I was just reading this article and I couldn’t decide whether I’d have taken the reward checks or not. It bothers me that we apparently have to be bribed to do the right thing, whether it’s returning a found item or providing information about a criminal or calling someone when we find their lost dog.
Don’t get me wrong - I don’t begrudge Ms Smith her checks - from what I read, she actually earned them. I don’t know if she earned $60K worth, but her life was at risk, so good for her.
Still, if I found your lost wedding ring, I wouldn’t want anything to return it to you. If I knew my neighbor was a wanted criminal, I wouldn’t expect to be paid for calling the police. And had I been in Ms Smith’s place, I honestly don’t know. Maybe take the money and set up a fund for the children of the victims?
In general, I don’t think I would take a reward for just turning somebody in. But Ms. Smith has a daughter and is a widow. She probably isn’t in a very good financial situation. If I were in her place, a good chunk of the money would be spent on a security system, and she might be seeking therapy after her ordeal, as well.
I would not take a reward for returning a wedding ring, wallet, or pet. Well, maybe the pet if I had incurred some expenses housing it while waiting for it to be picked up, but I wouldn’t take more than the cost of caring for it.
I would take money if I needed it, or give it to charity if I didn’t. I would never do something moral for the reward, but I see no reason in refusing a reward.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking a reward, especially in cases where doing so would clearly make the person you helped happy. It’s nice to do good deeds for their own sake, but at the same time it’s OK for someone to want to give something back when they were helped.
As for public rewards for helping catch criminals, I say take the money. As a member of the public, I certainly don’t mind the miniscule fraction of my taxes which goes to people like Ms. Smith. She did a good thing and may have even averted more deaths – she deserves something good to happen to her in return.
I wasn’t even thinking in terms of where the reward money came from. And like I said, I have no problem with her accepting the money - I hope it makes her life better.
It is appropriate to recognize people who do good things, and I suppose cash is as good a recognition as anything. Still, it seems to cheapen the good deed - I’m not explaining this as well as I’d like to. Maybe I’m trying to say that doing the right thing should be its own reward. Yeah, I know, dream on…
I’m not sure I would accept $25 from a neighbour to return their wedding ring, but if law enfrocements’ offering me money to send in a wanted criminal, I’ll take that money. My first responsibility is to my family, and I would be irresponsible to turn down sums of cash that could help us.
I know what you mean – it’s one of those things where the perspective really changes depending on which side of the situation you put yourself in. I’d personally feel like a bit of a heel accepting a cash reward from an individual without trying to refuse it. (Strangely, I’d have far less problem accepting an institutional reward like Ms. Smith.) However, if someone did me a major favor, I’d be delighted if they let me give them something to say thank you, regardless of how little effort it took for them to help me.
I think the problem is that gratitude and selflessness simply don’t always mix well.
Heck yeah I’d take the reward! If the person is prepared to give a reward then you can bet your butt I’d take it. But I’d also return said item even if there were no reward involved.
If the person was a close friend or even someone that I just knew, I doubt I would take the reward though.
I would definitely take a large reward for something like catching a criminal. I’d probably take a small reward for returning a wallet or something, unless it looks like the person couldn’t afford it. I’d also offer $20 or so to anyone who returned my lost wallet or ring.
I once found and returned somebody’s wallet. She tried to give me $20 of the $40 in it. I wouldn’t accept it. So she gave it to my mother when I wasn’t looking(she was picking the wallet up at my house and my mom was visiting), and Mom gave it to me after she left.
It felt so wrong, I sent it to my favorite charity.
Frankly, having a legitimate excuse to rifle through someone else’s wallet was reward enough for me.
Yes, I would take it, because if the situation were reversed I would offer a reward and expect the finder to take it. A reward isn’t just motivation to get someone to do the right thing–it’s also a thank you to the person who went to the trouble of tracking you down. I frankly think it’s a little rude not to give someone something for their trouble, especially since most of the time when you lose something it’s your own damn fault. If a stranger’s going out on a limb for me because of something stupid I did, I want to pay them for it.
I’d also return something even if there wasn’t a reward. It’s just common decency.
For something little, nah, probably not, not unless the reward-er absolutely insisted. I know I’d want someone to take a reward I offered, so if they were adamant I’d take it, but I’d try to give them an out first in case they actually needed the reward money more than I did.
If I find Osama hiding in the bushes outside my apartment, though – yeah, my money.
I think it totally depends on the situation, the person offering it, etc.
I’ve tried to refuse tips before (as a grocery carryout and as a lifeguard), especially when I didn’t think they were really warranted, but generally people insist. I know that’s not the same thing, but the analogy is there…
I found a purse at a McD’s once, and I promptly turned it into the hands of the store manager. The (late-teen) girl came back to claim it and found me still there. She was ever-gracious and offered me a $5, all she had on her. I insisted she keep the money as I was just doing what is right. Still, she wanted me to keep the money for my honesty.
Politely, I did accept her reward, but it’s not really a bribe. I don’t think $5 would make a dishonest person suddenly turn honest. It was already in my nature to do good. And for her, she simply felt moved to WANT to do something for me.
I would hope people don’t start assessing the reward they might fetch for doing a good deed. Even if it were a diamond ring, I wouldn’t then go sticking my hand out *expecting * a reward. Somethings are greater than money, and it’s not like I’m super-rich or anything. I just hate what money does to people…especially how it can ruin irreplaceable friendships… - Jinx
In a heartbeat. If that’s the way the game is played then I’m playing for keeps.
Found a wallet at the bus stop once (I was 19 and on my way home from bussing tables). It was empty but still had ID and credit cards and such. I called the guy (an old man) from the phone book and he came out to my place.
Turns out he had $800 or so in a hidden compartment in the wallet. He gave me a $100, thanked me and left.
If it were a “Catching a criminal” situation, I would take the money but give all or most to it to the families of the victims. It doesn’t replace their loved ones, of course, but I would feel bad profiting from someone else’s loss.
- Jinx