Board 8 > What are your thoughts on helping homeless people, and donations from the rich?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I had a discussion with a friend today and it really got me thinking, and wondering if my approach to these things is right. I guess I'm looking for validation if I'm straight up. For the first thing anyway, the 2nd thing is probably more opinion than anything.

For starters, what is your stance on I guess, correct "protocol" for just like giving to someone on the street if you are approached by someone? I'm not asking for whether you do or not personally, I'm not here to shame anyone that doesn't. But like, the specifics of my discussion was that I personally have a policy where I am more than willing to get the actual physical thing requested of the person (IE food) instead of giving them actual money (within my means), because I don't believe people are trustworthy enough that I can just give them money and they won't use it for "less helpful" purposes. Do you think this is too cynical of me? It's not like I will refuse to help someone within my means based on this skepticism right off the bat, but like I had a guy a while back ask for money so he could get food literally across the street, and I offered to go get the food for him, basically taking his order, and he declined. Is it "okay" of me to then decline to give them the requested money? The person I was discussing this with described this mindset as borderline victim-shaming. Is that truly what I'm doing? If so, I need to re-evaluate my thought process.

We then went on a tangent and discussed what a rich person's "obligations" are in order to help people who are less fortunate than they are. People like professional athletes, CEOs of megacorps, etc. These people are multi-millionaires, even billionaires. If someone is worth 1 billion, and gives 1 million, on one hand that is a significant amount, but on the other there will always be people who go "they gave X% of their net worth lol." Is there even a correct answer? On some level with such people there's got to be a sort of willing ignorance for people who are destitute through no fault of their own, right? Perhaps they feel they've done enough? But should that erase the fact that they did give? Or is it a hard line based on the amount rather than a pure philosophical issue? IE if someone worth 1 million gives $1000, vs someone worth 1 billion who gives 1 million?
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Donating to a soup kitchen/whatever organization gives food/shelter to the needy in your area is probably the most effective way to help.

Emeraldegg posted...

We then went on a tangent and discussed what a rich person's "obligations" are in order to help people who are less fortunate than they are. People like professional athletes, CEOs of megacorps, etc. These people are multi-millionaires, even billionaires. If someone is worth 1 billion, and gives 1 million, on one hand that is a significant amount, but on the other there will always be people who go "they gave X% of their net worth lol." Is there even a correct answer? On some level with such people there's got to be a sort of willing ignorance for people who are destitute through no fault of their own, right? Perhaps they feel they've done enough? But should that erase the fact that they did give? Or is it a hard line based on the amount rather than a pure philosophical issue? IE if someone worth 1 million gives $1000, vs someone worth 1 billion who gives 1 million?

The correct answer is to have taxes high enough that people don't need to make charitable donations.
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I guess I should clarify that yes that option is there, I'm speaking more to like, if you're approached by an individual rather if that makes sense. I'll edit the opening post to reflect that
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Emeraldegg posted...
It's not like I will refuse to help someone within my means based on this skepticism right off the bat, but like I had a guy a while back ask for money so he could get food literally across the street, and I offered to go get the food for him, basically taking his order, and he declined. Is it "okay" of me to then decline to give them the requested money? The person I was discussing this with described this mindset as borderline victim-shaming. Is that truly what I'm doing? If so, I need to re-evaluate my thought process.

There is nothing wrong with this.


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There are a lot of resources available to help poor people get food, etc. As such, most of the panhandlers out there are just looking for cigarette or alcohol money, or worse. The concept of the "noble poor" going to the streets to try to get some change to feed their children is by and large a thing of the past. As such, if you are going to give, donate to established charities or offer them something tangible like food.

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Emeraldegg posted...

For starters, what is your stance on I guess, correct "protocol" for just like giving to someone on the street if you are approached by someone? I'm not asking for whether you do or not personally, I'm not here to shame anyone that doesn't. But like, the specifics of my discussion was that I personally have a policy where I am more than willing to get the actual physical thing requested of the person (IE food) instead of giving them actual money (within my means), because I don't believe people are trustworthy enough that I can just give them money and they won't use it for "less helpful" purposes. Do you think this is too cynical of me? It's not like I will refuse to help someone within my means based on this skepticism right off the bat, but like I had a guy a while back ask for money so he could get food literally across the street, and I offered to go get the food for him, basically taking his order, and he declined. Is it "okay" of me to then decline to give them the requested money? The person I was discussing this with described this mindset as borderline victim-shaming. Is that truly what I'm doing? If so, I need to re-evaluate my thought process.

Playing devil's advocate here - some would argue that homeless people decline these offers because there's a chance their food could be fucked with. Now, I think that's generally a bad-faith argument given how readily available packaged/sealed food is, but I digress.

Anyway, you did nothing wrong and being called a "borderline victim-shamer" for that is utterly egregious. That's something I would expect from a naive person in their teens/early twenties who has spent very little time around homelessness.

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I don't know what it is lately, but I've noticed a lot of people are making others feel guilty for 'not helping society enough'

Like do homeless people need help? Absolutely, but you should never be guilt tripped into giving them money every time you're asked. If you want to actively help, then donating to organizations is far more helpful than to individuals and is in general more trustworthy.

At the end of the day though it's your money and ultimately your call.

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nah i always give them money the crack will help them more than a sandwich

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Mac Arrowny posted...

The correct answer is to have taxes high enough that people don't need to make charitable donations.

I'll come back to this whole topic later, but god DAMN imagine the fantasy candy world government you would have to have for this to be a viable option.

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Emeraldegg posted...

but like I had a guy a while back ask for money so he could get food literally across the street, and I offered to go get the food for him, basically taking his order, and he declined. Is it "okay" of me to then decline to give them the requested money? The person I was discussing this with described this mindset as borderline victim-shaming. Is that truly what I'm doing? If so, I need to re-evaluate my thought process.

whoever you were talking to about this is wrong.
offering to buy them food is the right choice if you do anything at all to street beggers and there's no "victim shaming" involved. i don't even get how that's supposed to be a thing in the first place, you want to give money for food.

the real answer to this is never give pan handlers money, never buy for someone that's doing a scam (e.g., bump into you and the item "fell" so they try to guilt trip you to buying them something), and if you want to give the homeless something you can do so through certain organizations.

as for charity, if we're talking about moral obligations, i'll agree with a % or certain value to it. people do misunderstand net worth to meaning liquid assets but if the latter is in 7 figures you can easily lose 10% a year and not blink.

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