&gt; The only person I can think of who didn&#x27;t fall into this bizarre pattern is Gates, who just funds a foundation that hands out grants to various organizations, mostly non-profit and NGO, who might get things done.<p>I think you make some insightful points about the &quot;weird pattern&quot;, but I don&#x27;t think Gates is a good counter example.  He, his wife, and his foundations seem as top-down&#x2F;central-planning as anyone else, he just isn&#x27;t as outspoken about it.