In case you missed it, a Wall Street billionaire donated $400 million to Harvard on Wednesday. That donation, by hedge fund manager John Paulson, was Harvard's largest gift of all time and added to Harvard's already mammoth $36.4 billion endowment.
Never one to mince words, famed author Malcolm Gladwell pounced on the news on Twitter, insinuating that Paulson's money could have been put to better use.
It came down to helping the poor or giving the world's richest university $400 mil it doesn't need. Wise choice John! http://t.co/2bFmuTy397
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015Next up for John Paulson: volunteering at the Hermes store on Madison avenue. Let's make this a truly world class retail outlet!
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015Working the coat check at Art basel. They're short staffed!
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015If billionaires don't step up, Harvard will soon be down to its last $30 billion.
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015Apparently $200 mil is earmarked for a satellite campus on St Barts.
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015It's going to be named the John Paulson School of Financial Engineering
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015Harvard's pitch to Paulson: not all privileged people are equally privileged!
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015Paulson to Harvard: is there a way to give back without actually giving anything back?
- Gladwell (@Gladwell) June 3, 2015