Giving Homeless People Money

Peteyandjia said:
Your math is off, I didn’t estimate 1 out of 10 is honest. I guessed 1 for every 10,000 bullshitters

And yeah, I don’t hand out money to addicts. Sorry if you think that makes me a bad person
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I would say it does, yes. All you need to know is that those people, ifnthey’re asking for money, most likely need it more than you do. I’m not saying you should give money to everyone who asks. But I am saying you should be willing to part with a dollar some of the time to help people less fortunate than yourself. And I think the assumption that they are all addicts, or people who choose to be homeless, is spurious. I think it’s just a simple, go-to justification for being an asshole and not wanting to give anyone money for fear that they may be getting over on you. But my opinion is, who cares if they are? So what? You lost a dollar and gained the opportunity to help someone. Big fucking deal.
 
I used to, but then I moved to Philadelphia and there were people begging every 2 blocks with the same spiels over and over again. I deal with this in Manhattan too!

I would much rather someone just ask for a dollar or so instead of these annoying, bullshit stories.

They were so entitled and pesty that it kind of turned me off from giving in the future.
 
Jack Reacheround said:
All you need to know is that those people, ifnthey’re asking for money, most likely need it more than you do.
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Ridiculous logic. If anything, they need less enablers helping them to get drunk or high, not more.
 
Peteyandjia said:
Ridiculous logic. If anything, they need less enablers helping them to get drunk or high, not more.
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Just keep telling yourself that everyone is an addict. Yeah, nobody could be homeless due to unfortunate circumstances. And absolutely all of them have to be addicts. Sound logic.
 
Jack Reacheround said:
Just keep telling yourself that everyone is an addict. Yeah, nobody could be homeless due to unfortunate circumstances. And absolutely all of them have to be addicts. Sound logic.
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Just keep telling yourself you’re Mother Teresa for funding the local liquor store, and cirrhosis of the liver.
 
Every interstate exit here has homeless on it. It's the same people every day. They make a career out of it. I'm not going to give money to do that.
 
Rozko said:
I will never give them cash. I will offer to buy them a sub and a large fountain drink from a subway. The drug addled shitbags don't take up the offer but the ones in need will.
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Ya they usually tell you to fuck off and say they just want to get high.

A guy claiming to be a vet bugged me at the WTC memorial back in April and said he was going to get a square device for his iPhone so he could collect debit/credit card donations.

I didn't make that up.

There was a chick at an off ramp with a sign each morning. She didn't look poor nor homeless. Her sign was very vague as well. She looked clean and showered. About 25 yrs old. I bet she just saw it as easy money.

There was a pretty famous old hag who used have a destitute act n Toronto's St Lawrence market. The reality was that she had a pricey condo a block away and dressed up as if she was an actor. I've heard that area is not a hot bed of pan handlers.

Not saying all homeless people are truly unlucky but many of them are frauds or addicts.
 
Peteyandjia said:
Just keep telling yourself you’re Mother Teresa for funding the local liquor store, and cirrhosis of the liver.
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There is no more obvious tell, when someone knows they’re wrong, than when they try to completely mischaracterize the argument they are trying to argue against.
 
Jack Reacheround said:
Just keep telling yourself that everyone is an addict.
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You'd be right most of the time.

As for mental illness, there is a 'chicken and the egg' question. Are they homeless because they are mentally ill or are they mentally ill because they are living off the street. Many of the people who are truly down on their luck and find themselves homeless become mentally ill just from the uncertainty of living day to day.
 
therealdope said:
Ya they usually tell you to fuck off and say they just want to get high.
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That is usually the response I get.

therealdope said:
A guy claiming to be a vet bugged me at the WTC memorial back in April and said he was going to get a square device for his iPhone so he could collect debit/credit card donations.

I didn't make that up.
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If he only put that level of forethought and effort into not being a shitbag.

therealdope said:
There was a chick at an off ramp with a sign each morning. She didn't look poor nor homeless. Her sign was very vague as well. She looked clean and showered. About 25 yrs old. I bet she just saw it as easy money.
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We had a some girl in her 20s doing that near the highway for a while. A city council member stood next to her with a sign calling her a lazy liar with screen shots of her FB page. It was fucking gold. Shamed her into no longer begging for money.
 
Rozko said:
We had a some girl in her 20s doing that near the highway for a while. A city council member stood next to her with a sign calling her a lazy liar with screen shots of her FB page. It was fucking gold. Shamed her into no longer begging for money.
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there is a guy currently on the divider of a busy intersection (fairly expensive area for housing) with a sign that reads like novel about, "not being lazy", "willing to work hard", "being hungry". He's been there for weeks.
 
Jack Reacheround said:
There is no more obvious tell, when someone knows they’re wrong, than when they try to completely mischaracterize the argument they are trying to argue against.
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I’m all for giving money to homeless shelters, just not so much the homeless. I do give them food sometimes. I just think giving them money for imaginary bus rides is not a good investment.
 
Mistake giving him the dollar.

If a homeless guy asks me for money for food I will almost always, if i have the time, offer to walk with him to a nearby subway or McD's or Tim Hortons and buy him food. But if you are giving them cash you might as well just give them drugs or booze as you are directly contributing to their problem and potentially delaying them recovering. if that is an option in their future.
 
moreorless87 said:
The mistake I think people make though is viewing homeless as only a result of drink/drugs when in reality its very often the other way around, being homeless is such a stressful miserable existence that many naturally turn to drink/drugs.

Generally I'd say you are probably better off giving a donation to a homeless charity than one on the street.
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A lot of so called charities actually donate very little to the homeless. Gotta watch out for those.
 
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