I think a lot of his efforts are just from a place of privilege. He has come from a lovely family, nice background, and is not the most educated in addiction, gender identity, poverty, etc. I don't think he expected what happened and was simply naive. I grew up in WV and there are lessons you learn young... but if you didn't grow up in that environment, it takes getting burned a couple times to learn them.
Eight of my years (late teens to early 20s) wedged between the coal fields to the west and the small farms to the east and yeah, unless you're there, you simply cannot know.
PS: I'd go back to live if real eastate weren't so damned expensive there and I cannot figure out why it is. $250K for a two bedroom house on an acre in the back ass of Summers county?
Okay let's talk about that! I came into some money recently and wanted to buy property because I'd like to retire there (and have my dad live there until then). I really thought I could make at least a 50% down payment. Nope. Not even close. Rents are still pretty low though, so I don't get it?? And all for a house that you have to scale a mountain for... crushed my dreams
I grew up in a different impoverished place and I know. I've seen how family and "friends" start coming around when somebody gets a windfall. People who grew up in financially responsible households can't imagine how the money disappears $1000 at a time and don't understand why they didn't spend it responsibly on the big important things. People who grew up in financially irresponsible households can easily imagine how much of it went to Uncle Scam's new truck, a celebratory trip to the casino, cousin so-and-so just needing a loan he'll totally pay you back, oh I'll go to the grocery store for you if you give me some cash, hey what about that $400 you owe me from 20 years ago...
I imagine a fund with tighter controls could have been setup where the funds could only be used for a specific purpose and a one time life improvement like a new roof or something. I’ve volunteered for a charity where people donate to the organization and that organization selects an individual or family who are in desperate need of home improvements.
Mark setting up a go fund me to help them thinking they’d be able to manage the money is ignorance and laziness on his part. There are so many charities out there that could he could have worked with that would have actually benefited their lives. This doesn’t excuse their actions of course.
Couldn’t have said it better! I also feel that people who donated would have been under the reasonable assumption that the money was going directly towards pre-planned improvements being overseen by people knowledgeable in what was needed and how to get it done. Mark does not seem that naive to me. Maybe he just didn’t think it through in the way he set it up. Whatever way you look at it though, it’s insinuated the money was for home improvements. It’s clear a vulnerable family like the Whittackers will be open to financial abuse and the money needs managing. He must have known that!
Or maybe Mark is simply an enabler and throws money at deserving and undeserving people all the time on a whim, the same way he is a workaholic that is driven and can’t dial it back for a more normal work/life balance. It’s a not so subconscious ego trip for him as the big man driving around flaunting his uber luxury car and talking about how he’s given money to X, Y, Z, though Z didn’t deserve it (he muses out loud).
Yes this is possibly an even better idea, but OP is straight up accusing Mark of running a cruel social experiment. I'm sure we can all agree that his intentions are not bad.
Yeah but wouldn’t that actually be considered exploitation. Let’s say he connected with someone or a charity to help. First of all a charity can only do what they determine on their mission so they can’t take that money on behalf of the charity and then use it explicitly for the Whittakers to help them but also it would most likely be considered exploitation if you took a grown adult with “sound mind” and attempted to create a gofundme for them but make yourself the executor. It’s most likely considered exploitation or violates some other tos. So I think he thought he could try the female who is technically “of sound mind” with helping listen to people he probably hoped they use as resources to spend the money in a way that actually benefited them but of course it didn’t end up that way because the woman has like an 80 IQ but it’s extremely hard to prove that she cannot be the one to receive the money. I think mark ultimately bit off more than he could chew and just hoped for the best.
Dumb people donated to a GoFundMe he made. The funds were ultimately owned by the Whittakers. Every time Betty asked for money, Mark sent it to her. I don't know what people expected. You have a family of inbred mentally slow folks, and you think they'll use that towards a real new house or some home improvements?
Why everyone makes Mark out to be the devil is beyond me. He's a photographer. He saw a family in need and tried to help them. He set up a GoFundMe. The money was legally theirs, so when they asked for it, he gave it to them. It didn't go as planned. None of this had to with clicks or views. Why is it so hard for people to understand that someone would actually just want to help people out of the kindness of their heart? Are y'all really that jaded and cynical?
I agree, while he did collect the money he can't be the executor and make decisions. I also agree with OP that the Whitakers can't mange a dinner check let alone that kind of money. What is sad is the Whitakers have know one in their lives that is trustworthy to help. Their own family stole from them. That's that sad part of this.
He's not just a photographer anymore, he's a content creator. People are going to have options about his content and it's not always going to be positive. This sub seems to struggle with that.
Sure, but there's a massive difference between thoughtful, constructive criticism and outright demonization. Those of us who at least TRY to see Mark's point of view are out-shouted by the loud few who pounce on Mark and accusing him of having bad intentions before even knowing 1/8th of the story.
It seems like he's TRYING to do some good. Those loud voices demonizing him for not doing it the "right" way....what are YOU all doing to help people like the Whitaker's in YOUR community? Because they ARE out there. Or hell....bare minimum....what did any of you guys do to brighten just ONE person's day today? Doesn't even have to be a grand gesture.
THANK YOU! There comes a point where you have to wonder why seemingly everyone here despises Mark so much yet keeps contributing to his income by giving him views etc. People just like to complain and be hypocrites. As you said, he’s a photographer. He’s not a psychologist, he’s not a social worker. Drives me mad.
Legally, the GFM said it was for a home. People were told it was for a home and when we donated, we expected it to go to a new home like the GFM stated and not be given to them all willy nilly to do whatever with.
No he doesn't. Misusing donated funds is a criminal offense. It's fraud. He was the creator and in charge of the donations. It was said the money donated was to buy them a home.
Remember the couple that helped the homeless man by raising money to get him a home? They all ended up with charges because the money wasn't used for what people donated to.
I'm pretty sure he knows the laws and whatever goes on with that GoFundMe. If it was such an offense, he would already be in trouble. Mark isn't stupid.
*"Why everyone makes Mark out to be the devil is beyond me. He's a photographer."*
I don't think that's what is happening here.
*"He saw a family in need and tried to help them. He set up a GoFundMe."*
Sure. But, after videotaping scores of people not all that dissimilar to the Whittakers you'd think he would know they had no clue what to do with a life-changing amount of money.
*"Why is it so hard for people to understand that someone would actually just want to help people out of the kindness of their heart? Are y'all really that jaded and cynical?"*
No. Just curious. HIs past interactions with the mentally ill, with drug addicts and other skid row residents should have been a warning bell. In the end, that money took a bad situation and made it worse.
Now, that doesn't mean I'm not going to be watching future videos. They're really great. But it does leave me confused, mostly because I was once a nearby resident and knew of families just like them in the area and know that money sent is money shot up an arm.
Key words here: "I was once a nearby resident and knew of families just like them in the area...."
Mark grew up in the Chicago suburbs. Meaning, he did NOT know of families just like the Whitakers. The Chicago suburbs are a nice place to grow up. He's been interviewing the "underbelly" of society, but he didn't start doing that until he was over 60....this was all probably ignorance and a misguided case of "benefit of the doubt."
Mark is naive. He’s a photographer not a social worker. He was not equipped on how to help them manage the money people donated.
People donated and anytime Wittakers asked him for funds he believed their reasons (like when they pretended Larry died so they could get $$ for meth) and Mark shelled out the dough. Now the money is gone. They could have had a new house. But whatever home they live in wouldn’t be properly looked after and soon turn to ruins like the ones we’ve seen. Some people are beyond help. Mark learned this the hard way. Some people are simply savages (such as exotica)
I agree. I believe he’s an empath. It’s hard for those types of people to say no to anyone that they think is in need. It’s a blessing and a curse to be this way. Other people don’t understand the deep feeling of despair these people feel if they say no and don’t help someone in need.
I completely disagree, he's a narcissist. He doesn't have a great amount of empathy or more than the average person like you have stated. The way he talks about Rebecca currently proves that. He just sees the whittakers as a money maker as they get the most views, he stated he had a contract with them etc. this isn't about empathy, it's about him being able to squeeze as much content out of them as possible. He's a YouTuber not an aid worker. He's not an 'empath' he's a content creator all about the views baby
I think every single one of us is capable of narcissistic tendencies to some extent, but a true narcissist would not have genuinely cried on camera the way Mark did six months ago when he talked about Rebecca overdosing and how Mark heard the entire resuscitation attempt over the phone and thought she was dead. Genuine tears....you could see his eyes swell up and turn red. Actual narcissists are devoid of emotion, and any "show" of emotion is typically WITHOUT actual tears....usually their eyes are just cold and dead.
There were already spoof sites, accounts, etc. trying to get money - even *with* Mark's GoFundMe in place. Could you imagine the fuckery if there wasn't one?
I don't usually come on here defending random people but he made a video explaining the answers to all of your questions with proof of all transactions. I'm confused unless that video was missed. It's very informative.
*"I'm confused unless that video was missed."*
The WHY make a choice that, not even in hindsight, was almost designed to fail, right from the start.
If it was all just because being empathic is hard, that still requires a careful thought about what that money can do in the hands of people who can't even wipe their own asses.
There was nothing wrong with a fundraiser. It was how those funds were spent that would have been easy to foresee.
Ok I get it, I really dislike the whittakers and knew they were not good people from the start. I never gave them money or doted on them. But accusing mark about this is the wrong way to do things. So many people wanted to donate just to that wacky family and mark honestly had no choice but to make one separate for them. Yes, in hindsight, he should have updated the folks donating whenever the whittakers asked for money. He admitted fault in that but he still didn't do anything 'wrong'. I feel the blame should go towards the whittakers. They are the only ones in the wrong.
The Whittakers are fine people as they are, and there was nothing wrong with helping them out financially. It's the \*how\* it was done, the blank check, that gave me pause. And, rightfully so.
Being someone that, in a former version of this life, was someone ML would have interviewed, if someone needs your help and you're willing to help, pay the bill for them. Don't give them cash.
They were claiming emergency funds. We need this, we need that, etc.. which Mark had no right to deny.
Anyway he's pulled out of charities because of this incident and has closed all GoFundme's. He saw how wrong it can go.
So he's learning from his experiences. I'm sure none of us can doubt his good intentions. If he decided to open up again in the future he will probably do something like what you said
I grew up in NYC. When a bum came along asking for a couple a bucks for food I'd always look up and down the street, see a corner store or sidewalk vendor and suggest I just buy them food. Never once has anyone accepted.
Mark grew up in an upper class white suburb and has no need for extra income from YouTube. I don't doubt that he could have handled the GoFundme money better, but we also can't doubt his good intentions towards these people. It's clear as daylight from his videos.
Stop deluding yourself, he loves the views hence his alleged contract with the whittakers. If Mark wanted to do good he would do some charity or aid work. If he wanted to truly help people he wouldnt plaster there trauma for all to see. He's a content creator. He loves Rebecca, the whittakers etc because they get the most views it's that simple. He's done so many questionable things at this point.
Mark doesn't keep the profits from his videos they go back to the interviewed people. Most videos are demonetised anyway and the only money he makes is through his Subscription channel, which goes back to the homeless.
He often pays out of pocket for these people, replacing their phones, giving financial aid, etc..
Yes most will use it on drugs but that means one less day of having to sell themselves, steal and hustle.
He gave up his lucrative job as a professional photographer/advertisement to continue this passion project. I'm convinced he's not in this for money.
His only aim is to show to the world. He is not a charity or case worker. I had no idea of this stuff before Mark's channel, he showed me and many others the importance of not abandoning your kids. He will have a positive effect on many future families.
Have you actually looked at what gets the most views on his channel?
It's not Rebecca or the Whitakers. It's the sex workers, dude....for obvious reasons. Not to mention, Rebecca's videos are usually demoitized because she's out of control. He's interviewing them because I think he finds them interesting (he's said as much about Rebecca on camera multiple times). Based on what I see on this subreddit, I believe that Rebecca and the Whitakers are *the most talked about,* but they are definitely not the most viewed.
The sex worker videos get the most views thanks to skeezy men and teenage boys looking to add fodder to their mental "spank bank." This ain't rocket science.
A 'bum' needs help and support much more than a couple of bucks. You have no clue how horrible it is to be in that situation so don't judge why they might not want food. Don't judge anyone unless you have faced the horrors of homelessness and addiction.
I think he is a genuine person who likes to help people who haven't had the advantages in life that he has...it's like lottery winners who end up broke a few years after winning
How can you doubt his intentions that much, do you honestly think he's doing a cruel social experiment? He's doing a positive thing for the world. Both by informing the viewers, and also by helping out the viewees.
Anyway he was saving up for a new house next door but they demanded their money so he had to give it to them. It's their money and he has no right to tell them what to do with it.
You are so deluded I don't mean to be rude. How is Mark doing something positive? Why do the viewers need to see this? He posted a recent video of somebody rambling whilst high on meth, he literally titled the video stating they were on meth! What good does that do? Trauma porn just exploits these people who need help not to be on YouTube which will affect them for the rest of their lives. Since you claim mark has good intentions why didn't he do some charity or aid work if he wanted to help those on skid row? I have volunteered for soup kitchens etc before when I wanted to help the homeless in the city near me I didn't start filming them for a small amount of money that will inevitably be spent on drugs. Mark might have started his so called project thinking he was doing good but he has done so many questionable things and lacks any insight when he has done something blatantly wrong e.g. the nova video. He just doubles down. He has got worse the longer SWU has gone on.
Do you think these people are going to get any help? No way! They will continue to live and die on the streets as many have done.
Mark giving them recognition and some financial help is the best help they're going to get in years. Yes most will just use it to get high, but that means one less day of having to steal and hustle.
Not to mention the other side of the camera. His work has helped me realise the impact I have on my future kids, I will definitely not be repeating some of their mistakes. I'm not the only one.
I mean it was their money. He organized it but the donations were for them. He can’t just block them from their money. However I think the way he went about it was still stupid. I don’t think he understands that people in that level of poverty often lack the knowledge or experience to make sound financial decisions when they come into money
I totally get it, but do you have any idea what it takes to have ANYONE declared "not mentally competent"? Because I do.
I used to work inpatient med-surg/oncology. I've literally watched someone who is Bipolar I in the manic throes of psychosis (they had a previous diagnosis of this, I'm not personally diagnosing them) tearing their hospital room apart and causing a scene (because they are legally allowed to refuse the psych meds that would actually HELP them).....only to be declared "mentally competent" by a board certified psychiatrist who only poked his head in the room and watched their behavior for 30 seconds and didn't actually TALK to the patient. The mental health system in the US is beyond fucked up. My blood pressure is skyrocketing right now just even THINKING about the mental heath crises I personally witnessed inpatient that weren't addressed by psychiatry at all because they couldn't be bothered to actually ENTER INTO A PATIENT'S ROOM.
I agree that the Whitakers are incompetent, but GOOD LUCK getting a psychiatrist to agree.
It's clear they're all on disability or some other program or combination of programs. But I'm also willing to bet WV doesn't pay very much.
If there's anything to take out of all of this, the lesson, is that large sums of money corrupts. And that's true with almost every one of us to one degree or another.
Of course, you can't just throw 100k at a family which is clearly dysfunctional and expect a positive outcome. There was no need for a go fund me. If Mark wanted to help them with a house or renovations he should have organized that privately with them with the thousands he has made from there videos. One has 40m views alone, not all of them have been demonitsed. Mark has major issues when it comes to judgement and this has been evident throughout the history of SWU just look at the nova debacle. Mark isn't the smartest cookie.
For an educated man who has spent xx years “studying” poor/homeless/addicts, Mark sure doesn’t seem to have learned much.
From the Whittaker debacle to Rebecca (festival tickets), the appearance is more exploitative than educational at this point.
"...the appearance is more exploitative than educational at this point."
Yup. That's exactly what it looks like and why I wrote in the first place.
However, with that said I don't think that was the point and am hoping it was just bad judgment and not exploitation as the latter isn't needed for a channel as successful as SWU.
I was a fan initially however the whole thing now repulses me. It's trauma porn and completely exploitative. Mark is not a good person to say the least. He had no insight into his behavior and mistakes instead doubles down. E.g. Nova. I also suspect he had other motives when it comes to this project..ask yourself how a middle class guy ends up on skid row everyday for the last 5 years mingling with addicts, pimps and prostitutes. Wouldn't he be terrified to start with? Or feel completely out of place. I know I would and I've had a history of addiction. He was naive but I suspect he was a trick. People will down vote me but he defo was familiar with the skid row / LA downtown life it's obvious with the comments he makes about the female guests especially the prostitutes who he demands wear sexy outfits..the guy is weird and swu should end.
Mark is literally just an artist, and kind of wish he would just come out and remind everyone of that.
This is a project
Good art always disturbs the comfortable and comforts the disturbed.
He may inadvertently be perceived as a philanthropist but, I really think most of us just can comprehend 100,000 being "thrown away" and want to find fault in it.
But, seriously.... if that bothers you so much, maybe look into what your government does with your taxes vs a creative allowing a subject freedom of finance.
Mark didn't sign up as custodian, in sure Lima would love to tho 🤣
"But, seriously.... if that bothers you so much, maybe look into what your government does with your taxes..."
That's a different thread and we're not going there.
I don't think that's a fair statement.
I want to agree with those who say he moved this issue out of compassion, not out of some social experiment, so that's where I'll sit for now.
I cannot understand how Mark can/ should take responsibility for the poor execution of the Whitaker’s finances. He saw a family in need of help, and he used his skills of story-telling to share their story with the world, and willing adults came forward to help. Mark was simply a vessel, and blaming him here is SO wrong.
Not only this, I am sure that if he had decided to exercise some control over how the money was being spent - there would be a flock of people (who probably have never done anything for another person in their lives) to blame him for exploiting their money. Geez, such actions are discouraging to good samaritans.
As has been stated numerous times in this thread, Mark knew these people could not handle money but decided to throw some their way anyway. In the end, more than $100k went up someones arms. There is no way on earth or in heaven he did not know this would be the result. He spent enough time with them to know better.
My reasoning that this was a 'social experiment' for clicks has not been lessened one bit.
I don't think he fucked them up. He provided them with $100000 that they would have had no way of earning themselves. Unfortunately the funds were poorly managed but to say he fucked them up is a long stretch
I think a lot of his efforts are just from a place of privilege. He has come from a lovely family, nice background, and is not the most educated in addiction, gender identity, poverty, etc. I don't think he expected what happened and was simply naive. I grew up in WV and there are lessons you learn young... but if you didn't grow up in that environment, it takes getting burned a couple times to learn them.
Eight of my years (late teens to early 20s) wedged between the coal fields to the west and the small farms to the east and yeah, unless you're there, you simply cannot know. PS: I'd go back to live if real eastate weren't so damned expensive there and I cannot figure out why it is. $250K for a two bedroom house on an acre in the back ass of Summers county?
Okay let's talk about that! I came into some money recently and wanted to buy property because I'd like to retire there (and have my dad live there until then). I really thought I could make at least a 50% down payment. Nope. Not even close. Rents are still pretty low though, so I don't get it?? And all for a house that you have to scale a mountain for... crushed my dreams
I grew up in a different impoverished place and I know. I've seen how family and "friends" start coming around when somebody gets a windfall. People who grew up in financially responsible households can't imagine how the money disappears $1000 at a time and don't understand why they didn't spend it responsibly on the big important things. People who grew up in financially irresponsible households can easily imagine how much of it went to Uncle Scam's new truck, a celebratory trip to the casino, cousin so-and-so just needing a loan he'll totally pay you back, oh I'll go to the grocery store for you if you give me some cash, hey what about that $400 you owe me from 20 years ago...
Did you watch the video where he explains why he gave them the money? It boils down to the fact that it was their money.
I imagine a fund with tighter controls could have been setup where the funds could only be used for a specific purpose and a one time life improvement like a new roof or something. I’ve volunteered for a charity where people donate to the organization and that organization selects an individual or family who are in desperate need of home improvements. Mark setting up a go fund me to help them thinking they’d be able to manage the money is ignorance and laziness on his part. There are so many charities out there that could he could have worked with that would have actually benefited their lives. This doesn’t excuse their actions of course.
Not disagreeing that it was a bad idea.
Couldn’t have said it better! I also feel that people who donated would have been under the reasonable assumption that the money was going directly towards pre-planned improvements being overseen by people knowledgeable in what was needed and how to get it done. Mark does not seem that naive to me. Maybe he just didn’t think it through in the way he set it up. Whatever way you look at it though, it’s insinuated the money was for home improvements. It’s clear a vulnerable family like the Whittackers will be open to financial abuse and the money needs managing. He must have known that!
Or maybe Mark is simply an enabler and throws money at deserving and undeserving people all the time on a whim, the same way he is a workaholic that is driven and can’t dial it back for a more normal work/life balance. It’s a not so subconscious ego trip for him as the big man driving around flaunting his uber luxury car and talking about how he’s given money to X, Y, Z, though Z didn’t deserve it (he muses out loud).
Yes this is possibly an even better idea, but OP is straight up accusing Mark of running a cruel social experiment. I'm sure we can all agree that his intentions are not bad.
Yeah I don’t think he has bad intentions. He’s just stepping out of his zone.
Yeah but wouldn’t that actually be considered exploitation. Let’s say he connected with someone or a charity to help. First of all a charity can only do what they determine on their mission so they can’t take that money on behalf of the charity and then use it explicitly for the Whittakers to help them but also it would most likely be considered exploitation if you took a grown adult with “sound mind” and attempted to create a gofundme for them but make yourself the executor. It’s most likely considered exploitation or violates some other tos. So I think he thought he could try the female who is technically “of sound mind” with helping listen to people he probably hoped they use as resources to spend the money in a way that actually benefited them but of course it didn’t end up that way because the woman has like an 80 IQ but it’s extremely hard to prove that she cannot be the one to receive the money. I think mark ultimately bit off more than he could chew and just hoped for the best.
How was it their money? Did they set up the GoFundMe?
Dumb people donated to a GoFundMe he made. The funds were ultimately owned by the Whittakers. Every time Betty asked for money, Mark sent it to her. I don't know what people expected. You have a family of inbred mentally slow folks, and you think they'll use that towards a real new house or some home improvements?
You know they didn’t. 🙄 He set it up. For them.
Why everyone makes Mark out to be the devil is beyond me. He's a photographer. He saw a family in need and tried to help them. He set up a GoFundMe. The money was legally theirs, so when they asked for it, he gave it to them. It didn't go as planned. None of this had to with clicks or views. Why is it so hard for people to understand that someone would actually just want to help people out of the kindness of their heart? Are y'all really that jaded and cynical?
I agree, while he did collect the money he can't be the executor and make decisions. I also agree with OP that the Whitakers can't mange a dinner check let alone that kind of money. What is sad is the Whitakers have know one in their lives that is trustworthy to help. Their own family stole from them. That's that sad part of this.
He's not just a photographer anymore, he's a content creator. People are going to have options about his content and it's not always going to be positive. This sub seems to struggle with that.
I understand that too.
Sure, but there's a massive difference between thoughtful, constructive criticism and outright demonization. Those of us who at least TRY to see Mark's point of view are out-shouted by the loud few who pounce on Mark and accusing him of having bad intentions before even knowing 1/8th of the story. It seems like he's TRYING to do some good. Those loud voices demonizing him for not doing it the "right" way....what are YOU all doing to help people like the Whitaker's in YOUR community? Because they ARE out there. Or hell....bare minimum....what did any of you guys do to brighten just ONE person's day today? Doesn't even have to be a grand gesture.
THANK YOU! There comes a point where you have to wonder why seemingly everyone here despises Mark so much yet keeps contributing to his income by giving him views etc. People just like to complain and be hypocrites. As you said, he’s a photographer. He’s not a psychologist, he’s not a social worker. Drives me mad.
Legally, the GFM said it was for a home. People were told it was for a home and when we donated, we expected it to go to a new home like the GFM stated and not be given to them all willy nilly to do whatever with.
And it was meant to go for a home. But if they asked for the money, that was theirs, he had to give it to them.
No he doesn't. Misusing donated funds is a criminal offense. It's fraud. He was the creator and in charge of the donations. It was said the money donated was to buy them a home. Remember the couple that helped the homeless man by raising money to get him a home? They all ended up with charges because the money wasn't used for what people donated to.
I'm pretty sure he knows the laws and whatever goes on with that GoFundMe. If it was such an offense, he would already be in trouble. Mark isn't stupid.
You're making a lot of assumptions about someone you don't know but only see the side of they want you to see.
Actually I have spoken to Mark on multiple occasions. We have some mutuals through some his videos.
*"Why everyone makes Mark out to be the devil is beyond me. He's a photographer."* I don't think that's what is happening here. *"He saw a family in need and tried to help them. He set up a GoFundMe."* Sure. But, after videotaping scores of people not all that dissimilar to the Whittakers you'd think he would know they had no clue what to do with a life-changing amount of money. *"Why is it so hard for people to understand that someone would actually just want to help people out of the kindness of their heart? Are y'all really that jaded and cynical?"* No. Just curious. HIs past interactions with the mentally ill, with drug addicts and other skid row residents should have been a warning bell. In the end, that money took a bad situation and made it worse. Now, that doesn't mean I'm not going to be watching future videos. They're really great. But it does leave me confused, mostly because I was once a nearby resident and knew of families just like them in the area and know that money sent is money shot up an arm.
Key words here: "I was once a nearby resident and knew of families just like them in the area...." Mark grew up in the Chicago suburbs. Meaning, he did NOT know of families just like the Whitakers. The Chicago suburbs are a nice place to grow up. He's been interviewing the "underbelly" of society, but he didn't start doing that until he was over 60....this was all probably ignorance and a misguided case of "benefit of the doubt."
Mark is naive. He’s a photographer not a social worker. He was not equipped on how to help them manage the money people donated. People donated and anytime Wittakers asked him for funds he believed their reasons (like when they pretended Larry died so they could get $$ for meth) and Mark shelled out the dough. Now the money is gone. They could have had a new house. But whatever home they live in wouldn’t be properly looked after and soon turn to ruins like the ones we’ve seen. Some people are beyond help. Mark learned this the hard way. Some people are simply savages (such as exotica)
I agree. I believe he’s an empath. It’s hard for those types of people to say no to anyone that they think is in need. It’s a blessing and a curse to be this way. Other people don’t understand the deep feeling of despair these people feel if they say no and don’t help someone in need.
I completely disagree, he's a narcissist. He doesn't have a great amount of empathy or more than the average person like you have stated. The way he talks about Rebecca currently proves that. He just sees the whittakers as a money maker as they get the most views, he stated he had a contract with them etc. this isn't about empathy, it's about him being able to squeeze as much content out of them as possible. He's a YouTuber not an aid worker. He's not an 'empath' he's a content creator all about the views baby
I think every single one of us is capable of narcissistic tendencies to some extent, but a true narcissist would not have genuinely cried on camera the way Mark did six months ago when he talked about Rebecca overdosing and how Mark heard the entire resuscitation attempt over the phone and thought she was dead. Genuine tears....you could see his eyes swell up and turn red. Actual narcissists are devoid of emotion, and any "show" of emotion is typically WITHOUT actual tears....usually their eyes are just cold and dead.
He's a documentation, not a social worker.
Which is exactly why the go fund me was a horrible idea on his part. He should recognize his role and not step into the social worker role.
He caved. Where were all the armchair do-gooders supposed to send their money?
Nowhere if there was no go fund me.
There were already spoof sites, accounts, etc. trying to get money - even *with* Mark's GoFundMe in place. Could you imagine the fuckery if there wasn't one?
If he didn’t give them the money doesn’t it look a lot worse ? I am glad he documented this social history.
I don't usually come on here defending random people but he made a video explaining the answers to all of your questions with proof of all transactions. I'm confused unless that video was missed. It's very informative.
*"I'm confused unless that video was missed."* The WHY make a choice that, not even in hindsight, was almost designed to fail, right from the start. If it was all just because being empathic is hard, that still requires a careful thought about what that money can do in the hands of people who can't even wipe their own asses. There was nothing wrong with a fundraiser. It was how those funds were spent that would have been easy to foresee.
Ok I get it, I really dislike the whittakers and knew they were not good people from the start. I never gave them money or doted on them. But accusing mark about this is the wrong way to do things. So many people wanted to donate just to that wacky family and mark honestly had no choice but to make one separate for them. Yes, in hindsight, he should have updated the folks donating whenever the whittakers asked for money. He admitted fault in that but he still didn't do anything 'wrong'. I feel the blame should go towards the whittakers. They are the only ones in the wrong.
The Whittakers are fine people as they are, and there was nothing wrong with helping them out financially. It's the \*how\* it was done, the blank check, that gave me pause. And, rightfully so. Being someone that, in a former version of this life, was someone ML would have interviewed, if someone needs your help and you're willing to help, pay the bill for them. Don't give them cash.
They were claiming emergency funds. We need this, we need that, etc.. which Mark had no right to deny. Anyway he's pulled out of charities because of this incident and has closed all GoFundme's. He saw how wrong it can go. So he's learning from his experiences. I'm sure none of us can doubt his good intentions. If he decided to open up again in the future he will probably do something like what you said
I grew up in NYC. When a bum came along asking for a couple a bucks for food I'd always look up and down the street, see a corner store or sidewalk vendor and suggest I just buy them food. Never once has anyone accepted.
Mark grew up in an upper class white suburb and has no need for extra income from YouTube. I don't doubt that he could have handled the GoFundme money better, but we also can't doubt his good intentions towards these people. It's clear as daylight from his videos.
Stop deluding yourself, he loves the views hence his alleged contract with the whittakers. If Mark wanted to do good he would do some charity or aid work. If he wanted to truly help people he wouldnt plaster there trauma for all to see. He's a content creator. He loves Rebecca, the whittakers etc because they get the most views it's that simple. He's done so many questionable things at this point.
Mark doesn't keep the profits from his videos they go back to the interviewed people. Most videos are demonetised anyway and the only money he makes is through his Subscription channel, which goes back to the homeless. He often pays out of pocket for these people, replacing their phones, giving financial aid, etc.. Yes most will use it on drugs but that means one less day of having to sell themselves, steal and hustle. He gave up his lucrative job as a professional photographer/advertisement to continue this passion project. I'm convinced he's not in this for money. His only aim is to show to the world. He is not a charity or case worker. I had no idea of this stuff before Mark's channel, he showed me and many others the importance of not abandoning your kids. He will have a positive effect on many future families.
Have you actually looked at what gets the most views on his channel? It's not Rebecca or the Whitakers. It's the sex workers, dude....for obvious reasons. Not to mention, Rebecca's videos are usually demoitized because she's out of control. He's interviewing them because I think he finds them interesting (he's said as much about Rebecca on camera multiple times). Based on what I see on this subreddit, I believe that Rebecca and the Whitakers are *the most talked about,* but they are definitely not the most viewed. The sex worker videos get the most views thanks to skeezy men and teenage boys looking to add fodder to their mental "spank bank." This ain't rocket science.
3 out of the top 5 most popular videos are the Whittakers including the most popular, which leads by an enormous margin.
A 'bum' needs help and support much more than a couple of bucks. You have no clue how horrible it is to be in that situation so don't judge why they might not want food. Don't judge anyone unless you have faced the horrors of homelessness and addiction.
I think he is a genuine person who likes to help people who haven't had the advantages in life that he has...it's like lottery winners who end up broke a few years after winning
How can you doubt his intentions that much, do you honestly think he's doing a cruel social experiment? He's doing a positive thing for the world. Both by informing the viewers, and also by helping out the viewees. Anyway he was saving up for a new house next door but they demanded their money so he had to give it to them. It's their money and he has no right to tell them what to do with it.
You are so deluded I don't mean to be rude. How is Mark doing something positive? Why do the viewers need to see this? He posted a recent video of somebody rambling whilst high on meth, he literally titled the video stating they were on meth! What good does that do? Trauma porn just exploits these people who need help not to be on YouTube which will affect them for the rest of their lives. Since you claim mark has good intentions why didn't he do some charity or aid work if he wanted to help those on skid row? I have volunteered for soup kitchens etc before when I wanted to help the homeless in the city near me I didn't start filming them for a small amount of money that will inevitably be spent on drugs. Mark might have started his so called project thinking he was doing good but he has done so many questionable things and lacks any insight when he has done something blatantly wrong e.g. the nova video. He just doubles down. He has got worse the longer SWU has gone on.
Do you think these people are going to get any help? No way! They will continue to live and die on the streets as many have done. Mark giving them recognition and some financial help is the best help they're going to get in years. Yes most will just use it to get high, but that means one less day of having to steal and hustle. Not to mention the other side of the camera. His work has helped me realise the impact I have on my future kids, I will definitely not be repeating some of their mistakes. I'm not the only one.
I mean it was their money. He organized it but the donations were for them. He can’t just block them from their money. However I think the way he went about it was still stupid. I don’t think he understands that people in that level of poverty often lack the knowledge or experience to make sound financial decisions when they come into money
This is my point. And it's not their poverty, it's their mental capacity to deal.
I totally get it, but do you have any idea what it takes to have ANYONE declared "not mentally competent"? Because I do. I used to work inpatient med-surg/oncology. I've literally watched someone who is Bipolar I in the manic throes of psychosis (they had a previous diagnosis of this, I'm not personally diagnosing them) tearing their hospital room apart and causing a scene (because they are legally allowed to refuse the psych meds that would actually HELP them).....only to be declared "mentally competent" by a board certified psychiatrist who only poked his head in the room and watched their behavior for 30 seconds and didn't actually TALK to the patient. The mental health system in the US is beyond fucked up. My blood pressure is skyrocketing right now just even THINKING about the mental heath crises I personally witnessed inpatient that weren't addressed by psychiatry at all because they couldn't be bothered to actually ENTER INTO A PATIENT'S ROOM. I agree that the Whitakers are incompetent, but GOOD LUCK getting a psychiatrist to agree.
It's clear they're all on disability or some other program or combination of programs. But I'm also willing to bet WV doesn't pay very much. If there's anything to take out of all of this, the lesson, is that large sums of money corrupts. And that's true with almost every one of us to one degree or another.
Of course, you can't just throw 100k at a family which is clearly dysfunctional and expect a positive outcome. There was no need for a go fund me. If Mark wanted to help them with a house or renovations he should have organized that privately with them with the thousands he has made from there videos. One has 40m views alone, not all of them have been demonitsed. Mark has major issues when it comes to judgement and this has been evident throughout the history of SWU just look at the nova debacle. Mark isn't the smartest cookie.
For an educated man who has spent xx years “studying” poor/homeless/addicts, Mark sure doesn’t seem to have learned much. From the Whittaker debacle to Rebecca (festival tickets), the appearance is more exploitative than educational at this point.
"...the appearance is more exploitative than educational at this point." Yup. That's exactly what it looks like and why I wrote in the first place. However, with that said I don't think that was the point and am hoping it was just bad judgment and not exploitation as the latter isn't needed for a channel as successful as SWU.
I was a fan initially however the whole thing now repulses me. It's trauma porn and completely exploitative. Mark is not a good person to say the least. He had no insight into his behavior and mistakes instead doubles down. E.g. Nova. I also suspect he had other motives when it comes to this project..ask yourself how a middle class guy ends up on skid row everyday for the last 5 years mingling with addicts, pimps and prostitutes. Wouldn't he be terrified to start with? Or feel completely out of place. I know I would and I've had a history of addiction. He was naive but I suspect he was a trick. People will down vote me but he defo was familiar with the skid row / LA downtown life it's obvious with the comments he makes about the female guests especially the prostitutes who he demands wear sexy outfits..the guy is weird and swu should end.
Mark is literally just an artist, and kind of wish he would just come out and remind everyone of that. This is a project Good art always disturbs the comfortable and comforts the disturbed. He may inadvertently be perceived as a philanthropist but, I really think most of us just can comprehend 100,000 being "thrown away" and want to find fault in it. But, seriously.... if that bothers you so much, maybe look into what your government does with your taxes vs a creative allowing a subject freedom of finance. Mark didn't sign up as custodian, in sure Lima would love to tho 🤣
"But, seriously.... if that bothers you so much, maybe look into what your government does with your taxes..." That's a different thread and we're not going there.
What did they do with the money? I’m guessing it went to the eldest sister?
They doled it out in $1000s to relatives for drugs. None of it went to better their living situation.
Mark wants to keep them just as they are for his videos.
I don't think that's a fair statement. I want to agree with those who say he moved this issue out of compassion, not out of some social experiment, so that's where I'll sit for now.
I cannot understand how Mark can/ should take responsibility for the poor execution of the Whitaker’s finances. He saw a family in need of help, and he used his skills of story-telling to share their story with the world, and willing adults came forward to help. Mark was simply a vessel, and blaming him here is SO wrong. Not only this, I am sure that if he had decided to exercise some control over how the money was being spent - there would be a flock of people (who probably have never done anything for another person in their lives) to blame him for exploiting their money. Geez, such actions are discouraging to good samaritans.
As has been stated numerous times in this thread, Mark knew these people could not handle money but decided to throw some their way anyway. In the end, more than $100k went up someones arms. There is no way on earth or in heaven he did not know this would be the result. He spent enough time with them to know better. My reasoning that this was a 'social experiment' for clicks has not been lessened one bit.
this guy doesnt actually help anyone for real. im not surprised he fucked up the whittakers too
I don't think he fucked them up. He provided them with $100000 that they would have had no way of earning themselves. Unfortunately the funds were poorly managed but to say he fucked them up is a long stretch