What is the point of Beast Philanthropy?

Abstract

Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson is the most watched person on earth. There are undeniably far worse figures who could be commanding such attention, but there remains uncertainty about his methods of philanthropic giving and what Beast Philanthropy ultimately hopes to achieve. Beast Philanthropy claims that, through entertainment‐based giving, they are inspiring a new generation of young people to be more civic‐minded. However, this jars harshly with the hedonistic indulgence of many MrBeast videos, which delight in spectacular wastefulness and luxury consumerism. Moreover, Beast Philanthropy fosters both passive and romanticized notions of generosity, conditioning viewers to think of their attention as a gift and that giving should be always and endlessly fun. Finally, the insistent anti‐politicism of Beast Philanthropy entails a refusal to offer even the slightest of opinions on the underlying causes of suffering and inequality. This deliberately incurious worldview may promote a narrow and stunted perspective on how meaningful social and political change is achieved. However, there are reasons to be optimistic and open‐minded, and philanthropic foundations should not outright dismiss the prospects for Beast‐style giving.