Imagine speeding down the highway in your old car, only to arrive late at work and get fired by your boss. Frustrated, you head home and start browsing job listings. Suddenly, you stumble upon a bizarre offer: a company promises to give you one million dollars if you can spend it wisely within 15 days. You laugh it off and apply, filling in your details and bank account information before going to sleep.
The next day, you wake up to a notification from your bank. Shockingly, one million dollars have been deposited into your account! You check it multiple times, unable to believe your eyes. Then, a message from an unknown number pops up: “Dear contestant, thank you for participating in our experiment. There are seven rules to follow: do not leave the money untouched for more than 15 days, do not transfer it to another account, do not tell anyone about this, do not invest it, do not lose it, and do not keep your phone away from you. Everything you purchase will be taken away once the experiment is over.”
Your phone automatically downloads an app with a countdown timer. Curious and a bit nervous, you head to the bank to ask for more details. But as soon as you tell the teller about the experiment, you receive a notification: you’ve lost 24 hours for breaking a rule. Panicking, you rush back home with 14 days left.
Determined to see if the money is real, you order some Chinese food. It works! You spend $20, and the money is deducted from your account. Excited, you decide to splurge on a $200 meal fit for a king. Then, you head to a car dealership and drive away in a flashy sports car, spending $100,000. Everyone is amazed, and your new ride becomes a social media sensation.
Next, you spot a luxurious mansion and decide to buy it. With 12 days left, you start furnishing your new home with a grand piano, an exotic fish tank, and even a swimming pool with waterfalls. You hire staff for cleaning, gardening, and security, and throw a massive party, inviting everyone you know.
Feeling unstoppable, you return to your old office and declare yourself the boss. You dine at the finest restaurants, buy expensive watches, and even throw cash from a balcony, watching people scramble to pick it up. You hire a limo to cruise around the city and buy your favorite restaurant, renaming it after yourself.
With time and money still left, you decide to travel. You fly to Tokyo, stay in a luxurious hotel, and enjoy the local cuisine. Then, you hop over to Rome, savoring Italian food while exploring the city. Your European adventure continues with a croissant in front of the Eiffel Tower and tapas in Spain.
Seeking more excitement, you embark on a safari in the Savannah, spotting giraffes and lions. You explore caves and sleep in a hotel with a view of the open Savannah. With seven days left, you trek the Himalayas, skydive over the Amazon, and relax on Hawaiian beaches.
Despite the fun, you start feeling homesick. After island hopping and sailing, you return to your mansion, only to find it in disarray. The house is damaged, and most of your staff has left. You realize you bought it without proper inspection.
With less than an hour left, you check your balance and see it’s nearly empty. You receive a final message: “Thank you for participating in the experiment. Your contribution helped us a lot.” Frustrated, you try contacting them, but there’s no response. With no money left to pay bills, you have no choice but to return everything and go back to your old life.
As you search for new jobs, another experiment catches your eye, leaving you wondering if you should dive into another adventure.
Imagine you have one million dollars to spend in 15 days, just like in the article. Create a detailed budget plan for how you would spend the money while following the rules of the experiment. Consider what purchases you would make each day and how you would ensure the money is spent wisely. Share your plan with the class and discuss the challenges you might face.
In groups, role-play different scenarios from the article. One student can be the main character, while others can be friends, bank tellers, or party guests. Act out scenes like buying a sports car, hosting a party, or traveling the world. Discuss how each decision impacts the character’s journey and what you would do differently.
Write a short story or diary entry from the perspective of the main character in the article. Describe your feelings and thoughts as you navigate the challenges of the experiment. Consider how you would react to losing time for breaking a rule or discovering your mansion is in disarray. Share your story with the class.
Calculate the daily spending rate needed to use up one million dollars in 15 days. Explore the economic principles behind spending large sums of money quickly. Discuss the potential consequences of such spending on personal finances and the economy. Present your findings to the class.
Hold a class debate on the ethics of the experiment described in the article. Discuss whether it is ethical for a company to conduct such an experiment and the potential impacts on participants. Consider the rules and consequences outlined in the article. Form teams to argue for and against the experiment, and conclude with a class vote.
Experiment – A scientific procedure undertaken to test a hypothesis or demonstrate a known fact. – In social studies, students conducted an experiment to understand the effects of different economic policies on local communities.
Money – A medium of exchange that facilitates trade and is used to measure value in an economy. – In economics class, we learned how money is used to buy goods and services in a market economy.
Spend – To use money to buy goods or services. – The government decided to spend more on public education to improve literacy rates.
Rules – Prescribed guidelines or principles governing conduct within a particular activity or sphere. – The classroom discussion focused on the rules that regulate international trade agreements.
Account – A record or statement of financial expenditure and receipts relating to a particular period or purpose. – In our economics project, we had to create a mock bank account to track our spending and savings.
Purchase – The act of buying something. – The students discussed how consumer behavior influences the purchase of environmentally friendly products.
Mansion – A large, impressive house. – In history class, we studied how the mansions of the industrial era reflected the wealth and social status of their owners.
Travel – The act of moving from one place to another, often over a long distance. – Our geography lesson included a discussion on how travel and trade routes have shaped cultural exchanges throughout history.
Staff – A group of people employed by an organization to carry out various tasks. – The museum staff organized an exhibit on the economic impact of the Great Depression.
Adventure – An unusual and exciting experience or activity, often involving exploration. – The explorers’ adventure led to the discovery of new trade routes that changed global commerce.
