MrBeast: Capitalism & Philanthropy

A look at the darker side of MrBeast’s philanthropy and the wider philanthrocapitalist model it's a part of. Looking specifically at #teamseas and a partnership with Jennie-O, I attempt to untangle how corporations and conglomerates like Coca-Cola, chemical and oil companies, and big meat monopolies all have a vested interest in financing certain ‘philanthropic’ projects while side-lining others. This is a story that takes some surprising twists and turns, from whitewashing, greenwashing & ‘funwashing’ sponsorships, to illegal price-fixing, an endemic of farmer suicides, and leaked corporate emails to influence charities. Examining the roots and consequences of ‘philanthrocapitalism’ tells us a lot about how lobbying works under modern capitalism. This is a long video, but it’ll be worth it to tell this story properly.

Chapters:

00:00 - MrBeast
03:26 - Preface – American Mythology
07:52 - Chapter 1 – Jimmy the Capitalist
15:12 - Chapter 2 – The Birth of Philanthrocapitalism
27:58 - Chapter 3a – MrBeast’s Philanthropy – Big Meat Conglomerates
39:58 - Chapter 3b – MrBeast’s Philanthropy – #TeamSeas, Coca-cola, etc
52:48 - Chapter 3c – The Clinton Foundation
57:02 - Chapter 4 – Manufacturing Capitalist Mythology
01:09:25 - Chapter 5 – Capitalist Ideology

#mrbeast #teamseas #billgates #billclinton #cocacola

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Sources:

Andrew Carnegie, David Nasaw

Roland Barthes, Mythologies

Linsey McGoey, No Such Thing As A Free Gift

Michael Sandel, What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of the Market.

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SHARON KETTERING, GIFT-GIVING AND PATRONAGE IN EARLY MODERN FRANCE

Stasja Koot & Robert Fletcher (2019): Popular Philanthrocapitalism? The Potential and Pitfalls of Online Empowerment in “Free” Nature 2.0 Initiatives, Environmental Communication

Anand Giridharadas, Winners Take All

David B. Sachsman and David W. Bulla, ed., Sensationalism: Murder, Mayhem, Mudslinging, Scandals, and Disasters in 19th-Century Reporting

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Marianne Bertrand, Matilde Bombardini, Raymond Fisman, Brad Hackinen, Francesco Trebbi, Hall of Mirrors: Corporate Philanthropy and Strategic Advocacy, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 136

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Bishop, Matthew. “Philanthrocapitalism: Solving Public Problems through Private Means.” Social Research,

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Credits:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/w....ikipedia/commons/c/c Bernard Lambert, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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