I really want an answer to this from people who are not reddit-brained libs. I have seen some good points elsewhere about this contributing to a cycle of abuse and control, causing parents to withdraw their kids from school to beg instead, etc., but if someone is desperate enough to humiliate themselves by begging on the street, shouldn't we give to them? Or should I feel bad that I did give to them?
Thanks, yeah it looked like a lot of bullshit online. In the UK, people always tell you don't interact, keep walking, etc., it's fucked. After hearing this repeatedly and not exactly being well off myself I eventually internalised the message. Wild.
Yeah, it's insidious. I'm constantly upset by the idea that my parents or friends will judge me for "giving people handouts" and i always have to push it down. Culture is real, and powerful, and strongly effects how we think and behave. Pushing back against violence in our culture is like swimming up river - a constant effort, and wouldn't it be so much easier to just float with the current?
I hope things will get better, soon, for everyone.
Recently saw new signs in a grocery store parking lot telling you not to give panhandlers money and to donate to charities instead that gives me an immense urge to cover them in spray paint.
And look at that, how convenient, the store is collecting on behalf of the charity from customers. How nice of them to get someone else to fund their tax write offs. Fucking hate that that is a thing
"Don't give 20$ to a hungry person. Give 20$ to an NGO that, after all it's overhead costs, might give 2-3$ to someone, somewhere.