Carnegie was painfully retrospective in these matters. It was several years after his mothers death that he would even speak of her. The world and life itself awed Carnegie. He took chances. He bought opportunities during the good times and the hard times.
Genius is found in total devotion to a task.
Carnegie did not marry until he was 52. He spoke of capping his income and donating the balance. Well, that did not come to fruition until his death. He had no tolerance for war or aggression. Robber barron or Robin Hood, industrialist or philanthropist, Carnegie made change.