I’m currently reading a book–sort of a joint biography–about the battle between John D. Rockefeller and Ida Tarbell.
I think that most people at least partially admire Rockefeller’s accomplishments, even though they might disapprove of some of his methods. To the best of my knowledge, Andrew Carnegie is almost universally admired, largely because of his libraries. (There are two in Colorado Springs.)
In modern times, many people admire Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. I also think highly of Seymour Cray.
I most admire Carnegie–I love books. I would be interested in knowing which person other Dopers admire the most. You can use either accomplishments or personal character.
Note–I do not wish to preclude discussion of most disliked, if anybody wants to take the conversation in that direction.
You didn’t list him, but I’d say Warren Buffett, at least among living titans. And Bill Gates has done a lot of good with his money since he stepped down from leading Microsoft.
I went Carnegie although technically, in most cases, he provided the buildings and not the books. Some of the libraries were fully funded initially but most were not.
What I like about him was he found an “evil twin” (Frick) to make everything work. For all his goodness and understanding, to become a robber baron at the time required something of a robber. Andrew saw that ability in Henry Clay and signed him up. So you have one of the most admired businessmen in America creating one of the most hated.
Carnegie - he was instrumental to the widespread system of public libraries we have today. Who knows what advancements and talented people we wouldn’t have today if people couldn’t just walk into a library and start reading. True, to become that rich in the first place you can’t be an angel, but that applies to everyone listed. Bill Gates is second.
Aside from Carnegie’s libraries, he, Mellon, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and Stanford founded or substantially financed colleges and universities (Carnegie-Mellon University, Vanderbilt University, Spelman College, Denison University, the University of Chicago, Rockefeller University and Stanford University).
And museums; lets not forget those. Not all are as large as the Carnegie in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh I believe all of the above at least founded something if only for their personal collections.
I believe Bill Gates has said, even from early on in his career, that he deliberately intended to emulate Andrew Carnegie in being a philanthropist with his money.
For one, most people who get rich get rich by selling the world want the world wants. Railroads, computer items, real estate. Musk got rich selling the world what he thinks the world needs. There is a meaningful difference. He didn’t get rich selling dog food and pet rocks. He sells alternative energy, communications advances and transportation advances.
Secondly, musk has hit gold several times. He helped put the yellow pages online. He revamped online commerce with PayPal. He revamped energy with Tesla and solar city (solar city is the 2nd largest supplier of solar energy in the us). He is revamping transportation with space x and the hyperloop. He has struck gold amd/or made major innovations a half dozen times and he is barely 40. To me, he is the closest thing humanity has to a Tony stark or Peter weyland.
Having said that, I also really like Jay Gould. I think Vanderbilt got into a competition with him and gave up after being bested several times.