Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I was in a meeting this week, and softdrinks were provided, and an ethical question came to mind:

What would you do if you were in a meeting (FIRST meeting, team meeting, someones house, sponsors facility....)

and you opened a bottle of soda (pop)

and happened to notice the inside of the cap said "Million dollar winner!"

?

I think we all know what the PC answer is, but what would you really do?

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I'd be a millionaire.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I would probably choke, then say I was fine, and then I would say "excuse me for a moment" Then I'd leave the room and continue about 30 feet down the hall where I would then jump for joy. I would then leave the building and get into my automobile where I would burn all the rubber off the tires because I can do anything I want now that I am a millionare. I would then go home and spend hours upon hours figuring out what vehicles I should buy.

Oh, and I'd gladly reimburse whoever payed for the soda. :D

Actually, I really don't know. I might share. Maybe it would depend on who was there and how many people there were. I don't really plan for these kind of things because they don't happen to most people.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

To me it depends on the place. At a team meeting, we have a soda machine which we pay money for the soda, so I would keep most of the money, and donate some to the team as a sponsor. At someones house, I would probably give up the cap, as I didn't pay for the soda nor was it ever truly mine, and hope that they might share as I did give the cap back. At a sponsor's facility, well again its like the team thing where if I bought it from a machine then I would keep it, but if it were provided, I am not quite sure what I would do and it would depend on the sponsor as well. But again very interesting question being posed here.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

The first thing that would pop into my mind would be "Finally, I can help those little kids who are suffering as well as the homeless who deserve some help."

... then I would buy a house (good enough for me and her) and 2 cars (that has very good gas mileage), and also get her a huge diamond ring and necklace set.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I'd sprint to the door, open it, then run to the car and drive away. And be a millionaire.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

If it were at a team meeting, and they had paid for the soda, I'd give it to the team. Because a million dollar robotics team would be unstoppable. (step one, buy my own warehouse for the team to be in, then start buying nice CNC tools. woot!)

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Depends on how personally the soda was given out. If it's something like a regional and someone who works at the venue is handing out free drinks, I think it would make sense to keep it. If someone buys you a drink, then you should give them the cap.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Just to make sure everyone understands (Im not a lawyer but Im pretty sure Im right on this)

if someone gave you the bottle, or you purchased it from a machine, it is yours - and regarding the prize possesion is 100% of the law (providing you did not beat someone senseless then pry it from their fingers).

So legally the prize would be yours, to do with as you see fit (same as if you purchased the bottle yourself from a supermarket).

Ethically.... thats another issue

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

i would probably yell out some obscene curse word out of surprise (what can i say im not perfect) and be like "you guys look at this!" and just freak out like crazy as far as the money is concerned half goes to me some to robotics and the rest to my family

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

step 1: place cap in pocket
step 2: grin heavily
step 3:wait until end of meeting to leave
step 4: verify I am actually a millionaire (there are alot of pranksters out there)
step 5: put money in bank account
step 6: Go to meeting next day act as if nothing happened and volunteer to buy the food and drinks. :D

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I'd go online to CD and blab it to the world, of course. :rolleyes:
I'd fund a new site for the team in a building for ourselves that isn't tethered to the conditions of finacial wrangling that happens during corporate dealings.
I would also invest a good portion of it so it'll last longer than a mere shopping spree.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Pay off debts.
10% to church
5% to each brother/sister & inlaw
Go back to work and continue on with a little less stress.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Taxes?

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I found it, I should keep it. Lets say your using the team's build facility (at a public area, like a high school) and find a $100 bill on the ground. Should you give the $100 to the team?

I'd most likely buy the team our own facility (I'd probably do this if I didn't find it at the team meeting), splurge and spend about $50,000 and invest all the rest. Then I'd quit all my jobs and work solely on robotics stuff.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I believe you owe the federal government 27% of winnings, and from state to state it varies. In Connecticut its 4.5%, but I'd rather have $685,000 than a "FREE 20OZ COKE!"

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

One word-

Vegas!


In reality I would keep it. I have debt that I don't want to live with for the next 20 or 30 years, and if anyone argues ethics with me for taking the chance to pay it off now then I'll turn around and leave. I opened the bottle and I won. It's mine. Mine mine mine.

The rest? Probably would go into mutual funds and maybe a trust fund for future Andy Jr.'s. A million dollars is a lot of money, but I don't think it's enough to just up and retire. I'd enjoy the rest of college and maybe even stick around for a masters. After that, having some money to draw on would make post college life a whole lot easier until I can start making my own.

But that'll never happen. I only drink Root beer. Nobody wins millions drinking root beer.

-Andy A.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

In most states finders-keepers is not in the lawbooks - if you find something that was apparently lost by accident you are obliged to report it one way or another.

The soda prize is different - the prize was not lost, it was purchased or given you to freely. Obviously the person who handed the bottle to you did not know it was worth a million dollars, but they may or may not have been aware of the contest/prize that was involved at the time.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I would stare at it in shock. That's it. Really. I have no bloody idea what I would do afterwards.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Buy a small Caribbean country.



.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Well the $100 bill example was a little different, because it caused a loss of $100 to someone. So if I found one, I'd ask some people if they lost any money. If they answer that it was a $100 bill I'd give it back to them.

With the soda cap, nobody else knows (yet) that they could've gained a million.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

If it was a meeting in the shop, where we buy our sodas, I would probably feel that the money was 100% mine, since I paid for it. If we were meeting at someone's house, I think I would probably split the money with the person who provided the sodas... but how would I really know what I would do unless I was really in that situation? What if the meeting was at the house of someone I didn't really know? Or someone who I didn't really care for? Would I react differently than I would if I got the soda from someone I really liked and/or respected? And would there be a difference on how I felt if the soda was provided by someone who was financially well off as opposed to someone who was struggling to make ends meet? Another factor would be how my family was doing... they've had some money issues lately, and since I went back to school, I haven't been able to help them out, but if I won a million bucks and they were getting desperate, I would probably want all of the money to help them... heck, even if they weren't getting desperate, I would probably take all of the money just to get them moved out of the crappy little neighborhood they live in... so there you have it... I would want to share the money with the person who gave me the soda, which is (I think) the more ethical thing to do, but my concern for my family would probably lead me a little astray...

Heidi

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Scream/bounce ecstatically... then I don't know

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

This is a great question, the kind you can talk over with the family at dinner, or at the coffee shop with friends. It would make a great ice breaker at a team meeting with new kids, or as a team builder with the veteran students!

I like that there is really no wrong answer!

I think I would claim the prize first and then be very generous with the person that bought me the beverage in the first place. I know I would give a lot of it away - church, my favorite charities - and make some choices that could really make a difference in someone's life like scholarship donation that sort of thing. And pay for my kids education - well most of it since I feel they should help pay to understand the value of the education. And I'd take the family to DISNEY WORLD!

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I'd go to a bank and get a safe deposit box and then call an accountant. After that I would call Coke to figure out how to get my money.

Wetzel

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I think I connect with your answer the most. There are so many issues and potential problems with this type of situation.

I know of a family, the father was killed in a plane crash. The surviving wife and son received a little over a million dollars in the resulting lawsuit (this was quite a few years ago).

End of story, right? No. The man who died had several brothers and sisters, and they somehow got the impression that money should be shared with them, because they lost a brother.

But that money was all this young family would have to live on for the rest of the wife's life, and it would be the money that would fund the childs education. That extended family (brothers and sisters) was torn apart because they felt they were entitled to a good portion of the money.

So heres the thing, back to the bottle cap. If the other people in the room knew that you opened that bottle in their presence, depending on the circumstances they might feel they were entitled to part (or all) of the money. It could easily tear friends, co-workers and family apart forever.

Which is why I think this answer was the best. Dont say anything, turn in the cap and claim the prize for yourself, if anyone asks you bought it at a supermarket 5 days later...

and that way (if you pull off the stealth) you retain full control, you decide where the money should go, not someone else, not lawyers and a judge

and you have the best chance of keeping your relationship with those other people.

Thats my take.

BTW, a million dollars is not really a lot of money anymore. I have been an engineer for 22 years, and I have already earned over $1M in salary (dont ask me to explain where it all is now :^)

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Maybe a million isn't enough to retire on at age 16, but I wouldn't mind taking a 20 year vacation.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

...or give your annual income a nice little $10,000-every-year-for-a-century boost, and that's assuming you use the money as mattress stuffing. Invest wisely, and it still might not be enough to purchase Dave's wardrobe and have Dean's choice in automobiles...but it certainly wouldn't hurt. ;)

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I was just thinking about something similar the other night. My friend's mom bought me a powerball lotto ticket for my 18th b-day. I was thinking if I won I'd give her a small portion of it, because my winnings were directly linked to her.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

This might have been a good question with a poll of some type.
It seems for some it was very easy to claim the bottle cap and determine what to do with the monies involved.
For others, there was a struggle with sharing the bottle cap or not sharing the bottle cap - sharing the information freely or somewhat or not at all.
Maybe a decision can be based on taking the easy way so that relationships are not tested or strained.
Maybe a decision is not clear yet, trying to balance the situation based on one's perception of fairness.
Maybe a decision can be made without any thought given to correct ownership of the bottlecap, in that perception it is obvious.
Maybe a decision doesn't need to be made, the coke will not be selected.
Bottom line, everyone lives with the choice each makes regarding the bottle cap.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

a lottery ticket has to be the strangest thing to give to someone for a present, esp someone you are not closely related to. There are two possible outcomes:

1. The ticket is worthless. (You gave someone a worthless present) or

2. The ticket is worth tens of millions of dollars. You just gave someone tens of millions of dollars for a birthday present, more money than you will ever have in your entire life, and they are under no obligation to share it with you.

Either way its :ahh:

BTW, if you received $1M when you were 16, it would be plenty to buy a nice house near a major university, put yourself all the way through college at a reasonable pace (taking a year off between degrees) and getting your Phd

and still having plently of capitol left to start off a professional career in style

that is, as long as nobody knows you have it - otherwise you would end up giving most of it away to friends and family

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I prolly wouldnt tell anybody at first cause knowing my friends it would cause a big fight (both verbally and physically) over the cap and whose can it was...i would prolly claim the money, tell the person who bought the can about winning the money and then split it 50/50 with the person who purchased the can in the first place...
If i won it at work or a team meeting where the team or my job paid for it i would probably give maybe 1/3 back to the team but i dont think my job would get any unless they were about to make a bargin with me for some type of raise...even so i dont think they would get any...cuase i would essentially be paying them back for all the work ive ever done for them and i dont like doing that type of work for free

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

$1 million is still a penny shy of $999,999.99, so first I would look at it, take a drink, and put the cap back on, but I wouldn't finish the drink by the end of the meeting to be able to take it home.

Then there, I would call whoever to get the 9 hundred thousand something bucks into my bank account. Then to breach the million buck mark, I would sell my current house, and all of its belongings, everything, to start off with a clean slate. I would keep my bike though, and some raggity clothes.

Biking downtown looking poor I would seek a real estate company who knows where some open land is, purchase that land (with the guy looking at me wonder being in the poor man's clothes), then design, build, a small but awesome house and equip it with a high end media center computer and a flat panel LCD display, some modern furniture, and overall and efficient designed house made of brick. The T1 line would be ordered, and a small server installed in the house for my own web space. WIRED! to say the least.

I still see at least $500,000 being left over, so I'll start a business dealing in whatever and watch it grow and give jobs to a poor community badly needing it. I'd offer scholarships to the smart but who were denied scholarships due to some odd thing.

And with whatever leftover money there is, I would buy up a lot of those KOPs, some good material, and machines. What to do with all that:

Gundam anyone???

:cool:

-Joe

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Seeing how after taxes it would be about 660k...

Pay off debt (~15k in student loans by the time I finish)
Buy a house (~300k)
Buy a new car (~50k)
Go all out on my Disney Wedding (100k instead of the budgetted 15k)

Then invest/save the rest for the future, so my children wont have to worry about college.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Everyone click on Meli's photo

then join in and harmonize

"I would buy you a green shirt

(but not a real green shirt, thats cruel! :^)

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

The funny thing is that if you're suddenly a millionaire, your life - at least socially - will suck. Everyone will always come to you asking for money, or for this, or for that, or for a ride in a limousine. If I won something like this, I'd do what Ken would do - keep it a secret from everyone else.

I wouldn't let anyone else know I won, simply because people would stop being friends with you because of who you are, but instead of how much money you have. The only time I would ever tell anyone is if I was in long-term serious relationship, but even then I wouldn't say a thing until I know she loved me and not my money.

Instead of spending it all (or even a large portion of it), I'd find some way to put the money to use. It's not everyday that one comes into a large fortune, so I'd start looking for gaps or niches in the market where even more money can be made. A great example is in either transportation or energy. As our oil supplies peak, and then slowly decline, there is a ton of potential to make a ton of money, as well as find a new solution thats better for the environment and improves our quality of life.

If you can establish yourself quickly, and offer a cheap, cost-efficient solution to the oil-shortage crisis that starts to become widely adopted, your million dollars is now ten million. And then one hundred million. And then one billion. And beyond.

With enough money, you can conduct more and more research to find even more solutions to problems in the world. With money, you can give back to the world, and make the world a better place. With money, the possibilities are endless.

I want to do something in life, instead of just watching life come and go and being another average person in a planet of six billion. I want to be one of the ones that dares to take some risk, to blaze a new path, to be a leader, to change the world. Maybe you'll think I'm crazy for thinking this, as you wouldn't be the first one. ;) But to quote Apple Computers, "... the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

Best decision when quickly coming into riches.

Don't forget, money not only changes the folks around a person, but often changes the person themself. Look at big lottery winners, there are many stories about how large sums have changed their lives for the worse. (i.e., going into debt against future annuity payments, etc.)

A person must be well grounded with their beliefs and who they are before they receive such large sums, or they often will fritter it away. Don't forget Ken's earlier statement that he earned over a million in his career already. Everyone on this board will similarly earn over a million in their careers. (Consider that working 20 years at $50,000/year is $1 million.)

I think if you talk with mentors of FIRST teams, you will find that they have changed the world. Not all changes happen like the personal computer revolution, which can be traced back to a group of garage based enthusiasts. Many changes are smaller, yet very significant in peoples lives, and the improvements often do not receive the public recognition that they deserve. In fact, for researchers, the improvements may occur, or be recognized, many years after their careers have finished -- consider the Nobel Prizes.

Re: Ethical question: What would you do if...
 

I you would give the robotics team $20,000 a year for registration, travel fees, hotels, extra regionals and the robot, the team would be in a very comfortable position and would have its continued existence assured. $1,000,000 divided by $20,000 is 50 years of robotics, which is very nice indeed! Imagine having the team still be there half a century later... :]