5 times MrBeast faced backlash for his philanthropic endeavors
The most subscribed individual YouTuber, Jimmy "MrBeast," has redefined the charity over the years. Donaldson carved out a niche for himself with his attention-grabbing videos involving grand-scale activities and philanthropic endeavors where he donates substantial amounts of money to needy individuals and supports charitable causes.
Jimmy's philanthropic endeavors extend beyond mere financial contributions, as he frequently uses his platform to raise awareness about critical social issues. While the 25-year-old has gained widespread acclaim for his philanthropic endeavors, some questions have been raised regarding his motives and the long-term impact of his actions.
Critics argue that his philanthropy, which often involves large cash giveaways, perpetuates a culture of dependency rather than addressing systemic issues and that his 'stunts' can be classified as poverty or charity p*rn. Here are five instances that saw Jimmy come under fire for his philanthropic efforts in this digital age.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
Five times when MrBeast faced criticism for his philanthropy
1) Where the backlash started
In 2018, MrBeast faced backlash for his philanthropic deeds for the very first since making his debut in 2017. The video titled 'Giving $100,000 To A Homeless Person ' followed in the footsteps of his debut video, in which Jimmy gave away 10% of the money to another homeless person. However, since Jimmy had already started making waves on YouTube through his philanthropic endeavors, many viewers soon became critical of his videos.
The controversy highlighted concerns regarding the sustainability of individual cash gifts, the potential unintended consequences, and ultimately the ethics of turning acts of charity into entertainment spectacles. This trend continues to live to this day, as can be noticed in the following entries.
2) Feastables' Car
In what was intended to be an emotional TikTok that tugs at your heartstrings, Jimmy surprised a struggling waitress with her brand-new Toyota Corolla in March 2023. Though the waitress receiving the car broke down and was visibly overwhelmed by Donaldson's generosity, MrBeast faced intense backlash for trying to promote his Feastables brand via stickers on the newly 'gifted' car.
In another post, Jimmy clarified that the stickers on the car were removable and that he even asked the waitress if she wanted to remove them, to which the waitress stated her decision to keep the stickers on the car.
3) Curing Blindness
2023 is turning out to be the year where criticizing Mr. Beast's philanthropic acts seems to have become the trend. Earlier this year, on 29 January 2023, Jimmy uploaded a YouTube video featuring how he funded 1000 cataract operations for Americans slowly losing their vision.
While most fans lauded Jimmy for his thoughtful philanthropic act, a few accused him of promoting inspiration and charity p*rn, implying the 25-year-old is only doing it for the views and attention. A more hard-hitting accusation saw MrBeast be accused of perpetuating "systemic ableism" by displaying these individuals.
4) Donating Shoes
A couple of months ago, MrBeast found himself yet again facing severe backlash for his philanthropic endeavors. The act involved donating 20,000 shoes to the Barefoot No More movement in South Africa, which is on a mission to bring school shoes to the hundreds of thousands of kids in South Africa.
While many viewers viewed this act as another magnanimous endeavor by the YouTuber, a few were quick to accuse Jimmy of profits from other people's misery and hardships. MrBeast was quick to refute these claims stating that he has never made any money from his Beast Burger ventures and that he only started the experience "because restaurants were struggling, and I wanted to give them a way to earn extra money."
5) Curing Deafness
A couple of weeks ago, Jimmy uploaded a video to his main MrBeast channel titled "1,000 Deaf People Hear For The First Time," which, as the name suggests, featured the YouTuber spending upwards of $3,00,000 on "cutting-edge" hearing technology that would help people suffering from deafness.
As in all the previous entries, most viewers quickly appreciated Jimmy for another benevolent deed. At the same time, a few of them just about had it with Jimmy and his content, with one user going as far as calling the 25-year-old YouTuber 'demonic.' This came shortly after he was termed the antichrist for helping people see and promoting systemic ableism.
It is important to note that while MrBeast faces backlash, he also has a significant number of supporters who appreciate his philanthropic efforts and see them as a force for good. The criticisms reflect the complexity of navigating the intersection between philanthropy, entertainment, and the responsibility of using influence and resources to make a positive impact.
Quick Links
Arkaprovo Roy