Jimmy Donaldson, also known as “MrBeast”, is a YouTuber who gives away large amounts of money. Sometimes it’s through a challenge or game, other times it’s for charity. You can give away cash or help rebuild homes in disaster areas. Or even adopt dogs from shelters.
Donaldson gave free cataract surgery to 1,000 people in a Sunday video. As a bonus, he gave thousands of dollars to some of the patients and also gave a Tesla to one child who had always wanted to drive a vehicle.
Donaldson did more than just help Americans. He also visited the poor of other countries and helped them to get their sites back. It’s heartwarming to see and has been met with positive reactions.
Despite the overwhelming positive response, those who are permanently outraged still seek to find reasons not to be mad at Donaldson’s actions. He is being accused of bizarre claims, including “performative altruism”, or “poverty tour”.
Donaldson claims that he is performing acts of charity in order to make a profit. Donaldson should have done the work and not bragged about it, according to Twitter users.
Donaldson is accused of “poverty-touring” and claiming that he takes advantage of people who are poor by filming himself, helping them to become richer.
There are also those who wish to use the act of charity to condemn capitalism. This was the view of Hasan Pyker, a Twitch streamer who is a hypocritical socialist and condemned American capitalism after he watched it during one his streams.
Brandon Bird, an artist who called the video “demonic,” lamented that people aren’t able to have surgery if they need it but must be “paraded for view” instead.
Bird stated that people would get surgery whenever they needed it. “Neither misfortune or acts of kindness would be displayed for views and (something I think has been under-remarked upon), you wouldn’t have to be megarich in order to do something positive.”
Let’s first correct the record regarding “poverty touring.”
Donaldson could be doing one thing, such as showing up in poor areas or countries and gathering people with the same ailments, then posting it on YouTube. He is not doing that. These people are getting their sight back. He is making the world a better world in areas where it hasn’t been the best. His claim that he is just visiting these areas is blatantly false.
Second, I want two birds with the same stone. Does he practice performative altruism or is he just doing it?
Sure. You can be glad that he is, because his performances earn more money through the capitalist system than those rich socialists complain about. Donaldson can then use the income he has earned through the system for more charitable acts.
He uses the capitalist system to benefit more people than any socialism could. To point fingers at him for showing that the most efficient economic system has ever been created, it’s like naysaying sheepdogs for his ability to protect the herd.
It is hard to understand why the sheepdogs are so good at looking after them.
It is inspiring and uplifting to see people helping others, especially when they are in desperate need. There is enough negativity in the world. It’s hard to see the good in seeing 1,000 people with vision loss get their sight back. This is a refreshing break from the negative messages we are constantly fed on social media.