What do billionaires talk about?

Thanks to Michael Kinsley’s efforts, you can eavesdrop on a conversation about "creative capitalism" between Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Buffet is highly skeptical of the concept, a twist on corporate philanthropy that Gates introduced at Davos to great fanfare in January. Here’s Buffet: The market system is always going to take care of the ...

Thanks to Michael Kinsley's efforts, you can eavesdrop on a conversation about "creative capitalism" between Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Buffet is highly skeptical of the concept, a twist on corporate philanthropy that Gates introduced at Davos to great fanfare in January. Here's Buffet:

Thanks to Michael Kinsley’s efforts, you can eavesdrop on a conversation about "creative capitalism" between Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Buffet is highly skeptical of the concept, a twist on corporate philanthropy that Gates introduced at Davos to great fanfare in January. Here’s Buffet:

The market system is always going to take care of the medical needs of the rich . . . if a rich guy wants to take out a young gal, you’re going to sell him Viagra and be able to make money doing so. Basically, the market system will make that research worthwhile. But it won’t make research worthwhile for some disease that is indigenous to the poorest parts of the world and not present elsewhere. 

There’s more interesting debate on Creative Capitalism, a new group blog devoted to the subject featuring such leading lights as Ed Glaeser, Gary Becker, and William Easterly.

(Hat tip: Tyler Cowen)

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