The Virtue Of Happiness In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Although there are many people who attempt to embody the virtue of happiness, Bill Gates appear to be the one to do it most effectively. In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, he defines happiness to be obtained through “habituation or by some sort of training” of the virtues, a practice Bill Gates knows well (Aristotle 121). According to Forbes magazine, he was voted to be “the world’s most generous person”, further expressing his ability to exercise virtues (Mac). But is Bill Gate only appearing to look virtuous to gain more money and pursue greed? By looking at the works of Aristotle and various news articles we arrive at an understanding that Bill Gates ability to embody the virtue of happiness while dropping out of college is due to his self-sufficient
nature, and practice of virtuous actions, which allows for him to start the company Microsoft. Although many businessmen only wish to pursue the money and give into greed, Gates stands out by donating much of his money to charity. As a result of this understanding of Bill Gates, the idea of him embodying the virtue happiness is made clear. Before we can discuss how Bill Gates embodies the virtue happiness, what must first be discussed is who Bill Gates is and the conflict that arose in his life that forced him to embrace the virtue happiness. Bill Gates is an entrepreneur, “born in Seattle Washington”, who grows up to become one of the richest mans in the world (Bill Gates - Biography). In his biography, it makes mention that he “began to show an interest in computer programming at age thirteen. . . [and] pursued this passion through college” (Bill Gates – Biography). He gets accepted into Harvard, where “he spen[t] [most] of his time in the computer lab” (Bill Gates – Biography). This passion he has for computer programming is what causes him to make the decision to drop out of college, to start his own business making computer software. This is the conflict that arose in his life that would ultimately lead to him embodying the virtue happiness. By dropping out of college, Gates would have no degree to fall back on if his business plan fails, making this is a big moment in his life. Bill Gates then begins to use that conflict to prove he embodies the virtue happiness by showing he is self-sufficient. Aristotle writes in Nicomachean Ethics that “happiness, then is, . . . self-sufficient” (Aristotle 118). Aristotle wrote this to state clearly that being self-sufficient is one of the core characteristics of happiness, which incidentally is a characteristic of Bill Gates as well. But what does it mean to be self-sufficient and how does it pertain to Bill Gates? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, to be self-sufficient means to be “able to maintain oneself. . . without outside aid” (Self-sufficient). In other words, to be self-sufficient one must be able to live independently and accomplish various tasks without this assistance of anyone or something else. This idea of self-sufficiently is reflected on to Bill Gates due to his ability to start his own business, called Microsoft, without the assist of any formal degree. This is made evident by Entrepreneur Magazine when they write that “in just 25 years, he built a two-man operation into a multibillion-dollar colossus” all without a college degree (Bill Gates – Entrepreneur). This is an accomplishment Bill Gates is famous for and did it without the assistance of a complete formal education. For that reason, Bill Gates is proven to be self-sufficient because of his ability to build up a company on his own without the assistance of a degree. Due to this evidence of his self-sufficiency it is beginning to come more clear that he embodies the virtue happiness. In addition to Bill Gates being self-sufficient, he was able to achieve the virtue happiness through his virtuous actions.
Aristotle argues that “happiness is to be acquired. . . by habituation or by some other sort of training” (Aristotle 121). The training Aristotle is referring to is the exercise of virtue and it is through this exercise of virtue that happiness is obtained. Bill Gates exhibits a variety of the virtues but the most pronoun virtues he practices are charity and industry. He practices the virtue charity by donating “more than $28 billion dollars” and by starting the Gates Foundation, a charity organization that is “dedicated to improving lives around the world” (All Lives, Mac). Their goals include social issues such as “improve[ing] U.S. high school and postsecondary education and support[ing] vulnerable children and families” (All Lives). Bill Gates started this organization with his wife, Melinda, to give back to society and help those in need. This creating of the Gates Foundation serves as a way for Bill Gates to exercise the virtue charity, since the virtue charity revolves around providing to those in need, which is the main goal of the organization. In addition to charity, he also exercises the virtue industry through his hard work while creating the company Microsoft. Writers from Funders and Founders describe Bill Gate to be a “workaholic” due to his habit of “cod[ing] all day, sle[eping] at the computer” (Vital). This obsessive level of working,
is how Bill Gates excises the industry, since its primary characteristic is hardworking. Therefore, by working all day and all night, Gates is able to demonstrate his hardworking, industrious nature. Through this exercise of virtues, such as charity and industry, Bill Gates is able to achieve happiness; therefore, further highlighting his embodiment of the virtue happiness. However, how do we know if Bill Gates is truly acting virtuously and is not just pretending to be virtuous as a ploy to make more money like many other businessmen?
Machiavelli notes that “it is necessary to know well how. . . to be a great pretender” (Machiavelli 202). To interpret, Machiavelli is saying that it is important for someone in power to be able to pretend to be virtuous and to deceive the people. By doing so, the one in power would be able to gain the trust of the people, in turn increasing his following. But is this what Bill Gates doing to assist him in gaining more money? Although, according to Seattle Times, Bill Gates “direct[ly] fund[ed]. . . media and media programs. . . nearly $50 million dollars, which can make it seem that he is attempting to pay the media to make him appear more virtuous; however, it does not appear he is doing so for financial gain (Doughton). Instead, Bill Gates is paying the media to “help spur coverage of global health, development and education issues” (Doughton). Proving his use of the media is not to deceive the people but to inform them of important issues that must be addressed to the public, further emphasizing his virtuous nature. In addition, Bill Gates also makes it clear that he is not overtaken by the vice greed and in pursue of only money. This is made evident due to him “pledging to give away 95 percent of [his] fortune” to charity (Bill and Melinda). His willingness to give away that huge chunk of his wealth to
charity shows that he is not out solely to make money, but to instead give it. After analyzing the evidence it is clear that Bill Gates rejects the advice of Machiavelli, who claims a good leader must only pretend to be virtuous, but instead is actually exercises the virtues while avoiding vices such as greed. To conclude, the idea that Bill Gates embodies the virtue happiness is made clear due to the evidence of his self-sufficiency, and excise of virtues while dropping out of college. By dropping out of college and successfully starting a business, Microsoft, Bill Gates displays his self-sufficiency, proving he can “maintain [him]self . . . without [the] outside aid” of a degree (Self-sufficient). Additionally, through his acts of virtue, such as charity and industry, he is able to not only obtain happiness, but further prove that he embodies it. Although, some may doubt his intentions and believe he is only pretending to be virtuous to increase his wealth; however, that is prove to be not the case due to his willingness to donate 95% of his wealth, and his use of the media to spread information about various global causes. As has been noted, due to Bill Gates qualities of being self-sufficient and exercising virtuous actions, it is clear that Bill Gates embodies the virtue happiness.