Hey everyone,

The other day I came across two of Mr. Beast’s newest videos: 1,000 Deaf People Hear For The First Time and I Helped 2000 Amputees Walk Again. And I cried while watching both of them.

My first experience with this online sensation came neither through his outrageous challenges nor his adaptation of a rather deadly South Korean game show. Instead, the YouTube algorithm blessed me with a video from his philanthropy channel: We Built Wells in Africa! This five-minute video was more poignant and more moving than any media I had ever consumed.

Though I have not seen everything on the channel, each video I do watch strikes a chord with me. From funding orphanages and providing clothing to communities to decluttering seas and building wells to finally give people clean water, Mr. Beast and his team have profoundly impacted millions of lives.

Throughout his videos, whenever I witness the sparkling smiles of children; the warm gratitude of adults; and the tears of teachers, charity workers, and community leaders—people who truly understand the impact of his generosity; I experience an indescribable amalgamation of empathy, joy, and desire.

I dream, with my perpetual optimism, of doing such benevolent work as he does someday. Of course, I do not aim to match the breadth of Mr. Beast’s influence: that would be nigh impossible. Though I do wish to leave a lasting impact beyond just my friends and family (but there is nothing wrong with sticking to them).

But as I say this ambition out loud I somehow feel skeptical—guilty, even. Am I truly noble enough to declare “helping others” as my purpose? Why wish for something so grand? Is there a genuine desire to aid others, or do I yearn to be praised and respected? If I woke up as a millionaire tomorrow, would I carry out such charitable deeds? What about the street children I rejected, the homeless people I ignored, and the beggars I refused to look at as if they didn’t exist?

Maybe I have yet to be jaded by the world, my privilege and naivety shielding me from the reality that awaits beyond graduation. Looking out for oneself is difficult enough, let alone for other people. And I cannot deny that most things we do are suffused with at least an ounce of self-serving desires.

So to prove to myself that my intentions are genuine, I have been trying my best, in my own ways, to be kinder, more compassionate, and more helpful toward others. For some, I have been doing them subconsciously while others have required more intention. Anyway, here are some of them:

Non-monetary Ways

• Smile and greet people more. This goes for friends and family but also for everyone around me. A “good afternoon” accompanied by a smile toward security guards, janitors, waiters, cashiers, and mall staff can go a long way.
• Offer and give my time to other people (within reason).
• Try to be less judgmental and more understanding towards others. I understand that people often have reasons for doing what they do.
• Avoid condemning people with harsh words and criticisms.

Monetary Ways

• Donate some money I receive on special occasions like my birthday or Christmas. Charities I’ve donated to and believe in include charity: water, Angat Buhay, and Exceed Worldwide (the charity from Mr. Beast’s Amputee video, which apparently operates in the Philippines as well).
• Ask family members to donate to a cause instead of giving me gifts.
• Tip service workers and, if I have established rapport with them, give them gifts and tokens of appreciation.
• If an impoverished person were to approach me, I try to give them something. Though I often panic and end up rejecting them if everything happens abruptly. I do better when I see them from afar and can prepare something to give them.

Yet again, I am venting my most intimate thoughts on the internet for potentially anyone to see. I contemplated even writing about a topic so personal, concerning no one but myself.

Perhaps sharing all this will engrave it that much more within me. By openly declaring my intentions, I reinforce my beliefs and let anyone who reads this hold me accountable. It is a necessary step to making the impact I rave about so much.

At the end of the day, no matter the scale or reach, Mr. Beast and his team seem to just enjoy spreading kindness and paying it forward. I think that’s something we can all strive to do better, regardless of where we are in our lives.

What I’m Working On

I’ve been working on a side project: a website for the Lasallian Youth Orchestra. For people who are curious, I'm building it using React.js, Next.js, and TailwindCSS because we need to use the JAMstack architecture. I’ve been eager to learn React, so after taking a couple of lessons from Codecademy I jumped straight into building the website.

So far, it's been pretty fun building a website again but this time with code. This is what I have after a two weeks of trying things out.

What I’m Reading

I’ve been reading The Quiet Ones by Glenn Diaz. It’s a slow-burn, character-driven story that talks so intimately about life in the Philippines. It’s won the Palanca Grand Prize, the Philippine National Book Award, and the Madrigal Gonzalez First Book Award. I’m a little over halfway through and I can see why. The writing is impeccable. I want to rave more about this book when I finish it, so look out for that.

What I’m Listening To

I just finished Episode 238: The Joys of the Reading Life on the Deep Questions with Cal Newport podcast. I enjoy his work and he’s quite the inspiring person—professor, best-selling author, entrepreneur, all in one. I might write a piece on this podcast because it left a lot of food for thought!

If you made it this far, thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope you got something out of it. Have a wonderful day!

- Enrique

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