Should I have given my dollar?
- Thread starter sageoftruth
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While I advise against eye poking (unless it's sexy eye poking), the latter is a great idea. I remember a thing we used to do* when we were high school seniors. TLDR version, it was kind of a thing to buy lunch for homeless people.Donnyp said:
*The senior year of high school, most students go through something called the russetid. Essentially, it's a crazy period of debauchery and drinking, smattered with some more innocent fun. We have funny hats, and put things in it based on accomplishments. Said accomplishments are usually officially listed beforehand. For example, you'd get a Popsicle stick if you smush a freshman with ice cream. You'd get a bottle cap for drinking a case of beer within an hour. We had one where you pay lunch for a homeless. I kind of like that.
You're forgetting that what the government claims it does and what it actually does are quite different things. Otherwise there wouldn't be a priority list. There simply isn't enough help to go around, and while I fully agree with the sentiment that most homeless people could be doing a lot more to try to get themselves out of their predicament, there are so many barriers in their way that I can't bring myself to condemn someone for not doing it. You know how many weeks you have to live on your savings before jobseeker's allowance kicks in? You know how long you need to survive more or less the harshest conditions anyone has to suffer, associating with people who constantly reinforce your bad habits just be safe enough to survive before they may offer you a bed somewhere? How long does your resolve to do something usually last? Now imagine that while you and all your friends are polydrug addicts sleeping in bushes, car parks, and alleyways, never showering, rarely eating hot meals and adjust that length of time appropriately.generic gamer said:
Have you heard of a charity called Emmaus? If a homeless person manages to get into one of their residencies then they have a reasonable hope of turning their life around. Unfortunately there really are not a lot of spaces, and no-one else provides anything like the rehabilitation that they do.
When I meant 'live on your savings' I meant how long you need to be looking for work before your jobseeker's allowance will kick in and start making payments. You're bang on about the Salvation Army (who I omitted for some strange reason, probably because the fuckers run a massive shop near me that refuse to use their vans to come get stuff from my house that we try to donate so I have to carry 50kg of furniture on my back in the baking sun *seethes*) they do often offer good help. I just don't think you consider how much the 'will to change your life' is near impossible to acquire and maintain in the context that these people are in. If you're as interested in this stuff as you seem to be (you seem to know some about it) can I suggest you try helping out at a shelter (serving food/whatever else the shelter needs you for) and advising homeless people of their options? You'll also definitely get a better understanding of how and why the majority of the help we're told is available actually isn't.generic gamer said:
'Bang on' not 'banging on'. I mean you're exactly right!generic gamer said:
You've redeemed yourself somewhat in my eyes, and you've come out with some of the good reasons not to give money directly to beggars. I'm sorry if I come off judgemental and you really don't need to justify yourself to me. Just approach people in these situations with as much compassion and empathy as you can muster, and try to put yourself in their shoes. Sometimes a guy does really need a drink...
Anyway, you seem a pretty decent guy, so best of luck to you at uni, and thanks for the tip.
so your saying a shot of heroin is equally as bad as a bar of chocolate?Spacefly said:
im pretty sure suporting a homeless persons drugginess wont help him. if hes druged out half the time he cant do shit other than beg if he doesnt have an addiction then he can get a fucking job
Your comprehension skills leave much to be desired. Spacefly's comment unambiguously meant that what the person you give money to spends that money on does not affect you as the giver in any way. So no, he's not saying that a 'shot' of heroin is "equally as bad as a bar of chocolate".chunkeymonke said:
As for supporting a homeless person's drug habit, perhaps you don't know about the effects of some uppers on body temperature in freezing cold temperatures, or perhaps by giving him money you've prevented him from getting so desperate as to mug someone and steal it (potentially causing serious injuries to either or both), or perhaps you've helped stave off suicide as a result of not handling withdrawals. Perhaps you've contributed enough that they'll buy a better class of heroin and therefore are less likely to die from contaminants. But you wouldn't think of any of that since all anyone needs to know about homeless drug addicts is that they are contemptible and deserve everything that comes to them because they don't have any money, right?
Hey! I'm offended. We have yet to sink that far. (only slightly sarcastic)mech soap said:
The dollar is at about 120 isk.
OT: Depends on the society you live in. If you believe that the social security system you pay for with your taxes is not adequate than it is practically your responsibility to give to charity in one way or another. But if you live in a country where the "system" takes care of the people like they deserve it should generally not be necessary for you or anyone else to give anything extra.
But even then there are exceptions. Some people get fucked by an otherwise good system.
P.s. Changed quote as it was wrongly attributed.
I'm assuming by the fact you're posting on the internet that you have a computer. I think I can safely assume from that, that you're also well off enough not to consider some of the "lower end" jobs that can still pay for a man's living, even though you personally wouldn't take them (as I imagine you have some family earnings/pensions/family to fall back on when you're jobless and not go on the street to beg).Suki the Cat said:
Try offering them a job. That's the best way really. I remember an old friend's mom, a beggar came to her door asking for a bit of money. She answered she wouldn't give them any for nothing, but that she would pay them (a decent, honest amount) to clean a couple of her windows around the house. The beggar refused and buggered off.
Personally, I turn away anyone I see who seems capable of doing some work or is constantly begging, especially gypsy women with children, particularly those who run around with one child in arm and one-two children running around her helping her beg (seen a surprisingly stupid amount of those in Serbia, my friend tells me they're common in Florence as well, it's a disgusting "business").
As for the people who try to play you, I'm usually wary of them and turn them away. I love however, to give money to a few people who play music on the street (assuming they're at all good or at least trying).
Never. I hate the homeless. That sounds evil and radical, but if you live in Edmonton, you'd understand. All they do is sit around all day destroying our downtown by spitting, urinating on public places, and drinking bottles of Listerine. It's disgusting and giving them money to continue wallowing in their filth isn't going to get rid of the problem. Besides, they're not going to spend it on a sandwich or water; they get that for free from churches and soup kitchens. They'll spend it on cigarettes and vodka.
If you really want to help them, keep the dollar and donate it to a charity that tries to rehabilitate people to get them working again. I don't support people that choose not to work, which I'm sure 90% of the homeless here are. However, if someone is genuinely in a low place and wants to come back into society, then they have every right to and should be helped.
If you really want to help them, keep the dollar and donate it to a charity that tries to rehabilitate people to get them working again. I don't support people that choose not to work, which I'm sure 90% of the homeless here are. However, if someone is genuinely in a low place and wants to come back into society, then they have every right to and should be helped.