Who deserves to be given money?

Q30 of 217: This one presents a moral dilemma - should one choose a large amount of money for oneself, or a much larger amount for many strangers? Will I succumb to greed? My answer may not be perfectly serious, but i hope that i raise some interesting points.

Buy tat (merch):

More videos here:

Lindybeige: a channel of archaeology, ancient and medieval warfare, rants, swing dance, travelogues, evolution, and whatever else occurs to me to make.

▼ Follow me...

My website:

Channel page:

[cupcake]

Finally, a subject I'm an expert on! After a lot of work, I'll spare you the details, I've figured out that it is me, I deserve to be given money. Thank you, and good night.

[theodenkingofbrohan]

If i get to choose which strangers get the money and nobody will know who I am, id give it away. If its random strangers then I'm taking the money for me.

[LuxisAlukard]

6:34 "Others would spend it on alcohol, sweets and comics..."
I think 2.5M$ isn't enough...

[DutchFurnace]

This is such an incomplete moral question and you should always take the money yourself if you have no control over who it is going to. If you have such a moral desire to be good with money you're getting "for free" yourself, then it's better to give away the small amount to someone who you know really needs/deserves it, than to randomly have it possibly end up with someone who doesn't need it, or doesn't deserve it, or even worse, will have that money be a "negative" for themselves and others.

Either, you take control and actually be moral/good, or you're only assuming you probably did even more good while ignoring the entirely equal possibility that you did no good at all, or actually even did something bad.

[GnosticAtheist]

I would always take the money if I cant select who gets it. Always.

[zednott]

it's so strange watching this because you have the EXACT voice (intonation and accent) as my old philosophy tutor at Oxford... watching these videos feels like being back in his cramped little office with books stacked to the ceiling! very nostalgic!

[dogwalker]

Those donations are TAX deductible! They are not anonymous to the Tax man.

[doodah]

Part of the 1st 100, just wanted to say thankyou for inspiring me all these years Lindy! Its your videos that Ive listened to repeatedly during long study hours and kept me going through late nights to pursue my bachelor's degree. Long story short, Ive had one hell of a year and I thought I was gonna fail but I powered through thanks to your content and turned an impossible grade into a passing mark. Thankyou so much and I hope you keep making videos you bloody beautiful man 😂

[MemeMarine]

"Take it... Or double it and give it to the next person?"

[edspace.]

I remember reading about how in the medieval era there was a position called Du'Conte (which was a form of administrative nobility in the Holy Roman Empire) and part of that was working for the "Court of Alms" where a landed Noble would here petitions from the people of his (or sometimes her) land for "good causes" (not just what's now called charity but also people looking for help setting up a business, building a building, public infrastructure usw.) as part of their Noblesse Oblige.
With a function of the Du'Conte (in this context) being to see that the claims being made were genuine and that those making them would be genuine in making them.
An example I read about was a petition from a Cottager (in this case the owner of a cottage) who requested 50 Pfennigs to set up a chicken coop, the Du'Conte would then visit them to see if they could set up the coop for around that price and if they had land and or liberty to do so, that they intended to use the money for this purpose and that the project wouldn't fall apart and they'd just be back to their lord for another 50 Pfennigs next session.
I guess money makes folk careful even back when we're talking Pfennigs in the Thaler.

[Quimbyrbg]

I will keep the smaller amount and invest it in alcohol, sweets, and comics.

[SendBreadPics]

Step 1: Creatre a "charity" foundation
step 2: Donate the largest amount to your own foundation.
step3: Profit

[whitefearlytales]

When you work on something that only has the capacity to make you 5 dollars, it does not matter how much harder you work – the most you will make is 5 dollars....

[peppers]

The difference between me and Lindy beige is that I don't need to rationalize taking the money. I've been on this planet long enough to not feel guilty about things like that

[anotherfreediver]

You've explained quantitative easing without ever setting out to do so!

[nishbrown]

Nothing is stopping you from sharing your own money.
The only difference is the path the money takes, and the ability to control where the money goes.
All hinging on a choice, and the awareness to realize you have that choice.

[thehitomiboy]

If i cant pick who, i am going to take the money myself, get my affairs in order and begin donating the rest to people i can choose

[ghostmutton]

My own answers went from high altruism to selfish greed in a mere 7 minutes. Thanks Lindy!

[versionslongues]

So happy each time I get a new lindybeige video

[misterkefir]

These are really great. Glad you've found the book and now continue answering the questions.

Much appreciated. Cheers!

I'm taking the money, by the way. Of course.