Back on June 23rd I wrote a letter to David Pogue regarding an article he wrote about Bill Gates and the charitable works Mr. Gates was planning on increasing as he steps down from the day to day activities of Microsoft. I posted that letter, with a link to the story, on the 23rd. Today I was reading an article he wrote that showed some of the responses he received and what, to my amazement, did I read... words that sounded eerily familiar. I actually had to go back and read my own letter to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Yes, indeed, they were my words. They had been edited, nearly a full paragraph removed, but never-the-less they were my words with the context and most of the syntax intact.
It's a shame that many look at Bill Gates and only see the ruthless businessman. But if Mr. Gates can take that same ruthlessness to the halls of government around the world, and pry open the doors of poverty and disease for all the world's people, then more power to him.
Now, for the unedited portion of my letter from which these words were extracted...
It's a shame that many will look at Bill Gates and only see the ruthless businessman, I doubt that is all he is about. He played his game by his rules, and well his rules do seem to work. I don't like the way he thinks often, nor do I like the way his business is run most of the time; but it's hard to argue with success. I don't think the executives have a golden key to secret room in a deep and dark cavern in Redmond where they sold their soul to the devil. I think they are just harsh businessmen and women that made decisions I might not have made. If, though, Mr. Gates can take that same ruthlessness to the halls of government around the world and slowly spend his money to pry open the doors of poverty and disease for all the world's people; then more power to him.
Is this a big deal? No, not really. Is it cool? Well, yes indeed it is. He isn't saying he agrees with me or that I am spot-on right. What he says by the inclusion of my words is simply that my thoughts were well enough constructed to best represent what many were saying, but maybe not as well. I'm not the only one quoted, several others are; and some with a different viewpoint. Doesn't matter to me. I stand by what I said, but that also doesn't matter... because it is just cool to be quoted by someone that I consider an excellent writer. Oh, and from what I read, a darn good editor.
Read the article for yourself HERE