Earlier today, my mother told me that she found a lost iPhone 16. I explained to her that we needed to find the owner and return it. However, she argued that we should keep it and give it to our relatives in Vietnam (they’re poor).

After some back and forth, I took the phone and was able to locate the owner by calling the number on the Lock Screen.

After I returned it, I tried to offer her a different perspective. I asked how she would feel if her phone was the one that got lost, and someone found it but didn’t return it. She just shrugged and said, “The world isn’t nice enough to return it anyway,” and doubled down by repeating that we should’ve kept it.

I can see her POV of wanting to provide for her family, but I feel like it’s wrong to take something that wasn’t given to you, even if it was a lost item.

I also feel like returning the phone doesn’t take much effort, so I can’t wrap my head around why you wouldn’t.