like, "What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what kind of a person you are."
For every religious extremist who hurts others in the name of God, there are dozens more who help. I'm not suggesting that belief in God is necessary to help others, or in the final analysis, even related. I am saying it's the height of religious arrogance and intolerance to imply that anyone who uses the phrase "God's work" to describe their actions is an "evil asshole" who goes "prattling on". Would you cast them into a reputation and role from which they cannot escape? I have little time or sympathy for a man who believes another is incapable of doing good simply because he disagrees with that person's religious views.
Re:C.S. Lewis on tyrants (Score:4, Informative)
I'm well aware that C.S. Lewis was an ardent Christian, but I do not believe I misused his words. I wasn't suggesting that anyone who uses "God's work" to describe their actions is an "evil asshole". I'm suggesting that Nathan Myhrvold, founder of major patent troll Intellectual Ventures, is an evil asshole, and that therefore when he claims to be doing God's work I'm immediately reminded of Lewis's words.
Re:Or... (Score:5, Informative)
Yeah, assuming he's being absolutely truthful, it's a lot like a maffia Don using his protection money to feed the homeless.
Which would be great if that's what Myrhvold was doing. Here's what the article says:
Scientists and researchers working with Intellectual Ventures have come up with lots of wild ideas over the years. Some of them have the potential to help the world, ranging from a laser to zap mosquitoes to a container for preserving vaccines for long periods of time. And now Nathan Myhrvold, the former Microsoft chief technology officer who founded Intellectual Ventures, wants to see those ideas rolled out and made available to the developing world. That’s the story behind Intellectual Ventures’ decision to seek a new vice president to lead its “Global Good” initiative. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Asset Trust..."
So it's not even Myrhvold's money, he's actually using Bill Gates and Warren Buffett's money and then lecturing to others about how they should do more. Yes, Nathan, by using other people's money to help people and then boasting about it, you've really shown us the way. Your selfless sacrifice, nobility and sense of humility have truly touched us all... you're up there with Jesus and Gandhi.