If Someone Dropped a Hundred Dollar Bill, Would You Return It?

If someone dropped a hundred dollar bill, I would certainly return it. Presumably I saw the incident and know exactly to whom the money belongs. I would retrieve the bill, tap the owner on the shoulder and return his property to him. If, by any chance, the person had already disappeared, I would leave the money at the nearest police station and trust them to do their best to find the rightful owner.

"Why?", you may ask.

First and foremost, keeping the money would be wrong. The Seventh Commandment clearly states: "Thou shalt not steal." Returning lost items to their rightful owner is a virtuous act. Christians and Jews do their best to follow the laws of God, given through Moses.

Even non-religious parents teach their children not to take things which don't belong to them. To maintain an orderly, lawful community, everyone must respect the property of others. The alternative is anarchy, and no one wants to live in that type of society.

All religions and belief systems adhere to some form of the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". If you had inadvertently lost $100.00, wouldn't you be anxious to have it returned? Your neighbor, who lost the money is also distraught at his loss. His circumstances may be more unfortunate than your own, and his resources more limited. Anyone with the slightest grain of empathy for a fellow human would be inclined to return the money.

A more mundane reason to return the money is the possibility of being caught stealing. There may be no one else in sight on the street, but several people may be watching from their windows. Someone may even recognize the thief, or at least be able to give an accurate description. If the loss is reported to the authorities, and the witness reports what he or she saw, there's a good chance the robber will be caught, especially in a small community or neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else.

If the temptation to pocket the money occurs to someone who has never stolen before, and he gives in to it, he takes the first step down a slippery slope. The next time he has an opportunity to steal something, it will be a little easier, and the following time, a little easier yet. A good conscience is a valuable asset, but it is very fragile. It can be weakened and even silenced after being repeatedly ignored.

In my own case, I would return the money but I have to admit my reason for doing so would be purely selfish. I know that if I kept it, my conscience would bother me until I turned it in to the police. I'd lose sleep, peace of mind, I'd even have trouble looking at myself in the mirror. The hassle wouldn't be worth it.

As for getting any pleasure from spending my ill-gotten gains, it is more likely that Prince Philip will call me for a date. That's not going to happen, not today, not tomorrow, never!

If someone dropped any denomination of money, I'd return it immediately. It would be the right thing to do, and if I were in his place, I'd want someone to return it to me. The person may desperately need the cash, and besides, I think I'd be allergic to going to jail. Even if I didn't get caught, I'd feel so miserable and guilty I'd probably end up at the police station anyway with a packed suitcase and a signed confession.

A healthy conscience is a valuable asset. An overactive conscience can be a pain in the neck.