When you give...
By fotojunkie
@fotojunkie (115)
United States
May 30, 2008 1:22pm CST
When you give to beggers on the street, how much control do you want over how the money is used?
For instance, if a begger approached you and asked you for some change, would you give it to him/her? Or would you do something else like give them a gift card that would only allow them to purchase food or purchase them food because you did not want them to buy alcohol, cigarettes or drugs with the money?
When you place that money in that person's hand, is it right to insist that the buy food with it? Or are you at that time imposing your will upon them? Is that a form of victimization? Is that truly the spirit of giving?
2 people like this
6 responses
@chezfrugal (84)
• United States
31 May 08
I've made it a point not to give money to beggars after I saw one get into a brand new car (SUV) and drive off happily. He didn't look all that needy (maybe he was begging for gas money?)
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
31 May 08
I can understand your frustration, because I get upset when I drive by the projects and see people with brand new cars and I have a borrow a car to get to and from work, etc. But what can you do. Some people will always abuse situations and if you let it get to you the ones who need the help are the ones lost.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
31 May 08
i don't give money to the beggars if i can't trust the person and i think that they don't deserve it... but when i do give them money, i just give willingly and i never tell them what to do with it... since it is now their money, the way they will spend their money is now up to them... that is according to my opinion... take care and have a nice day...
@alienstar (5142)
• India
31 May 08
This is really a good questiona nd i always look into beggers condition on how he looks and try to judge hin whetehr he is really in need of money because of any handycap or is he begging because he is lazy? in second case, i don't pay much attention as i wont entertain lazy peoepl and if tehy are phyically handycap, i do help them
@lossforredwords (3620)
• Philippines
31 May 08
Even though that site of children begging for some money is heartbreaking I tried not to give them anything cause if we give them money they will just think that begging will give them way through life and they might stay in streets as if they really like it. giving them money will just motivate them to be a begger. And most people say that those kids that beg on streets belong to some shady groups and collect all the money these kids have and use it in some under the table transaction.
@ramyashreesk (1021)
• India
31 May 08
Hello in our culture we have a saying in kannada language "whatever we give to others is for us and whatever we hoard is for others" its a great saying by a great poet.I believe if you give more you will get more if you try to be stingy and hoard you will lose it in one or the other way.
We come bare handedly and leave the body bare handedly.Always try to help those who are in need, the needy people will bless you.Andmore over i believe in karma theory what you sow you reap....
