# Is “MrBeast” Good? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 12, 2023, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379 "2023-06-12T18:39:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/1 "2023-06-12T18:39:17Z")
MrBeast, as you likely know, is an Internet philanthropist. He does somewhat outrageous things for web views, but pours much of the profit into calculated philanthropic acts largely derived to get more attention and web views. Not everyone likes it. But on the whole, it seems a refreshing change from attention-seeking through malevolence. Not that I am going to watch it in any case. **But what do you think?** Source: > **[How MrBeast Became the Willy Wonka of YouTube](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/12/magazine/mrbeast-youtube.html)** > > Jimmy Donaldson, a.k.a. MrBeast, has become a viral sensation for his absurd acts of altruism. Why do so many people think he’s evil? (Note: surprised how little came up on a search for previous threads. Maybe I did it wrong? Article might be paywalled.) ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/2 "2023-06-12T20:30:47Z")
I’m shockingly out of touch with the things youths spend their time on these days. I’ve barely heard of this person and pretty everyone I know is the same, despite him being more popular than the Super Bowl. It’s the same as the Roblox game. It’s good that 1000 people can now see, even if charity wasn’t his primary intention. Doesn’t seem much different than any other reality TV show. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/3 "2023-06-12T21:04:16Z")
Just like most influencer content, I find it no different than reality TV. Boring as hell. Lots of lead up and padding and very little (entertainment) pay off. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/4 "2023-06-12T21:27:58Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > MrBeast, as you likely know, That’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/5 "2023-06-12T21:36:26Z")
I’ve only seen some of his Minecraft related content. I say Minecraft related because they are not tutorials or playthroughs like I was expecting. They use a private server to sandbox games and contests in the Minecraft world. My kids like it. I’d say it’s on par with Double Dare or American Gladiators. It’s more entertaining than Captain Kangaroo. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/6 "2023-06-12T21:40:14Z")
I read somewhere a while back that he’s found a glitch in the matrix to generate money doing philanthropy to do even more philanthropy. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/7 "2023-06-12T21:49:44Z")
I watch a lot of channels on YouTube, mostly educational like Numberphile or Tasting History. But I have also enjoyed shows like GMM and Mark Rober. Despite MrBeast’s popularity and his closeness in style (as I understand it) to Rober, the algorithm has never once recommended a video of his to me. I’m willing to trust the algorithm. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/8 "2023-06-12T22:01:10Z")
You say that as if you never dreamt of being Willy Wonka. Sure, most people like chocolate. But these days, being called the Wonka of anything might not be the biggest complement. Not when the Oompa-Loompas form unions or ask for reparations, when Occupational Health asks awkward questions, or when only 25% of grandparents seemingly meet nutritional and exercise standards giving them the strength to cheer Charlie onwards. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/9 "2023-06-12T22:27:36Z")
Clearly, people have been trained to be cynical of anything positive. It’s probably healthy in limited doses since so many things _are_ totally fake. The trouble is that it’s easy to whip up a “conspiracy theory” of absolutely anything, including how a good person is actually evil. Just take a bunch of stuff out of context and add your own spin. There also seems to be an element of “performative cynicism” on some social media. I doubt there’s anything about MrBeast than the obvious: his brand of “philanthropy” is a pretty good business. He doesn’t seem to pursue actual high-impact results with the money, but it’s hardly evil. It’s not the worst thing he could do with the money. ---
**Author:** ![WalterBishop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/aeb1de/32.png) [@WalterBishop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WalterBishop)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/10 "2023-06-12T22:32:39Z")
Mr Beast is awesome. His videos are very entertaining. He gives life-changing money to people nearly every day, and he runs at least two eco-charities that I’m aware of devoted to cleaning up the oceans. He was on Rogan a few months ago and he comes across as a genuinely decent guy. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/11 "2023-06-12T22:33:51Z")
Well, if _anyone_ knows MrBeast… ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/12 "2023-06-13T02:39:01Z")
He seems to have garnered an appearance on a somewhat awful looking show where Gordon Ramsay wants to invest a paltry $250k in the best business from a dozen or so contestants. Kind of like _Shirk Tang_. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/13 "2023-06-13T02:42:31Z")
I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t like him. That is to say, I don’t really enjoy his content. He doesn’t speak to my demographic. But I like what he does and what he does with the money he makes. His chocolate bars suck, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/14 "2023-06-13T03:16:26Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > It’s more entertaining than Captain Kangaroo. Well, what about counting flowers on the wall? That bother you? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/15 "2023-06-13T04:54:04Z")
Is he the tree-planting guy? I vaguely remember hearing about some Youtuber who was collecting donations to plant a zillion trees. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/16 "2023-06-13T06:10:49Z")
I’ve watched one video. It was nice what he was doing for people. I understand others who think this isn’t the ideal way to help others or fight the system, but, at the same time, I think it’s dumb to attack someone who is trying to help. The only real problem I have with him is his MrBeast Burger, which pushes the idea of ghost kitchens, which have a lot of problems. These are delivery-only restaurants that appear on delivery apps, which actually tend to be a single restaurant pretending to be many, using a small kitchen with poor working conditions that often fail inspections. But then only one “restaurant” gets shut down. Oh, and often they sell the same exact food just in different “restaurants.” Or they can even be someone who works at a regular restaurant who cooks the other stuff on the side, with or without permission of the actual restaurant. It’s just sketchy. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/17 "2023-06-13T21:41:43Z")
I know little about MrBeast and less about his burgers and bars. Though some think charitable donations should be anonymous, munificence is almost always better than malevolence. Although there is something slightly distasteful about overzealous self-promotion, clearly charity is one of its better forms. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/18 "2023-06-13T22:22:07Z")
My kids like MrBeast so I’ve watched a few videos, and while I do find them oddly boring, they are _frantic._ I think they would benefit from some padding. It’s actually shocking to me how quickly he’ll breeze through a segment giving away $10k. Like, 15 seconds and then on to the next thing. Most youtubers would milk that kind of budget for a full half hour. It’s a spectacle to be sure. Just not my cup of tea. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/19 "2023-06-13T22:56:47Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > I’m shockingly out of touch with the things youths spend their time on these days. I’ve barely heard of this person and pretty everyone I know is the same, despite him being more popular than the Super Bowl. It’s the same as the Roblox game. I first learned about Mr. Beast a few months ago, and given his popularity, was surprised I had never heard of him. It got me thinking, when radio stars started gaining popularity, were there older people that didn’t get it or were angry about it? > [@Palooka](#): > > It’s good that 1000 people can now see, even if charity wasn’t his primary intention. Doesn’t seem much different than any other reality TV show. Yeah, I don’t see him as being all that different from a variety of other entertainers who do charitable acts. It’s not like he’s making people humilate themselves or humilating others for views. I’m not going to spit in his eye just because someone might not think he has the purest of motivations here. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379/20 "2023-06-13T23:01:37Z")
The one thing I want to note is that the promotion he does in his videos is how he raised the money for the charitable acts. All the money he gets from people who watch the video fund the next charitable act he does. So it’s not just him using it for self-promotion. His self-promotion allows him to do the charitable acts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mrbeast-good/985379.md?page=2)