'They came back with $2,000 in an envelope': Parents bribe adult son to attend sister's wedding despite toxic brother's attendance, it backfires

JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor

Jun 23, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

Bribes, though generally frowned upon, are usually effective. Cash is a very powerful motivator. Take, for instance, YouTube behemoth Mr. Beast. The whole conceit of his channel is bribing normal people into doing difficult and unsavory tasks (like surviving in a grocery store for as long as possible or completing a high-stakes obstacle course) in exchange for a large lump sum of money. And it works like a charm every time. But you can bribe with other things besides money.

For instance, I bribe myself into finishing a task by ordering food and telling myself I have to finish the task before the food is delivered. Like I'm my very own Mr. Beast. Bribes, though, come with a risk. Just because they have the incentive, doesn't mean that they'll do exactly what you want. People are people after all. The issue of bribery came up in this recent family dispute, where a wedding set the scene for a whole lot of drama.