We need more people like MrBeast in the world!

A plethora of research on ‘happiness’ has concluded that people who are happy, and who are living meaningful and fulfilled lives are less critical and tend to wish good things for others.  The problem in the world of the media is that positive compliments do not sell.  Sadly, criticizing people that have achieved success in a wholesome and honest way, and trying to convince others that people who are genuinely altruistic have some nefarious motive is more sensational and perforce more newsworthy.

I can think of no other possible reason why some self-acclaimed journalist would be so tone deaf as to criticize Jimmy Donaldson, best known as MrBeast, the most popular YouTuber in the world.

As a rule, I will withhold penning any article regarding negative comments leveled at public personalities unless I have a unique vantage point, and have had first hand interaction with the person in question.  Regarding MrBeast, I am two for two. Seeing Jimmy in the crosshairs of the most absurd and unfounded barrage of spurious criticism – when I know first-hand how far from the truth these claims are – was the catalyst to me taking precious time to share some words to the wise …

To appreciate the unique vantage point I have, allow me to give you some context. I have been working closely with the leadership team at MrBeast on various unique business development initiatives for over a year.  In addition to spending quality time with Jimmy, Darren Margolias, the Executive Director of Beast Philanthropy is a fellow South African and close friend, and to boot, my communication with the most senior executives at MrBeast has morphed into almost daily contact.

I have represented and developed professional and personal relationships with some of the most prominent public personalities in the entertainment, sport and media industries in my professional career and life journey.   I have never met a more genuine, down to earth, and sincere group of people than the folks at MrBeast.

Jimmy is the real deal. If the content he creates and the money he donates is supposedly without a pure motive, how do you explain the hundreds of people that I know first hand that Jimmy has helped without fanfare or attracting any attention?  I have spent time at Jimmy’s house. It is the antithesis of Hollywood. Understated with no hint of ostentatiousness.  The last thing that Jimmy craves is attention and with 2.5 billion views per month across all his channels, somehow I do not think he needs more clout!

It is embarrassing to read so-called credible publications pointing a finger at someone who has made it his life goal to change the world and to give away all his money before he leaves this world.

By way of a couple of examples, Jimmy was directly responsible for funding wells in Cameroon, Africa pumping 10,000 liters of clean water every day.  One thousand people who were legally blind have had their sight restored because Jimmy Donaldson took the initiative. With all due respect to NBC News – helping people heal and given them the necessities of life is a “charity stunt?” Are you kidding me?!

How about the response from TechCrunch to the latter magnanimous initiative – “MrBeast’s blindness video puts systemic ableism on display.”   How clueless, shameful, and fallacious.  Ableism is displaying discrimination against people with disabilities. What Kool-Aid are these guys drinking?

There is clear consensus among leading health care experts that nihilism is one of the main causes for tens of millions of Gen Z kids living with high level of anxiety and depression.  Jimmy Donaldson has helped future generations appreciate the importance of being selfless and has given meaning to the most narcissistic generation.

Jimmy has become a healthy role model to tens of thousands of kids.  Before knocking one of the few public personalities who has the respect of tens of millions of people who will be assuming leadership positions in the years ahead, do your homework!  For unhappy bitter cynics it may be a hard pill to swallow, but there are genuine benevolent people in the world that sincerely care – Jimmy Donaldson is unquestionably one of them!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Antony Gordon, a Fulbright Scholar, graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School’s Executive Program is a USA and WSJ Best-Selling Author, TEDxTalk Speaker whose talk “How to Always be Happy!” was amongst the top 100 viewed TEDxTalks for 2022; was voted one of the “Top 50 Most Impactful People of LinkedIn” (2022) and is the host of the critically acclaimed podcast “The Antony Gordon Show.”

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