Wang Shuo: Listen to Bafitegets about charity

"I never thought of retiring!" I will not consider a direct involvement in the management of charitable foundations when I retire someday. I make money, gates they spend money, that's best.　　"said Buffett.　　"Caixin Net" (reporter Wang Shuo) in China on the last day of charity trip, September 30 morning, Buffett and gates together received the financial and new media, Xinhua news agency, People's Daily, China Daily's joint interview. Buffett is 80 years old. I asked him: "You always have to retire, wait to retire will you do charity?" "Buffett's answer was very shrewd: I don't want to be old enough to do charity while drooling, and as long as I'm still doing it, I'm doing my job, which is my favorite job."　　Although the recent investment career has visible succession echelon, Buffett but a word can not be said wrong. Both Buffett and Mr. Gates think philanthropy is harder than business. Buffett said that there are tens of thousands of opportunities to invest, a way to change, but the charity is different, sometimes have to face difficulties, must come up with a way to go around. ' It's hard to know how to evaluate good or bad, ' Mr. Gates said.　　And business, the market will tell you success or failure, but charity is not. Some people asked the difference between the Chinese and American charity, Buffett and Gates Masse, poured out the bitter: "We do not understand China!"　　The following is a joint interview record.　　Charity wants people to sacrifice. Q: Two last night (September 29) at a charity dinner with Chinese entrepreneurs, what signals did you get? Gates: It's a surprise to be on the show, and the people who attend are impressive. At the dinner party, we shared our understanding of American philanthropy, and Chinese entrepreneurs raised questions that gave us a better understanding of the state of philanthropy in China.　　In a word, the communication was a success. Buffett: In addition to the 50-bit dinner lineup, what surprises me most is that communication is surprisingly easy. Nearly 30 people talked about the current situation of their businesses, as well as the family situation. I feel like an American party. We have a different cultural background, most people have never met, but the party did not show the awkward moment of communication. We talked at random, and no one gave a long-winded speech.　　The whole dinner gave me the impression of sitting and chatting with a group of American entrepreneurs.　　Q: Did you get the real results from the conversation? Buffett: We didn't make any specific demands. Incidentally, we would not do so in the United States. So far, we have held four such gatherings in the United States.　　The aim is to open up the dialogue, perhaps to inspire entrepreneurs to think about ideas they have never had, perhaps to make us aware of the perspective we have never known. Choosing to do charity is a big decision. Before that, entrepreneurs were talking to each other, interacting with experienced people and speaking to their families. So most of the attendees think about more than what we talked about last night. We did not ask them to listen to us for a long time to preach to action. Charity should not be done in that way, and not in that way. They can communicate with each other, ask questions, andFamily discussions, they will have their own views and expectations of the future. And it all depends on themselves. Our practice in China is exactly the same as in the United States. Indeed, we had an initiative in the United States, because we were setting up a charitable organization to ask entrepreneurs if they were willing to participate. An entrepreneur is not a response to our initiative. In fact, there are many entrepreneurs we have not sent invitations.　　Even if the initiative is issued, our approach is very low-key and should be low-key. Gates: Some of the people who go to dinner have seen the problems of philanthropy in China, and it is these problems that make them want to come together. It all depends on them. Indeed, we shared with them the concept of the "charitable oath" (The Giving Pledge), telling them how successful the "Charity Oath" was: we enjoyed regular communication within the team in a team that shared the will.　　This is one of the American philanthropic models. Buffett: Bill's charitable view was formed through the years of communication with his parents and his wife. By doing charity, he found his real interest. So am I. For the past Half-century, my wife and I have been discussing charitable matters, and this discussion has started since our children were young. As time went on, the children grew up and they joined us in the discussion. From the children's feedback, I know that they have become more aware of themselves in the process of actively participating in charity.　　Therefore, do not do charity is not a temporary rise, but with the accumulation of the past. Q: Last night when you were at a charity dinner with a Chinese entrepreneur, someone started a charity dinner for ordinary people in Beijing.　　What do you think is the difference between the rich and the ordinary people in charity, and what kind of people have a greater impact on the growing social philanthropy? Buffett: Obviously, there are projects that can only be developed on the basis of massive capital investment, such as fighting against certain major diseases. Some institutions may need a large amount of money for charitable donations. In some cases, huge sums of money did provide a lot of help. But I personally think that small charity is more admirable than a huge donation. I donated money, but it's no big deal for me. I will not sacrifice the enjoyment of my life for this. I live in the house I want, I go to the cinema to watch my favorite movies, I go to the trip I look forward to, I eat I want to eat food. I have nothing to lose. In community-organised philanthropy, the average American donates five or 10 dollars to a collection box or to the United States United Way. This kind of charity is for people to sacrifice. I particularly admire ordinary people who donate small sums of money. They sacrificed what I didn't sacrifice. They take part in the money from home shopping for charity. If there is a high percentage of people in a community who are involved in such charitable acts as scouting, hospital services and free soup delivery, it is these ordinary people who make the community a better place. Over time, this spirit evolves, shaping the behavior of the community as a whole. Because of that, I'm going to go for last night'sThe participants applauded. Gates: Jet Li founded One Foundation, advocating a one-yuan yuan for grassroots philanthropy. In the process of doing one fund, he is also gradually learning, progress, growth. If a country has many ordinary people who are enthusiastic about charity, then usually the rich in the country will donate generously. When I was young, my parents were rumored to teach me how to give my heart. In this way, when I grow up to have more wealth, it will naturally have a sense of charity.　　Therefore, the two are complementary and it is best to develop at the same time. Buffett: 18th century, the young John? John D. Rockefeller in his diary that he donated a coin one day-about the equivalent of five cents, 10 cents today. The habit of being young had a profound effect on him, as well as his children, grandchildren, and even the great-grandchildren of the present generation. The impact of micro-philanthropy is profound. If Rockefeller had grown up in a different family environment, American society might not have been in such a charitable environment. Bill and I read about him and were influenced by him.　　Charity is like a torch for generations. Charity Heart Without Borders Q: You mentioned that China has not yet formed a national scope, all levels are involved in charitable phenomenon. Why do you say that? Are there any charitable activities in China that impress you?　　Can you comment on Chinese philanthropy in two or three words? Gates: We are not experts in Chinese philanthropy. The most remarkable thing I've ever known is the great relief that people are actively involved in, both rich and large. The Chinese obviously have a very strong instinctive reaction to charity. Sometimes people want to know what their abilities are: Can I help solve a disease by donating? Can I help improve environmental problems through donations? Can I help promote scientific research through donations? With the accumulation of wealth, the extent and scope of social acceptance of donations are further developed. This is important to China. We are accustomed to the existence of American non-profit organizations and the acceptance of society, and the non-profit sector is a strong part of the United States. Influenced by Confucianism the Chinese have long had a generous tradition, but now Chinese society is very different from the past, it would be a good thing if the ability of charity can be improved. It was a pleasant conversation last night.　　We see some people are working to strengthen the Chinese social charity, we are very optimistic about China. Buffett: Yesterday, BYD announced a donation of family solar power plants to 1000 Tibetan families. This will greatly change the lives of the local people. These are not difficult things for us, but they can change the life of the individual step-by-step. Bill and I believe-if you really believe-everyone is just as important as another. Although they do not necessarily have the same ability, they do not necessarily have the same achievements, but they are all human beings, each chest beating the same fresh heart. The donation we saw yesterday was just a small example. I don't know the 1000 families in Tibet. Mr Wang does notKnow them.　　But these people's lives have changed because of the advent of electricity.　　Q: Mr. Buffett, apart from donating a lot of money, will you be more active in philanthropy after you retire? Buffett: I didn't think about retiring. I'm not really going to retire unless I start to lose my self-care ability. I've made a plan for the charity and donated it to five foundations. One of the biggest is the Gates Foundation (the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), and the other four are good. I made this decision four or five years ago. Everything is running smoothly now. My own charitable plans have been arranged. I have found someone who is much younger and more capable to do this. I would not consider being smart enough to suddenly take part in the management of charitable foundations after 80 or 85 years of age. I think what I'm doing is fun.　　So, I make money, they spend money. Q: Mr. Gates, you just mentioned that you regularly organize charitable gatherings in the United States.　　Do you think this applies to China as well? Gates: We do not intend to organize regular activities in China. If there are groups like "charitable vows" in any country, then we believe that the two organizations can help each other by exchanging visits or allowing me and Warren to participate in activities. However, at present such organizations exist only in the United States, and the development of time is not long. Therefore, we are not sure whether similar organizations will appear in other countries.　　However, once there is a channel to provide help, we will not be stingy to contribute our own strength. Buffett: In the United States our approach is this: our organization gathers a number of like-minded people, and then we arrange a yearly get-together. It is true that someone would like to come. This is not mandatory.　　These people share lessons with each other. There is no monopoly of ideas here, and everyone can put forward good ideas. We also look forward to listening to your voice and understanding of how you deal with your personal business and arrange charitable donations. We have no experience and methods in other countries. Here, we just introduce ourselves in the United States, what the Chinese do is entirely up to them. If similar organizations in China, Germany or other countries wish to see our Organization, we are also very happy to listen to their views. They can also be invited.　　I think it would be very interesting because most Americans don't know much about other countries, and other countries ' organizations will find the United States very interesting.　　Q: What do you think is the difference between China-US wealth donation system? Gates: Huge fortunes are still relatively new to China, and nonprofit organizations are just getting started. As I know, the Gates Foundation has long supported AIDS prevention programs to help people living with AIDS in China. Non-profit organizations put aid to special community groups. These groups include drug addicts, men who have sex with people, and sex workers. These are the only people who can truly communicate through community organizations. The government does not know the way to communicate with them.Therefore, we are committed to the development of non-governmental organizations to communicate with these communities to help people fight disease. But it takes a process. We need to learn from our partners how to communicate and what mechanisms will help communicate.　　The nonprofit sector is still at an early stage of development and will grow in the next 10-20 years, especially in education, science, health care and environmental protection. Buffett: There's bound to be a difference. Every society has its own characteristics in the process of development. In most societies, the relationship between government and society is different. There are of course differences between China and America. The situation in China is very good and American society is pretty good. You will not expect the two countries to develop their charitable undertakings in exactly the same direction. Those who succeed through hard work or luck can easily understand our thinking: start by helping their families, then help their communities, and then the definition of this "community" grows. When a large fortune is gained, man instinctively wants to help others. We believe that this instinct has no national boundaries.　　In different countries it will show, although the form of expression is different, but there are still many similarities.　　Compulsory donation is not given as a tax question: what are two suggestions for improving the management and performance evaluation of the foundation? Gates: I think China's environmental activists should go to the United States to take a look. The situation in two countries is not exactly the same, but the United States is instructive, since such organizations have been developed for more than 50 years. From the American experience, China can take its essence and discard its dross. For example, you can go to the Sierra club to look at environmental workers in the United States. I know some of the eco-friendly staff in the China-US clean-energy cooperation group (JUCCCE, joint Us-china collaboration). When a new project is launched or a new organization is created, people often question whether the project really makes a lot of sense and whether the organization really works. If you donate to a university research project, if the results are not ideal, the donor will not feel unworthy. However, if a scholarship is established, donors often hope to have a greater impact. Even in America, where philanthropy has developed for years, there are concerns. Our foundation has done a lot of research to measure the effect of the test project. But measuring the usefulness of each donation is far more difficult than measuring business profitability.　　But when it comes to the eradication of new vaccines or polio, we can say that philanthropy does make a big contribution. Buffett: You raised a very important question. This is indeed the voice of every philanthropist. Not only the American people but also the Chinese entrepreneurs who went to dinner last night are very concerned about. Part of the work we are moving forward is to learn how to improve progress in communication. It is particularly important to ensure that donated funds are not wasted. Because of the existence of charitable funds, there have been various improvements in society. In the United States, we see a lot of good things for the public to benefit from a lot ofCharitable acts, we have also seen large amounts of charitable donations wasted. But in general it seems that the future will be getting better. Because people will learn in practice, predecessors will leave experience for posterity. It's just that we hope this progress will be faster. That's why we want to communicate more. The more people share their experiences, the more effective future philanthropy will produce.　　If China were to form an organization such as the Gates Foundation, charities in both countries would become smarter in practice and communication. Q: Two have brought encouraging news to China.　　May I ask whether you have also gained new enlightenment from Chinese entrepreneurs during the trip to China? Gates: Yesterday's feasting people were thinking about philanthropy and wanted to find ways to improve the world. Their discussion was impressive. Philanthropy in China has just begun. If some Chinese entrepreneurs do charitable projects, this will have far-reaching and even spectacular benefits for future generations. There have been some examples of success. We get a lot of inspiration from that. We cannot predict where China's philanthropy will go, but that is what the discussion is all about. There are a lot of related reports, of course, the media coverage is not absolutely accurate. Why are there so many such reports? This is a very interesting topic. In a way, this is the beginning of the development of philanthropy in China, and everyone is thinking about what the difference will bring. Philanthropy should be voluntary, but should public opinion bring stress to this topic? This is still a question.　　It is important to balance this because no one should be forced to donate, and charity is entirely voluntary.　　Buffett: If it's a mandatory donation, it's not a grant, it's a tax.　　Q: What other projects does your foundation have in China? Gates: This gathering is not about the specific projects of the Gates Foundation, because the benefits of philanthropy lie in its diversity. The focus of our work is on health. They have chosen a relatively narrow range of topics, which makes it easy to find experts in a field or to try different ways. Therefore, in my lifetime, the foundation's main issues will remain stable, and we will always do what we are good at. In the area of health, our first funding in China is for hepatitis B vaccines. It has not been used heavily in the western provinces of China, and since then it has actually become a standard practice. Now, we are working on the issue of tobacco and are committed to informing people about the possibility of lung cancer and how to reduce the risk of disease. Tobacco and HIV are two big areas. The key point is to showcase the same model projects that other countries apply. China should be able to control its citizens ' TB epidemic, but the status quo is not optimistic.　　In five years, if the project we are supporting now succeeds in China, it will prove to be globally applicable.　　Q: What do you think are the challenges of your early years in the High-tech or investment industry compared to what you are doing now? Buffett: For me, philanthropy is more difficult and requires more wisdom than investment. When you invest, you pick out thousands of opportunitiesA good one will do. If you are faced with a disease, you have no chance of choice. You have to deal with very difficult problems, even if it may take a lifetime to end up with no solution. In an enterprise, you take on the task you are good at and leave others with better business, so the problems of philanthropy and business are completely different. If there is no solution to the major human problems that you are trying to solve, it is unlikely that significant progress will be made in the short term.　　In business activities, if we open a successful DQ ice cream shop, the opening of the 100 stores also succeeded, then continue to open the shop is likely to succeed. Gates: The same thing about doing business and charity is that it's all about setting ambitious goals, supporting reasonable candidates, and having a clear effect model. However, philanthropy is harder to achieve and more difficult to assess.　　Business, the market will tell you success or failure; charity is not, you have to make smart judgments about metrics, have higher demands on yourself, and ask yourself if there is a better way to spend the money.　　Q: Which business do you prefer, investment or charity? Buffett: I love the work I do every day now, it's hard to imagine what it's like to be happier.　　I am very happy to earn money, very happy to help others with money. Gates: Yes, me too. I was fortunate to have spent my career at Microsoft, where I loved to work with a lot of smart people and to see the impact of personal computers and the Internet on human beings. Then I changed my job. Now I like to help eradicate polio, like to support the development of a new malaria vaccine, and to think about how to help farmers in China or Africa solve their problems. I love learning, I like diversity. Most people in life have never done as much fun work as I did at Microsoft or the Gates Foundation.　　So I was fortunate to have a rather unusual experience. (Descartes, Gong orange translation)