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Bill Gates Has a Message For Conspiracy Theorists (cnn.com) 221

In an interview with CNN, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates responded to his prominence in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories that have spread online: CNN: There are 16,000 Facebook posts espousing conspiracy theories about you and the virus... They're liked or commented on 900,000 times. On YouTube the top 10 videos that spread lies about you had almost 5 million views. It's also pointed out that according to Zignal Labs, which is a media analysis company that tracks this, misinformation about you is the most widespread of all coronavirus falsehoods...

What do you say to people who believe this stuff? Because I'm sure you're inundated...

Bill Gates: The combination of having social media spreading things that are very titillating, to having this pandemic where people are uncertain and they'd prefer to have a simple explanation — it's meant that these things are really, you know, millions of messages a day. And people like myself and Dr. Fauci have become the target.

Often the clever thing they do — you know, our foundation has given more money to buy vaccines to save lives than any group. So you just turn that around — you say, "Okay, we're making money, and we're trying to kill people with vaccines, or by inventing something." And at least it's true — we are associated with vaccines — but you actually have, you know, sort of flipped the connection that we have there.

You know, I hope it doesn't create vaccine hesitancy. I hope this whole story of innovation that's going on, that we do get the benefit of that. It's really the only good news I'm bringing you today, is that diagnostic therapeutic and vaccine innovation, these amazing private-sector companies, without the coordination you would've liked — they are doing it... .

Gates told CBS News he expects some at-home, instant coronavirus tests to be approved in the next two to four months. "These are well-meaning people," Gates told CNN of the diagnostics innovators. "This is a time when people are doing great work.

"So I hope the conspiracy stuff dies down."
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Bill Gates Has a Message For Conspiracy Theorists

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  • Huh? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by battingly ( 5065477 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @01:40PM (#60330907)
    The vaccine conspiracy theories are reprehensible. But Gate's retort here is incomprehensible.
  • is that the Lizard People are trying to kill us all with vaccines. (and probably 5G)

    • by Opportunist ( 166417 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @02:13PM (#60331035)

      Oh that's so ridiculous. We try to enslave you, not ... uh ...

      I gotta go.

    • There are lizard-people, and they're trying to kill people. However, to balance it all out, there are also people-lizards. They're little tiny people that mostly look like lizards. The people-lizards are trying to humanize little lizards. Our races keep flip-flopping like this throughout history. This is why there were, at one time, huge lizards (the dinosaurs), and huge people (the anunnaki), but now we're all the size that we are. One day we'll even be tinier, and wonder at the huge structures that

  • Who would want to kill a kid more than a child pornographer or child rapist? Eventually the kid is going to spill the beans and you are then sent to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison where one mistake in the paperwork puts you on death row through vigilante justice. The antivaxx movement is a cover and all antivaxxers are trying to keep their kids away from doctors because they know the doc will notice the signs of rape and sexual abuse instantly. These are also the same people who oppose sex education, th

  • by burtosis ( 1124179 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @01:48PM (#60330943)
    It’s sad what depths America has sunk to. Thinking it’s not only possible technically, but likely that vaccines contain microchips (or whatever woo) to track people but failing to understand everyone carries a veritable sensor suite with a pretty awesome cpu that is attached to a global communications network. Why would bill gates pay for those microchips or nano tech or whatever and put it into vaccines lots of people won’t be compliant with when nearly every last person will pony up money, sometimes over $1000, to willingly carry and reveal all their intimate details themselves?
    • by Anonymous Coward

      i went through private school, high honors / advanced classes, and the smaller the class sizes, the more resources were spent on us.

      then i get to college, there is an $50,000+ machine they used to train freshmen on some science procedure where probably they could have gotten away with a $5k machine. meanwhile i know for a fact at public university they do not have $50,000 machines for freshmen to learn some procedure. they probably just read about it in a book.

      now clearly my classmates were not that far be

    • I troll several reddit conspiracy subs, youtube channels, and various other boards where these people hang out. The closest thing to a legit answer I can give to you is they claim it's because you can choose to leave your phone at home, but you're not gonna leave your arm or leg behind.

      To counter your other argument about compliance, this is only Part 1. Part 2 will add this same chip to other things like antibiotic snot shots for common colds, your daily insulin injections, I've even heard inside Epip
  • This is ridiculous (Score:5, Insightful)

    by I'mjusthere ( 6916492 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @01:49PM (#60330945)
    Bill Gates is now the right-wings new boogyman. And all of it based on nonsense.

    This is what I have heard from Republicans - and only them, He is developing a vaccine and he believes in population reduction - well adding two and two together, it is obvious he going to make a vaccine that will kill BILLIONS!

    I do not get people.

    It is like George Soros. I hear all this shit about him and there is no evidence for it. He gives money to humanitarian causes because he personally dealt with the worst of humanity - Nazi Germany.

    Back to Gates. I guess it is easier to believe in some far-out conspiracy about vaccines and COVID than to accept the fact that Trump has been fucking up from day one and actually believes that it will just go away.

    It is too bad that we are going to have far too many deaths because there is a large portion of our society that has opinions not based on reality but based on ideology.

    • by barc0001 ( 173002 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @01:59PM (#60330989)

      “I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness...

      The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30 second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance”

      --Carl Sagan.

  • It tends to stick longer that way.

  • He's back to being the richest man in the world (assuming the extra covid cash didn't put Bezos on top again) so it's not like he's kept his "I'm giving away my fortune" promise. He seems to be doing it to improve his image and for fun.

    We shouldn't go begging billionaires to solve the problems in the world. We should actually solve them as a society. Gates handing out a bit of his money makes people think everything's under control. It provides an excuse to leave the lower class to their fate because "p
    • It's laughable he even says the phrase "Dr. Fauci and I"...one is a medical professional, Gates has expertise in no field at all. Again, why give any import to his words.

    • I'll give you a hint on his wealth. It comes from Microsoft stock. You fit the pieces together as to why he is becoming richer.

      • as he made a big show some years ago about giving away his money. At his level of wealth stocks _are_ money. He didn't give them away.

        He's also done little or nothing to lobby governments to be better to their citizens. He could, for example, be lobbying for Universal Healthcare in America, human rights in Saudi Arabia, ending the occupation of Iraq/Afghanistan (it's been 20 years, time to stop calling them wars), Russia's anti-democracy, etc, etc, etc.

        Again, problems as big as what nations face are
        • You're wrong. Again. (Score:4, Informative)

          by SpankiMonki ( 3493987 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @03:29PM (#60331267)

          as he made a big show some years ago about giving away his money. At his level of wealth stocks _are_ money. He didn't give them away.

          He has given his stock away. The vast majority of it. As of 2017, Gates had given over $26 billion of Microsoft stock [theverge.com] to his foundation. In 1996, Gates owned ~24% of Microsoft stock. Today, he owns less than 1.4%. [cnbc.com]

          I know it's fashionable around here to demonize Bill Gates, but pretty much nothing you're saying about him is true.

          • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

            by gbjbaanb ( 229885 )

            Yeah, its strange how these foundations are still fully controlled by the people that gave them money.

            And you may say "of course"

            to which I say, doesn't this mean he's really just shuffled his money from one account to another via a fancy way that means he doesn't pay tax on it? Hence all the other "charitable foundations" that also seem to be controlled by the megarich.

            • What, exactly, do you think happens to the billions of dollars Gates "shuffles" to accounts at his foundation? Do you think it pays for his mansions, yachts, and private jets? His car collection perhaps? LOL, maybe you think Gates is drawing a per diem and getting his "business meals" paid for? Do you really honestly believe that Bill Gates is using his foundation as a front to somehow benefit himself financially? NO. What happens to that "shuffled" money is it gets awarded by the billions to all sort [gatesfoundation.org]

          • after telling everybody he was giving it away. And he's still done Dickie McGeezaks about the systems that create the problems his philanthropy is supposed to address.

            He's like a guy who sets fire to your house that you thank for paying the fire department to put out the blaze. I'd prefer to not have my house set on fire in the first place, TYVM.
            • after telling everybody he was giving it away.

              Bill Gates is on record saying his children will inherit $10M each. Where do you think the remaining >$100B will go when he's gone? Buried next to him? That's gonna be a pretty big hole in the ground.

              And he's still done Dickie McGeezaks about the systems that create the problems his philanthropy is supposed to address.

              His money goes to health, hunger, poverty, and education, mostly in the developing world. What systems created those, and when?

              He's like a guy who sets fire to your house that you thank for paying the fire department to put out the blaze. I'd prefer to not have my house set on fire in the first place, TYVM.

              Herp derp, whatever man.

    • He's back to being the richest man in the world (assuming the extra covid cash didn't put Bezos on top again) so it's not like he's kept his "I'm giving away my fortune" promise.

      According to Business Insider, [businessinsider.com] as of 2018 Gates had given 45.6% of his wealth to charity. The Gates Foundation is the largest private charitable foundation in the world, with a focus on global health and poverty. The only person that has given a larger portion of their wealth to charity is Warren Buffet. [forbes.com]

      If Gates doesn't qualify as a philanthropist, I don't know who does.

      • by marcle ( 1575627 )

        He's as much a "philanthropist" as any other tycoon with ill-gotten gains. Has he done more good than harm in his life? His hands certainly weren't clean as a businessman, and the corporation he created hasn't exactly been a good corporate citizen. Does giving away billions (while keeping even more billions) make up for that? You be the judge.

        • that's a red herring. The problem with Gate's "philanthropy" is that while it gives us all the warm fuzzies it doesn't solve any of the systemic problems that our society creates. Worse it encourages people to ignore those problems because they can tell themselves the Gate's Foundation will take care of it.

          Think about all those Go Fund Mes to pay for cancer meds & insulin right now. That's what a world of "charity" gets you.
        • Does giving away billions (while keeping even more billions) make up for that?

          I don't know. I'm not judging Gates as a person. All I know is that Gates fits every definition of a philanthropist I've ever seen. As far as "keeping even more billions" goes, Gates has committed to giving away at least half of his wealth, and everything so far indicates he will honor that pledge. Saying the guy's not a philanthropist is absurd.

          • and who made the systems that cause the problems his "philanthropy" is trying to solve?

            Again, we shouldn't have to beg billionaires for food, shelter and medicine. Not in the year of our Lord 2020.
            • And who made that definition?

              The Greeks? The word "philanthropist" has had the same meaning in the English language for several hundred years. Does this really have to be explained to you?

              and who made the systems that cause the problems his "philanthropy" is trying to solve?

              What difference does that make as to whether Gates is a philanthropist or not? He's trying to solve problems of the less fortunate by donating his money...it's the very definition of philanthropy. In any event, it certainly wasn't Bill Gates that created the problems he's trying to solve.. His philanthropy is dedicated to improving health, fighti

      • I do (Score:2, Interesting)

        by rsilvergun ( 571051 )
        because the $80 bucks I gave to a few kids cancer charities had more of an impact on my life that Gates giving away that money.

        Meanwhile he is able to make sweeping decisions regarding the future of the human race simply because he's sitting on fat piles of cash and we're all hoping to get a bit of it.
        • Oh please. Your $80 donation didn't negatively impact your life at all. All you're saying is that you're a bigger philanthropist than Gates (LOL) because your 80 bucks was more of a sacrifice to you than the $50B was to him. Well guess what? That doesn't make Gates any less of a philanthropist. Can you point to a definition of "philanthropist" that says "a philanthropist's giving must impact his lifestyle"? No. You can't.

          You don't get to redefine the meaning of "philanthropist" just because you don'

    • If all way have to do is say nice things about billionaires and they give their money away, that's a net win for society.
    • He's giving it all away when he goes. He's leaving his kids just enough to get by, because he doesn't want them to turn into assholes like every other rich kid you can think of. And he's right, money can solve problems but mostly it just turns people into monsters.
  • by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @02:13PM (#60331031)

    I especially love the guys who think the vaccines are going to include little micro-trackers that broadcast your position to some secret cabal which keeps track of everyone's location at all times.

    I do wish that level of tech existed (especially the micro-batteries), because it could be used for some real amazing devices and purposes. Above and beyond what the secret tracking cabal would use it for, I mean.

    • by Calydor ( 739835 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @02:32PM (#60331091)

      And consider how many people are sharing those beliefs through smartphones with all location and GPS services active.

    • The goddamn safety officer at my job is a right wing nutjob. He's scared the government will force him to install a tracking app on his phone. He also doesn't believe in masks and even attended a rally of bar/restaurant owners to open the county back up.

    • by PPH ( 736903 )

      I do wish that level of tech existed

      Talk to my dog. He has one.

      • Not remotely the same thing. Those just-under-the-skin ID chips let someone with a scanner (e.g. a vet) identify the dog as being yours if they already have possession of that dog and can put the scanner against it. And, even then, those chips are way too big to float through the dog's bloodstream.

        • by PPH ( 736903 )

          How many door handles do you grab every day? How many credit card readers do you operate? RFID readers can be put in numerous objects that you'd be hard pressed to avoid.

          My dog is smart. He just whines until I open the door, logging my ID as having done so instead of him. Come to think of it, my Jewish friend is always getting me to push elevator buttons for him. Hmmmm.

  • Straw man (Score:2, Interesting)

    by tinkerton ( 199273 )

    Gates is replying to the easy cases. That is playing it safe.
    This is a critical article about Gates: https://thegrayzone.com/2020/0... [thegrayzone.com]
    It's pretty good , it's critical but there is nothing in it about the funny theories people think up. It doesn't even claim Gates has 'evil plans'.
    The stuff about the WHO also contrasts nicely with the commonplace "China controls the WHO" theories.
    The Gates Foundation has far larger control over the WHO.

  • by sunami88 ( 1074925 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @08:36PM (#60331911)

    [...]our foundation has given more money to buy vaccines to save lives than any group. So you just turn that around â" you say, "Okay, we're making money, and we're trying to kill people with vaccines, or by inventing something." And at least it's true[...]

    -Bill Gates, in response to crazy people.

    This was a stupid response and will probably cause more intellectual dishonesty in the future. The fuck was he thinking when he said that, particularly in that way?

    I can see this being quoted exactly as I have above and getting 10,000,000 likes on Facebook et al.

  • by Waccoon ( 1186667 ) on Saturday July 25, 2020 @09:07PM (#60331967)

    I like how they emphasize how many millions of likes and views these conspiracy videos get. You know what else gets millions of views? Videos of ducks eating bowls of peas.

    One conspiracy video going viral is not a problem. Anyone can do that these days if the content is stupid enough. A conspiracy channel getting millions of views on every video they post might indicate a problem.

  • He's a lot nicer than me. I think a virus that only kills dumb people is exactly what the world needs.

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