One YouTuber spent a day pretending to be homeless and asking strangers for spare change for food. One YouTuber spent the day going around as a homeless person asking for spare change to feed himself. Most people disregarded him, insulted him, or ordered him to go away. A few, however, responded with compassion, having little in themselves. They had no idea that their acts of kindness were being used in a social experiment and that the kindness would result in a few emotional surprises and a bit of extra cash.
Experiment Started With a Simple Request
After walking for miles, the creator went up to strangers requesting a dollar or a few pennies to purchase food. Reactions were instantly from kind to outright hostile.
Many People Refused to Help at All
Several strangers ignored him, and some harassed him, telling him to get away. Others seemed to be upset just by being approached in public.
Wealth Didn’t Always Predict Generosity
A surprising pattern soon became apparent: all too often, those who seemed to not need charity were not going to give any, and those who seemed to have the least were going to give the most.
A Homeless Man Shared His Last Few Coins
One emotional incident was when a man who was homeless offered his small sum of money and even suggested that they share food. This act was a strong influence on the creator.
Kindness Often Came From Unexpected People
Someone so old and lacking in resources who did not have any money of her own, but who offered help and compassion. Another man shared a little money he had because he didn’t want anyone to go hungry.
Some Reactions Became Aggressive
Not all interactions were calm. Some people insulted the creator, threatened him, or showed irritation at him when he asked for their help.
Received a Huge Surprise
The creator tested the public’s reactions, and after showing people hidden cameras and offering up hundreds or thousands of dollars in cash to those who were compassionate, the stranger was caught.
Powerful Lesson About Empathy
In the social experiment, it was found that generosity has very little association with wealth. In many instances, those who gave the most were those who had the least to give.
What It Revealed
This social experiment proved that people tend to show their best kindness when they have experienced the most difficult challenges in their lives. Some people refused to help, while others gave away their meager possessions to support someone who needed assistance.
