Answered Conundrum Next Conundrum

bootz bootz

Was $100 a big enough reward to give the boy scout? He returned a purse with $2,000 in it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/16/ap/strange/main5988246.shtml?tag=cbsnewsLeadStoriesAreaMain;cbsnewsLeadStoriesHeadlines
Interesting Question? Yes (0) No (0)
RSS

Best Answer Chosen by Asker

quesera
quesera
Marked as Best! December 18, 2009 06:11 PM
As a Boy Scout, he should be learning that doing good is not about recognition or rewards. He should be learning that you do the right thing because it is right. I'm assuming he is picking up on some of these values, since he gave some of the reward to his mom, thus not hording as much of the money for himself as possible. I would actually have expected an older scout to refuse any kind of reward, but he's young, so it's understandable that he would take it.

Personally, I don't accept rewards (I've been offered them for returning lost pets) because I myself have lost property and animals, and I don't think people should ever have to pay to get their own stuff back. When someone found my phone, I brought him a $10 gift card for coffee, just to say thanks, but that was what I could afford.

I think a lot of people will assume that because this woman had $2,000 in cash, she must have a lot of money, and could therefore afford to give the scout a bigger reward. But, for all we know, that was all the money she had in the world. Even if it wasn't, it's up to her to decide how much to give, and for a kid, $100 is a lot of money.

I hope the boy feels like the good deed was inherently rewarding, since he knew he did the right thing, and the money was just considered a "thank you" not something he "earned" like it was a ransom.
Asker's Rating:
• Very good points. The woman may have been going to pay bills with that money, and it may have been all she had in the world. I think it is very true that people should not have to pay to get their own property or money back in these situations, and at the same time it was nice of her to give $100 to a young boy.
Helpful Answer? (0)   (0)
Permalink | Report
Reply

Answer this Question


View All Money Questions

Ask a Conundrum


140 characters left

Categories

Large Glass of Conundrum Wine

Welcome to ConundrumLand

Please enter your zip code.