💵 Finders keepers, for $5000?

Happy Monday! It’s September 4 — people are talking about the man who found $5k on the ground, the pros and cons of envy, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

💵 In the news: Finders keepers, for $5000?

Robert Withington found an unattended bag of $5000 in cash in a bank parking lot, and took it. Now he’s been charged with 3rd-degree larceny.

💵 WaPo covers the details: The money belonged to the local town. Police claim there were receipts in the bag, and Withington was obligated to return it. But Withington says he didn’t see any receipts, and it felt like “finders keepers”.

💵 Above the Law explains that “finders keepers” is not, and has never been, a legitimate legal concept. Don't take something that isn't yours — period.

💵 Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal: Even if it were legal to take an item you found like that, it's still morally wrong! That much money must be returned.

💵 But SFGate wonders: If you find money on the street, is there really a way to return it to whoever dropped it? And what if you really need extra cash?

💵 There's also the question of karma. A Reddit thread on r/ShowerThoughts says found money could be either good or bad karma. How can you know?

👀 Cultural trend: Is envy good or bad?

Is envy helpful and natural, or destructive and toxic? There’s new discussion.

👀 GoodTherapy says envy is natural, but generally negative — and it has a particularly negative societal connotation because it's one of the 7 deadly sins.

👀 Vox says envy is actually great for you, if you harness it correctly. It's a powerful motivator — you can use it to set goals, or to appreciate others.

👀 Inc: Maybe, but it also can quickly turn malicious and resentful. Those feelings usually lead to toxic or even violent behavior.

👀 Healthline takes a different POV: Envy, like all emotions, is neutral. It's how you deal with it that matters. If you need help dealing with envy, see a therapist.

Quick hits

🧑‍🚀 After living at the International Space Station for 6 months, 4 astronauts successfully ended their mission with a splashdown landing in Florida. (CNN)

⚔️ Ahead of talks between Putin and Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan, Russian drones attacked Ukraine's grain-exporting ports. (Al Jazeera)

🏎 Max Verstappen won the Italian Grand Prix to notch a record 10th consecutive victory. (NBC News)

🏀 The US men's basketball team suffered a surprising loss to Lithuania in the FIBA World Cup. Both teams will advance to the quarterfinals. (CNN)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)