At the weekend, we watched "Mr Deeds Goes to Town" (1936), starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. In the film, Mr Deeds is an eccentric but basically "nice" guy who lives in a small town. He inherits $20million, and goes to New York to live the life of a millionaire. In the end, he gives all of the money away to help out of work farmers, and goes back to his town, with Jean Arthur, of course.
At today's prices, the money would be nearer $400 million. So the question is - would you give it all away?
I think if it was me, I'd have to give a lot of it away - after all, how much would you really want? I don't want or need a private jet, or a mansion. People might say that it would be my duty to make the amount grow so that I could pass it on to Helena, but I'm not sure I follow the logic of that. Is she supposed to do the same?
I think I'd put some of it by for Helena, and some for myself - would it be right to keep enough so I never had to work again? Why should I be able to stop contributing to society? On the other hand, maybe it would be best for me to give up working so that someone else wouldn't have to be unemployed?
Anyway, I don't have any multi-millionaire relatives that I'm aware of - my family is very small, and even if I did inherit that much, knowing my luck it wouldn't come with a Jean Arthur lookalike.
Still, I can dream...
27 comments:
With $400 million you can hire people that won't judge you, so do what you please with the money. It's only up to you and your conscience.
Oh wait, I think I hear something that sounds allot like your conscience. It’s got a message for you:
“Brian, this is your conscience speaking. I know I sound like an American woman but that’s only because she’s channeling me. Anyway, I, as your conscience, dictate you give that nice American woman, what’s her name? Oh right, Bee, half your money once you receive whatever inheritance/blackmail/money-due-to-tragic-accident-in-which-your-toes-were-removed. Karma would repay you with a Jean Arthur look alike. I’m for reals dude! ”
I would listen to your conscience if I were you.
Also, there's a remake of that movie staring Adam Sandler but I wouldn't rush out to buy it if I were you.
Unless you're planning on burning it.
oh my lord!!! Adam sandler??? no no no no
give away half, keep half
I hate Oprah because she has the money to really make a difference and she skims around with some school in Africa.
She's always imploring others to give, yet she herself gives the equivalent of the amount I could find in the cushions of my couch.
did you take my poll yet?
I didn't think so
So the current concensus is that I should give away half the money, and there's just the question of whether or not the shoe manufacturing industry constitutes a worthy cause.
Jean Knee:
I didn't vote because last time I checked, you hadn't posted anything new. So just because you asked so nicely I voted twice. Just let me know if you want any more votes for option "3"...
You have to do whatever you conscience says...
Are you rigging the polls again!?
Rigging the poll? Me?
I wouldn't do that to someone I respect as much as Jean Knee ;-)
I was just showing my appreciation, and enthusiasm, that's all.
I wish for a "billion billion" dollars. Do you think that much money exists?
Bee:
Just for you, I've found out.
In the US in December 2006, there were $749.6 billion in cash, and $7000 billion in total "available" money, i.e. including money in bank accounts, etc. I seem to remember from school economics that they talked about a ratio of cash to "liquid" money of 1 to 10, so that sounds about right.
It doesn't give the worldwide figures, but I bet the answer is "No.". Not by a long way.
khrmpph... Glad you cleared that up for me. It was keeping me up at nights.
uh huh, I'll take 10,000 and be happy
I would be happy with $500,000. Pay off my house and Andy's car, the rest is gravy.
Bee, I will send you $500,000 right now.
jean knee
Why than you jean knee! How nice of you!
Not a problem! You know you're my most favorist blogger!
You are so awesome and I hope you don't mind I print this as proof to your commitment to me...
Go right ahead Bee, I'll even sign it for you.
jean knee
You, my friend, are the monkeys bananas! Or should it bananas monkey? Or maybe monkey's coffee?
No, you are such an awesome blogger you deserve it!
jean knee
Well, I do kinda deserve it I guess. Well I have to get back to work jean knee, talk to you later and good luck on your P/T thing.
jean knee
I mean, Bee!
Bee:
I'm glad you've got your money problems sorted out - that means you won't need $200 million from me...
You know what they say:
“500 Gs in the hand is better than 200 mil a British guy is promising if his toes are ever amputated due to a tragic accident involving urinals at a pub.”
Well, if my money's not good enough...
Actually, I was going to pay you in clam juice. $200 million will buy 50,000,000 8.5 oz bottles of clam juice, or 425 million oz. That should keep you going for a while...
Clam juice:
Andy's the one obsessed with clam juice. I see no reason in rewarding him.
::blech::
I think it's either the bee's knees or the cat's meow or cat's pajamas
who knows, say what you want
said accident prolly involved one of those lion mouth urinals, I'm just sayin
Said accident would invovle a [snicker] bigger pay off!
bwahahahaha! ::giggle::
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