Question: If you had $100 billion to give away, how would you spend it?
Dan Gilbert: (Laughter) A hundred billion dollars to give away. How would I spend it? Well, you know, there’s two ways to spend it. One is to spend it on lots of little things and then one is to spend it on one big thing. I’m so far from being a billionaire that I don’t really know what you could do with 100 billion dollars. But I think it would be amazing to do a social experiment, an experiment in which you created a state – whether that means 1,000 people, 100,000 people or a million people – on a piece of land that lived by different principles. Kind of a Walden II, if you will, that lived by irrational principles. I think this could be a demonstration experiment for the rest of the world on how people can get along, and on how they can thrive or survive. Now I don’t know what those principles should be. I’d gather . . . With part of my 100 billion, I’d gather a whole lot of very smart people for a few years to think this problem through. But to create an amazing community in the desert of people who are living by irrational principles and thriving would do more for the export of that notion that all the arguments in the world. There it is. There is the demonstration proof.
Recorded on: 6/12/07
Discuss
Nate Wagenhoffer on January 15, 2008, 9:14 PM
I really think the best way to spend $100b would be trough a piecemeal system. By setting extremely lucrative initiatives, I believe the money would be utilized most efficiently. Private research would spend lets say $500 million to capture a billion dollar prize to find build nanotechs for disease or viable transportation systems. And if you ask people for fifty to a hundred useful ideas that industry will research if they see immediate retribution, the list will fill very quickly.
Nate Wagenhoffer on January 16, 2008, 2:14 AM
I really think the best way to spend $100b would be trough a piecemeal system. By setting extremely lucrative initiatives, I believe the money would be utilized most efficiently. Private research would spend lets say $500 million to capture a billion dollar prize to find build nanotechs for disease or viable transportation systems. And if you ask people for fifty to a hundred useful ideas that industry will research if they see immediate retribution, the list will fill very quickly.
Kenneth N (Ken) Sherman on January 16, 2008, 7:41 PM
I heard Dan say "living by rational principles" The call-out next to the picture of Dan reads, "Gilbert would build an irrational Walden."
This is a great new website and, as expected, Dan is a pleasure.
Ken Sherman, Las Vegas, NV
Kenneth N (Ken) Sherman on January 17, 2008, 12:41 AM
I heard Dan say “living by rational principles” The call-out next to the picture of Dan reads, “Gilbert would build an irrational Walden.”
This is a great new website and, as expected, Dan is a pleasure.
Ken Sherman, Las Vegas, NV
Rachele Antenucci on November 11, 2008, 4:26 PM
If I had that obscene amount of money, I would start a college scholarship for those who have gotten a D or F in math so that they do not give up their hopes and dreams of continuing on in college. Sadly since 1981, the math reqiuirement has caused SO MANY to drop out of college. I live in a rural area where the county bus service and the police do not frequent and therefore teenagers are often stranded without rides and sexual predators find the gaps in the bus schedules and hunt for human beings so that they can wound their hearts and destroy their lives. I would start a “Green” bus service for the forgotten kids, potential victims of violence. I would also create a housing community for those who have been victims of eminent domain abuse so that they can afford to buy another property even with the less than 10% “fair market value” chump change the US Government throws their way. (which usually does not pay off their old mortgage). I met a lady who had to live in her car with her small daughter as our local government took her property, developed it and did not pay her a dime. As a result of being homeless, CPS almost took her child away. I would buy a simple old stone house for myself in Italy and hide from the world, learn to paint like the masters (so that I can paint my house like The Sistine Chapel, learn to play the guitar better, learn to sing opera, swim faster, and read more.
Mohammed Elsegeiny on April 5, 2009, 4:20 PM
In the name of ALLAh, Inshallah, I would soon after receiving the money distribute my wealth evenly to a dozen small growing banks, around the world. Where I would have a virtual seat in each of the banks as a trustee and board member. And if God bestows his mercy lets me live right after that. I would pay off my debts and “my family” as well, and make sure their lively hood is well at the initiate time. And soon after that, I would Pray heavily to ALLAh and ask him to guide every cent with a noble and righteous intention behind it, for his sack. And opening an opportunity to put my biggest treasure “my guideness from ALLAH and my blessed/sophisticated mind” into a proper use of testing my closeness with ALLAH, and having the opportunity to InshALLAH achieve a great victory from heavy fitnah of corruption from ones own soul. During that time, I would take bits and pieces of the money and invest in new type of communities where capitalistic ambitions are not the goal , but self sufficient communities, where money isn’t the main asset but people. And that would be my return on my investment. Second I would like detailing some money to poverty areas to gain trust and support of struggling regions, where injustice has a deep root into it. Third buy my way into government institutions that may want a reform to their civil duties and constitution.
And personally i would finances my education into proper schools of thought , so my wisedom can arise by ALLAHs will
That’s my input anyway. May ALLAH guide us all to the best of creation. Inshallah
Silam Alakuiam
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