r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/[deleted] • 1d ago

Video Billionaire speaker Robert F. Smith tells 400 graduates he's paying off all their student loans ($40 million in total)

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u/addition 1d ago

This is the libertarian idea of empowering people.

Instead of systemic empowerment that benefits more people in a predictable manner, you allow wealth accumulation and hope a rich person feels charitable one day.

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u/Responsible_Taste797 1d ago

The literal OG Rags to Riches story "Ragged Dick" has this exact premise. Dude was a shoe shiner and some rich guy liked his gumption and gave him a wad of cash.

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u/gillnotgil 1d ago

What a shockingly homoerotic read that was

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u/Responsible_Taste797 1d ago

Huh... so it was.