Mark Zuckerberg, world-renowned billionaire and founder/CEO of Facebook, has now joined the ranks of notable philanthropists such as Bill Gates. On December 1st, Zuckerberg announced that he and his wife would donate 99% of their Facebook shares in the coming years to charitable purposes.

Though the exact way they wish to execute this plan has yet to be revealed, the Zuckerbergs say they are committed to their initial promise. At only 31 years of age, Zuckerberg has taken on quite the ordeal for such a young man. His actions, while clearly generous, have stirred up quite the conversation amongst the public. Some believe that Zuckerberg’s generosity will benefit both himself and the rest of society, while others have accused him of making a rash decision that he will regret later. Similarly, students at Scituate High School had varying opinions.

“I think what he’s doing is very good and very generous,” sophomore Mark Falvey said when asked his opinion on Zuckerberg’s recent philanthropic efforts. Many students agreed with Falvey’s sentiments, believing that Zuckerberg’s actions should serve as a precedent for future millionaires and billionaires.

However, there were students whose beliefs contradicted those held by Falvey. Senior Brendan Wilson deemed Zuckerberg’s efforts as “attention seeking behavior,” and BC High’s Mitch Anderson went on to add, “I remember reading it thinking, ‘oh this is cool’ because he was somebody who had made it all the way to the top. But I realized that he just wants attention.”

Despite the fact that many seemed to promote Zuckerberg’s actions, few gave any indication that they would donate to charity if they were put into Zuckerberg’s position. When asked how he would spend his money if given $1 billion dollars (a small amount in comparison to Zuckerberg’s fortunes), senior Charlie Ruble said, “I would buy a bunch of cars, and wake up in the morning wondering if I should take the Lambo or the Bugatti today.”

Other students provided similar answers. “I would donate like $10 million to Harvard,” senior Courtney Loring began, “and then apply to their pre-med undergrad because they couldn’t deny me if I donated.” Loring went on to say she would use her remaining money to open her own private practice. Jack Noonan also had rather materialistic wishes, saying he would purchase “a mansion — a huge mansion on the beach.”

Do not lose all hope you have left for humanity just yet, for there was one, yes one of the 20 students asked, whose desires demonstrated philanthropic qualities. “To be honest, I would actually probably give a good portion to my family and a charity,” said junior Scott Arnold.

If there’s one thing that everyone agrees on, it’s that Zuckerberg’s actions are quite noble. Society can only hope that others follow in his footsteps and decide to exchange their wealth for long term security and aid.