Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm curious to see what everyone's personal philosophy is towards giving money to beggars. I'm not talking about volunteering at a soup kitchen or donating to a homeless advocacy organization here. I'm talking about giving to the homeless person standing holding a cardboard sign at the freeway exit ramp or the blind guy sitting next to the trash can at the subway station.
My personal philosophy is to only give to the disabled and sometimes the elderly depending on how frail they look. I used to give money to military veterans too, but after reading in the local paper about a frauds posing as Vietnam vets I stopped doing that. I absolutely do not give a cent to people who look like they have the physical and mental capacity to work. I can't tell you the number of times I've been asked for money by tall, muscular men who look more fit than I am. As far as what I give, usually it's about $2-$4, depending on what loose bills I have in my pocket as I never take out my wallet anywhere except to pay for something. I don't usually give change. It feels too demeaning to throw a few quarters into someone's cup, as if they were a water fountain or something like that. I don't give food, as that's usually not what they want. I could care less whether the person was going to spend that money on booze, drugs or prostitutes.
I'm curious to see what everyone's personal philosophy is towards giving money to beggars. I'm not talking about volunteering at a soup kitchen or donating to a homeless advocacy organization here. I'm talking about giving to the homeless person standing holding a cardboard sign at the freeway exit ramp or the blind guy sitting next to the trash can at the subway station.
My personal philosophy is to only give to the disabled and sometimes the elderly depending on how frail they look. I used to give money to military veterans too, but after reading in the local paper about a frauds posing as Vietnam vets I stopped doing that. I absolutely do not give a cent to people who look like they have the physical and mental capacity to work. I can't tell you the number of times I've been asked for money by tall, muscular men who look more fit than I am. As far as what I give, usually it's about $2-$4, depending on what loose bills I have in my pocket as I never take out my wallet anywhere except to pay for something. I don't usually give change. It feels too demeaning to throw a few quarters into someone's cup, as if they were a water fountain or something like that. I don't give food, as that's usually not what they want. I could care less whether the person was going to spend that money on booze, drugs or prostitutes.
I give massively. I'm a socialist at heart, for whatever reason. I think some people have been screwed by society. Or perhaps all of us, for having been born. I have little money, but when I have it, I'm always inclined to give to the "less fortunate"
My feelings about this have changed over time. I live in Seattle where the same guys have stood on the same street corners for years. I've fallen for the "I'm pregnant and homeless" or "wounded vet" scams too many times. It has become a lifestyle for many people here, and a percentage of them just want their meth habits supported. In volunteering at a homeless camp (with children, including infants, in tents on a superfund cleanup site!!!), I have come to realize that the TRUE homeless are invisible. They are trying to seek help through a broken system and do not want to beg. Now I only give money to one mentally and physically handicapped man who has no teeth & obviously needs societal support.
The best thing to give people without teeth or poor dentition, besides money, are soft foods like applesauce and babyfood in squeeze tubes. Also appreciated are toothbrushes/paste and deodorant.
I've lived and worked in areas with a large homeless population (NYC and DC metro), and I am always conflicted when I pass a homeless person begging for money. I think for the most part it is hard to distinguish between those who are truly needy and the scammers. I have started to question the able bodied folks that I see in the SAME places M-F during rush hour, however, I am sensitive to the fact that there are alot of people with mental diseases that you just can't detect by looking at them.
In the end, we give alot through charity and sometimes I give when I have cash on me, and I try not to think about the "what ifs", "what if they take my money and use it for drugs," in the end I believe it is the thought that counts and anything after that I have no control over.
I work at a school and it's heartbreaking knowing some of the students will end up homeless through no fault of their own. I always try to keep that in mind.
However after a short period of thought (philosophically speaking) giving money seems to have only a neutral effect (at best).
I think when confronted by one of these situations it's basically "all or nothing."
----
A dollar from me, means I lose a dollar, a bit of time, and a homeless person gets a false sense of comfort and possibly a negative one, if they use it on alcohol/drugs. I'm essentially paying them to kill themselves.
So what do we do then? Either...
Nothing...which at worst is a neutral choice (assuming no immediate danger is coming to the homeless person).
Or...
Everything (getting treatment, finding a job, getting a place to stay)...which at worst is also neutral, but at best could change their life for the better. Now this takes effort on your part, possibly money and suffering...but it is the "rightest" thing to do. But it's also the most difficult and most unrealistic.
Or...
Offer to buy food/treatment. (I've never had a homeless person accept this offer) It takes a bit more time, costs a bit more, but you know that you're giving something that is safe, possibly healthy and can be sure that the money you give isn't going to waste.
----
So that's why if you were to spend time and money and are mindful of the "care" you wish to produce, just giving money doesn't work. Even when placed in a situation of action such as this, I am not obligated to oblige their happiness. I give what I best deem suits what is best for them.
This gets a bit complicated when you try to quantify happiness, as well as things like the greater good. But I think in the end that giving no money is better over all than just giving money.
I don't live or work in an area where I see this alot so I'm not confronted with having to have a particular strategy. i suppose I have the luxury of practicing random acts of kindness. Like others if the person looks a little more old, disabled I'm more likely to give a few bucks.
I feel - its more about me than it is about them. I want to be a kind person (not a stupid or entirely naive kind person but nonetheless) so I figure what the heck, a few bucks here and there. What they do with it is their business. Maybe they buy booze or drugs this time, maybe this is the time when they won't. I'm also not a controlling person.
My feelings about this have changed over time. I live in Seattle where the same guys have stood on the same street corners for years. I've fallen for the "I'm pregnant and homeless" or "wounded vet" scams too many times. It has become a lifestyle for many people here, and a percentage of them just want their meth habits supported. In volunteering at a homeless camp (with children, including infants, in tents on a superfund cleanup site!!!), I have come to realize that the TRUE homeless are invisible. They are trying to seek help through a broken system and do not want to beg. Now I only give money to one mentally and physically handicapped man who has no teeth & obviously needs societal support.
The best thing to give people without teeth or poor dentition, besides money, are soft foods like applesauce and babyfood in squeeze tubes. Also appreciated are toothbrushes/paste and deodorant.
But they want meth, not toothpaste. I say let them have it. I'm conflicted about it, but ultimately I say people should have the right to enjoyably self-destruct.
I give when they look really awful... very skinny, ragged clothes, old and tired looking
Also if they have an animal with them.. sad to see someone on a corner with this little dog on a piece of rope, both hungry and alone... figure the person loves his/her pet enough to stay together, so i give them $5
There but for the grace of God, go you or I ..........
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
