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Bill Gates

by Ethan from San Diego

Bill Gates (https://news.microsoft.com/exec/bill-gates/ ())
Bill Gates (https://news.microsoft.com/exec/bill-gates/ ())

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself," -Joseph Campbell. The people Campbell was talking about are people who impact Earth for the better; and one of the most positively influential people to date is Bill Gates.  Gates is very widely known for founding Microsoft in 1975, however he is also recognized for his charitable work.  Along with his wife Melinda Gates, Bill launched the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation whose purpose is to mainly help those trapped in poverty, especially in other countries.  For someone to be considered a hero, they must possess generosity and determination to help others in any way they can: "By 2001, Gates and his wife, former Microsoft executive Melinda French Gates (1964-), had given more than $21 billion to various causes, mostly in education and health. They continued to give through the early 2000s," ("William Henry (Bill) Gates.").  Gates also generously dedicates his time and effort towards helping those in need.  Having the determination to construct a new company and keep it thriving for years on end, and then transferring that determination to a more selfless cause, Gates has the means necessary to be considered a hero to many. Founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, deserves the title "hero" because of his generosity to those in need and his determination to do what is right.


Bill and Melinda Gates in Mozambique (http://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/g205/most (Juda Ngwenya/Reuters))
Bill and Melinda Gates in Mozambique (http://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/g205/most (Juda Ngwenya/Reuters))

Gates' generosity sets him apart from others because he is not only donating funds to deserving causes, but he is donating his own time and effort to make sure what is needed to be done actually gets done.  Gates has been benefitting the lives of others by providing those in need with the funds they need: "So he is now engaged in the process of ridding himself of all that money in the hope of extending the lives of others less fortunate than himself," ( "Bill Gates interview" ).  These donations assist the recipients in living longer and happier lives.  By giving away his money to those who really need it, Gates sets a solid precedent for others to follow and help completely change someone's life, for just the slightest change in their own.  Not only donating his money, but also his time and effort towards eradicating diseases that impact many around the world, Gates gives so much of himself to help those in need: "We're focused on the help of the poorest in the world, which really drives you into vaccination. You can actually take a disease and get rid of it all together, like we are doing with polio," (qtd. In "Bill Gates interview").  Gates demonstrates his generosity with his efforts towards reshaping the lives of those in need.  His heroic intentions, followed up by actions, demonstrate his dedication to helping those afflicted and burdened by hardships like polio.  Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates spreads his belief:  "that by giving people the tools to lead healthy, productive lives, we can help them lift themselves out of poverty," ("All Lives").  While also helping individuals out of poverty, Gates also works to improve education in areas where little to no education is available.  The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation focuses in especially on areas such as Africa, where poverty and poor education is more common than in other places.  This shows how Gates positively impacts people from all over the world by generously providing them with the resources they need to live better lives.  Bill Gates is a hero because his generosity has positively impacted the lives of many people worldwide.  

Visiting polio program in India (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0147nsk/p0147nyd ())
Visiting polio program in India (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0147nsk/p0147nyd ())

Gates was determined when he built up Microsoft to the huge company it is today, but he is still determined to make the world a better place.  He uses his wealth to assist those less fortunate and uses his determination to change the world for the better.  Gates' most well known feat, "...at age nineteen, he launched the Microsoft Corporation with childhood friend Paul Allen (1953-), motivated by the belief that every business and household should have a computer," ("William Henry (Bill) Gates.").  Building up a company as large as Microsoft takes a lot of time and dedication, as well as a thought out purpose.  For Gates, his purpose was to make a personal computer available to every home across the nation. That purpose drove him to keep innovating and change the world.  His determination not only created products that would eventually sweep the nation, but it also serves as inspiration for others who hope to try new things and push the boundaries of innovation.  The Bill & Melinda foundation's purpose shows how Gates has transferred his motivation to a more charitable cause: "In developing countries, we focus on improving people's health and wellbeing, helping individuals lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, we seek to ensure that all people-especially those with the fewest resources-can access the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life," ("All Lives").  This also demonstrates how Gates is determined to make a positive impact because he is not only helping those living in his own nation, but also those who live far away and have even more elaborate problems to deal with.  By having his constant determination to change the world for the better, Gates solidifies his role as a hero.  The efforts towards curing polio require the most dedication from Gates: "The projection of the personal computer into daily life should do the trick for him, but even at the age of 57 he is a restless man and wants something more. The "more" is the eradication of a disease that has blighted untold numbers of lives: polio," ("Bill Gates interview").  Gates is constantly looking for something bigger and better to do and as his life goes on, he tackles bigger and bigger challenges.  It started with personal computers, then transitioned to charity and poverty, and is currently at curing polio.  Each of these commitments require different aspects of Gates, whether it be his intelligence, his resources, or his larger-than-life thinking, but they all require determination.  Gates demonstrates his determination by helping others all around the world and changing their lives for the better.

Spreading awareness and inspiring the public (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ ())
Spreading awareness and inspiring the public (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ ())

Bill Gates is a hero because of his generosity towards those who need help and his determination to change the world for the better.  The generosity Gates has demonstrated on countless occasions has completely changed the lives of so many people and provided them with the necessities to live long and happy lives.  Gates' determination demonstrates heroism because consistently makes an effort to positively impact the world.  Gates is an inspiration because he acts as a role model on a business, as well as on an ethical standpoint.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's goal and focus demonstrates the idea of being dedicated to something greater than just one person: "The main areas of focus for the foundation are finding ways to reduce the effects and spread of malaria, polio, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrhea, and pneumonia, with emphasis on the administration of vaccines. The Foundation's primary goal is in developing technologies to fight disease and poverty," ("William Henry (Bill) Gates.").  This is inspirational due to how it shows the determination of Gates and those around him to help make a difference and save lives.  Gates inspires me to work hard all the time, then sharing whatever success I may find with those less fortunate.  Heroes need to dedicate themselves to something bigger than themselves, and Bill Gates has done just that.

Works Cited

"All Lives Have Equal Value."Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/. Accessed 1 May 2017.  

"Bill Gates interview: I have no use for money. This is God's work; Having already given

away $28bn, Bill Gates intends to eradicate polio, with the same drive he brought to Microsoft. He speaks to Neil Tweedie." Telegraph Online, 18 Jan. 2013. Biography in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A315416113/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=8145493f.

Accessed 1 May 2017.

"William Henry (Bill) Gates." Computer Sciences, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda

Wilmoth Lerner, 2nd ed., Macmillan Reference USA, 2013. Biography in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2642210032/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=6757e3ea.

Accessed 27 Apr. 2017.


Page created on 5/23/2017 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 5/23/2017 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - The Foundation that Bill and Melinda started to help people around the world
Microsoft - The company that Bill Gates founded back in 1975
Gates Notes - Bill Gates''s blog about life in general