Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has become a sensation on YouTube for ostentatious and sometimes absurd acts of altruism.

Today, Max Read, a journalist and contributor to The Times, discusses what the rise of one of YouTube’s most popular star tells us about the platform and its users.

Max Read is a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and writes about technology and internet culture in his newsletter “Read Max.”

Background reading:

Why do so many people think Mr. Donaldson is evil?
MrBeast is out to become the Elon Musk of online creators.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

An Apologetic for the Fourth of July